There's a price to enjoying Washington state parks.
STATE OF WASHINGTON -- KIMA has received a lot of calls and emails from you complaining about the state's discovery pass for state parks.
The pass costs $30 a year. Without it the state says it would have to close parks across Washington.
News Washington was suddenly charging more to use your state parks rubbed some the wrong way.
"We had people leave as soon as they heard about the pass," said Michael Barnick a state park worker.
Now in place for about four months, the $30 cost of a Discover Pass has sunk in.
"We enjoy our state parks a lot and we think it's a small price to pay for the benefit we get out of the state parks," Bill Robey a park visitor.
While the benefits are great so is the cost to run the parks. KIMA discovered it cost about $138 million each year to pay for park rangers, facilities and upkeep. By 2013, that state contribution will go away, enter the discover pass.
"It's keeping the parks open,” said Barnick. “We don't get any money from the general fund any more so the only money we get is through the discover pass."
It cost $10 a day or $30 for the year and raised $5.2 million in their first two months.
While most of the money generated by the Discover Pass goes to keep these parks open it also pays for the paths you love to walk on and the places you love to fish. But the discovery pass alone will likely not be enough to keep the state park system in the same "state" it's in now.
Users also contribute boat launch and camping fees, but with all state funding going away in just over one year, something will have to give. And that will likely be you, giving a little more each year for the privilege of getting back to nature.
As of now if you walk, bike or pay a camping fee at a state park you do not have to pay for a pass, but all of this could change with a new state budget.
The pass costs $30 a year. Without it the state says it would have to close parks across Washington.
News Washington was suddenly charging more to use your state parks rubbed some the wrong way.
"We had people leave as soon as they heard about the pass," said Michael Barnick a state park worker.
Now in place for about four months, the $30 cost of a Discover Pass has sunk in.
"We enjoy our state parks a lot and we think it's a small price to pay for the benefit we get out of the state parks," Bill Robey a park visitor.
While the benefits are great so is the cost to run the parks. KIMA discovered it cost about $138 million each year to pay for park rangers, facilities and upkeep. By 2013, that state contribution will go away, enter the discover pass.
"It's keeping the parks open,” said Barnick. “We don't get any money from the general fund any more so the only money we get is through the discover pass."
It cost $10 a day or $30 for the year and raised $5.2 million in their first two months.
While most of the money generated by the Discover Pass goes to keep these parks open it also pays for the paths you love to walk on and the places you love to fish. But the discovery pass alone will likely not be enough to keep the state park system in the same "state" it's in now.
Users also contribute boat launch and camping fees, but with all state funding going away in just over one year, something will have to give. And that will likely be you, giving a little more each year for the privilege of getting back to nature.
As of now if you walk, bike or pay a camping fee at a state park you do not have to pay for a pass, but all of this could change with a new state budget.
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