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RAISING OUR LICENSE FEE'S, I'M AT THE BUDGET MEETING

JETJOHNSO

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Ok, here's the scoop, dont shoot the messenger, I was at the State Parks Winter Rec meeting tonight in Wenatchee (and tomorrow all day), Our grooming funds look bleak for this coming season. Now before you get in an up roar, UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS, Nobody stole our money, nobody miss-placed it ect. We are short on registration money which means we get shorted on the gas tax money also. The last couple years sled registrations have been going down. We are a pay to play group. We only get money from sled registrations and gas tax money based on how many sled registered x 145 gallons per sled ect ect. This season we look like we are about 1/2 million short. This will hit every grooming area in the state with a 19% budget cut, the bottom line is we need to RAISE OUR LICENSE FEES. $32 or $35 is just to cheep. We need to raise it to at least $50 or so. You pay 7 to 15,000 for a sled so I dont think and extra 20 bucks a year will kill anyone. I firmly believe that any " red blooded" snowmobiler would have no objection as long as we put the money on the snow. NOW HERE'S WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO DO. Call the WSSA toll free line between 9am to 9pm and leave a nice message saying you are in support of raising our license fee's, Please, dlo it, it's important, WSSA needs to know our position, they are the only ones that can get this thru. Dont want to start a war here, just giving you the facts. AGAIN, NOBODY TOOK OUR MONEY. To many people dropped out or have not registered their sleds the last couple years. the cold hard facts.

HERE'S THE NUMBER, yes it's ok to call the WSSA Pres at this # and leave a message, I cleared it with them tonight, 1-800-783-WSSA
If you want more info, I always available, thanks dan
 
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rmkboxer

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that is still cheap at $50, I honestly would pay more per sled, I have 4 sleds and with the costs of fuel, I figure you buy your tab for even $50 that really doesn't get the groomer very far. I wouldn't be against paying at the snow park so the money goes to the areas I ride. I pay over $30 to ride in idaho for a week.
 

summit800

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I dont agree, gromming only is good for you that can ride thurs- friday the rest of us dont see groomed trails, I rode probly 15 times last year and didnt see a groomed trail so I dont see where it will help if Im paying 32 or 50, just my thoughts
 

summit800

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Graham, wa.
also I have another comment, I have a hard time with what there saying about the amount of sleds in our state , they say that it was the fastest growing sport in wa. But we have less registured sleds , come on ,The snow parks are always full hard to find a parking space most of the time , somethings not adding up!!!!!
 

rmk2112

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Nov 21, 2009
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www.northstar-plumbing.com
I don't see the extra $20 or so being a issue, as long as it's used for it's intended purpose.

Sorry about the negative rep...... I mistakenly hit the thumbs down key....... Fat thumbs and a iPhone screen don't mix. :(
 

summit800

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Graham, wa.
also last year didnt they put all the money in the general fund, , just because we pay more doesnt always mean we'll get more.!
 
J
Jun 13, 2009
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Hailey, Idaho
Maybe I'll just be three less registrered sleds this year... see how well that crap worked.

Grooming is BS and as far as I'm concerned it can end... If you guys want groomed trails then pay for it. Stop raising my registration to pay for it.
 

winter brew

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I have no problem paying more to ensure our snoparks stay maintained and trails groomed. WSSA took a vote at the snowshow 8-9 years ago about raising license fees ...it was overwhelmingly a yes but it never happened.
Dan, do these fees just do trails or is it snoparks maintenance and plowing also? Thanks!
 

rmkboxer

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I dont agree, gromming only is good for you that can ride thurs- friday the rest of us dont see groomed trails, I rode probly 15 times last year and didnt see a groomed trail so I dont see where it will help if Im paying 32 or 50, just my thoughts

thats only if you ride at greenwater, I have no complaints where I ride
 
S

shmuckaluck

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Aug 20, 2001
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Hey guys,
Im not against the idea, but is it something where we can make sure the money goes towards our use? We all use the groomed trails to get up and down, you have to admit when you are up in the hills all day, how nice is it to ride down on a trail that has been some what recently groomed, much better than not. I ride a couple areas where there is no grooming and going up and down is brutal to say the least. and how about this, your sled broke do you want to tow it out on 2 foot tall woops? I will pay if we get the money!
 

STAFFORDIRT

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Jan 3, 2009
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Enumclaw,Wa
Thank You!

