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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW J'ville planner at 'flash point' turns in resignation ... Concern about violence leads Ashland synagogues to use video systems ... Former Klamath deputy sentenced to 7 years for sex crimes ... J'ville planner at 'flash point' turns in resignation ... Concern about violence leads Ashland synagogues to use video systems ... Former Klamath deputy sentenced to 7 years for sex crimes ... OUR VIEW Our View: Crater Lake fee increase not surprising Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 26, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 26, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News On the face of it, a 150 percent increase in the per-car entrance fee to Crater Lake National Park seems excessive, even more so if you are a motorcycle rider who could see your fee jump from $5 to $20 next year. But in context, the increases are reasonable, and they reflect the prevailing attitude toward government services: You get the government you pay for. If you don't want to pay more for government, you'll pay more in fees to use what the government can't otherwise afford to provide. National parks have charged entrance fees for years, but raising them is always a matter of some controversy. No one likes to pay to get into what is, after all, publicly owned land. On the other hand, maintaining roads, campgrounds and other amenities is not cheap, and no one likes paying taxes, either. At Crater Lake, Oregon's only national park, entrance fees have not increased since 1997, when the price of a seven-day entrance pass doubled. Inflation since then means the $10 fee charged in 1997 is now worth $14.79. So why not make the increase modest, and round it off to $15 to keep up with inflation, rather than boosting it to $25? Because just keeping up with inflation isn't enough. The park needs to repair and maintain facilities, restore buildings, protect resources and add programs and transportation services. One consequence of relying too heavily on fees: If fees get too high, they effectively lock low-income people out of public services, or, in the case of Crater Lake, the chance to enjoy America's natural wonders. For many, a $25 fee is no big deal. For others, it could mean the difference between taking the family to the park and staying home. If Congress provided better funding for national parks, fees could stay lower. But that means spending tax dollars the government doesn't have, which angers the public as much as fee increases. The good news is, the park gets to keep 80 percent of the additional revenue raised from increased fees. That's better than having it disappear into National Park Service coffers to be spent somewhere else. Some taxpayers say government should charge fees for services some use but others don't. That argument was heard regularly during the campaign to create a library district for Jackson County: "I don't use the library, so why should I pay?" We trust those folks will cheerfully fork over a bigger fee when they drive out-of-town visitors to Crater Lake next summer.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Nov. 26, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501