The following editorial appeared in the Pasadena Star News on August 6, 2000.
The U.S. Forest Service has used Adventure Pass money wisely, but it's time to stop the double taxation and fund these services from regular tax dollars.
It started as a fee to replace the money cut from the budget of the U.S. Forest Service for maintaining the Angeles National Forest as well as three other Southern California national forests.
Like ant new government tac, it has taken on a life od its own. Instead of filling its limited purpose, it has been kept alive even while government coffers overflow. Instead of being written with a sunset date, it never dies. In fact, it just keeps getting extended.
We're talking about the misnamed Adventure Pass, a creation of the federal government, which charges hikers or anyone else who wants to step into the 650,000-acre Angeles five bucks a day or $30 for an annual sticker. But what Congress began in 1997 as an experimental program has already been renewed and extended into 2001. Last week, the Forest Service kicked off its publicity campaign aimed at keeping the tax even londer. When will it ever end?
Surely, the "crisis" in funding proper maintenance of our admittedly heavily used forests should be over. Someone should tell Congress. The federal government is predicting a $2.17 trillion surplus. Yet, the federal Forest Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, still remains underfunded by a Congress that has downsized staffing and other Forest Service programs by 35 percent since 1990.
Here's another dollar figure, one that we can better get our arms around. Rep. David Dreier, R-San Dimas, criticized for caring mostly about global affairs while shortchanging his back yard, announced his support of a House Interior Appropriations bill that reflects "a strong, fiscally responsible commitment to our nation's forests and parks." The measure includes $2 million earmarked for the Angeles National Forest, but unfortunately, only for land acquisition within the forest boundary. Here's a bill that brings strings attached to federal dollars. The money can't be used where it is needed most; in maintaining forest lands we already have.
We sympathize with the local forest service officials. They are trying to keep up trails, campgrounds, bathrooms and roads in a forest that receives 30 million visitors each year; that's more than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks combined.
They've welcomed the extra bucks from the Adventure Pass - about $6 million for the four forests - and have used the money well. We salute their good stewardship. But as we have said many times in the past, we cannot support the Adventure Pass, which is double taxation at best and gouging at worst.
Money for these improvements should come from regular tax dollars already going to federal coffers. If - and it seems the need is there - the local forest service needs more funding, Congress should appropriate it without strings. Then the U.S. Forest Service can slowly begin using the tax dollars in place of fee funds.
Today, the state of California has reduced admission fees for state parks and campgrounds. The federal government is going in the opposite direction.