>No need to applogise to me.
>I don't work for the
>state. But I am curious
>about some of your points.
>Where does the data come
>from about the majority of
>border residents going to KY
>or OH for their recreation?
>If that point is substantiated
>and verifiable, it would have
>a large implication for Indiana.
>Do you know of a
>study which shows that result?
>
>
>On your other point, I assume
>you would not have a
>problem with Indiana finding a
>way to implement a new
>tax of some sort to
>replace the user fees for
>parks. Should that be an
>income based tax, an excise
>tax, a sales tax or
>what?
>
>When people travel to a park
>in say OH, and take
>the RV to camp, do
>you know if they normally
>stop near home to fill
>up with gas, buy groceries,
>bait, supplies, etc., or wait
>until they get to their
>destination to doo all that?
>This is one of the
>often cited issues in favor
>of low fees; as it
>is perceived that the added
>traffic is a boon to
>local business and workers, who
>in turn are pating the
>taxes to create the attraction
>that causes the increase in
>traffic. Is that trade off
>sustainable?

My data comes solely on observations from families that I have camped and fished with in Indiana for 20 plus years. I know it is a small section of border residents but we seem to bump into Indiana residents more frequently while at KY parks.After speaking with them a while, the majority of them are there for the same reasons that we are. My simple answer to a new tax is the state can squeeze some money away from pork barrel projects to fund what should be very important to all residents and not just a few politicians with a pet project that will benefit very few in the state. In response to your question regarding local revenues lost by people gassing up or buying groceries out of state, I would have to say that there is significant revenue lost in Indiana. I think my wife should have a vested interest in any Wal-Mart remotely close to a campground in KY !
Families spend a significant amount of their summer vacation money while camping or fishing. Families like mine split their vacation into "long weekends" and try to enjoy the parks and lakes throughout the summer. Just one mans opinion popular or not.