Ok, here's the scoop, dont shoot the messenger, I was at the State Parks Winter Rec meeting tonight in Wenatchee (and tomorrow all day), Our grooming funds look bleak for this coming season. Now before you get in an up roar, UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS, Nobody stole our money, nobody miss-placed it ect. We are short on registration money which means we get shorted on the gas tax money also. The last couple years sled registrations have been going down. We are a pay to play group. We only get money from sled registrations and gas tax money based on how many sled registered x 145 gallons per sled ect ect. This season we look like we are about 1/2 million short. This will hit every grooming area in the state with a 19% budget cut, the bottom line is we need to RAISE OUR LICENSE FEES. $32 or $35 is just to cheep. We need to raise it to at least $50 or so. You pay 7 to 15,000 for a sled so I dont think and extra 20 bucks a year will kill anyone. I firmly believe that any " red blooded" snowmobiler would have no objection as long as we put the money on the snow. NOW HERE'S WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO DO. Call the WSSA toll free line between 9am to 9pm and leave a nice message saying you are in support of raising our license fee's, Please, dlo it, it's important, WSSA needs to know our position, they are the only ones that can get this thru. Dont want to start a war here, just giving you the facts. AGAIN, NOBODY TOOK OUR MONEY. To many people dropped out or have not registered their sleds the last couple years. the cold hard facts.

HERE'S THE NUMBER, yes it's ok to call the WSSA Pres at this # and leave a message, I cleared it with them tonight, 1-800-783-WSSA
If you want more info, I always available, thanks dan

Thanks Dan for all that you do for this sport. You have done alot for all of us. I would as well as most of the people I ride with would be willing to pay an extra $20 a year per sled if not double , thats nothing in comparison of what we spend for sleds, gear, accessories, food, fuel etc. If you dont think you can afford it cut your beer intake down for a ride and there you have it.

As for our contractors who plow and groom, well they have very specific equipment for this work, and believe me they dont make much money doing this. If 20% of their work dissappears they will have a hard time making it worth while. So pay your registrations people.
 
J
Jun 13, 2009
1,032
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Hailey, Idaho
Sorry but this state needs to figure this crap out. I have three rigs that need the new discover pass 90 bucks extra a year, I had to pay 40.00 for a boaters safety card, license and tags for fishing and hunting there is 100 a year, We vote for 30 tabs and yet they tack on there fees.

Another addition to what I already pay just to register my sleds to pay for grooming and plowing that never gets done were I ride. You figure out how to police the grooming and I'll be OK with paying extra, as of now they hardly groom, did not even plow most of the year, started late and finished early. You say we are a pay to play sport, well I'm tired of paying for the other areas.

These are the kinds of fees that drive users away, you'll see another decline in registration... just wait. State lands are already seeing a huge decline in usage.

All this so I can recreate on PUBLIC lands. I know some of you think I'm being petty, or cheap but it's the point... were does it stop. When my tax dollars go were intended and there is still a budget short fall then I will agree with increased usage fees. We need to stop wasting money on things like transit.
 

rmkboxer

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Sorry but this state needs to figure this crap out. I have three rigs that need the new discover pass 90 bucks extra a year, I had to pay 40.00 for a boaters safety card, license and tags for fishing and hunting there is 100 a year, We vote for 30 tabs and yet they tack on there fees.

Another addition to what I already pay just to register my sleds to pay for grooming and plowing that never gets done were I ride. You figure out how to police the grooming and I'll be OK with paying extra, as of now they hardly groom, did not even plow most of the year, started late and finished early. You say we are a pay to play sport, well I'm tired of paying for the other areas.

These are the kinds of fees that drive users away, you'll see another decline in registration... just wait. State lands are already seeing a huge decline in usage.

All this so I can recreate on PUBLIC lands. I know some of you think I'm being petty, or cheap but it's the point... were does it stop. When my tax dollars go were intended and there is still a budget short fall then I will agree with increased usage fees. We need to stop wasting money on things like transit.

maybe you will just get lucky and they will close down the areas, then you won't have to pay anything.
 

summit800

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maybe you will just get lucky and they will close down the areas, then you won't have to pay anything.
__________________
I dont think they can close a riding area because we dont groom as much!!
 

ruffryder

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also I have another comment, I have a hard time with what there saying about the amount of sleds in our state , they say that it was the fastest growing sport in wa. But we have less registured sleds , come on ,The snow parks are always full hard to find a parking space most of the time , somethings not adding up!!!!!
What isn't adding up is people still ride but aren't registering there sleds. I wish the fine was 500 bucks for getting caught. With half going to the local snowmobile club and the other half going to the dept that catches them...
 
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summit800

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Graham, wa.
I can tell you this , all the sledders I ride within my small group all have beacons and current tabs , If they dont then dont ride with them, I dont think we need more forest service out there, next we will see them using a radar gun!! they cant even catch the perks breaking into trucks.
 

JETJOHNSO

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some people just dont get it, thats for sure

Summit800 I dont know where you ride but there are a lot of groomed trails in our state, not sure why YOU'VE NEVER BEEN ON ONE ?? 90% of the riders in our state use groomed trailsl to access the better riding. Without groomed trails it would be BRUTAL for sure. And yes registration's have gone down considerably the last few years. Not sure what economy you live lin but it's hit my business hard. I'm hanging on by a thread for sure. The cold hard facts are we are down about 5-6000 sleds registered from a few years back. Just because the snowparks are full a few times a year has no effect on our sled registrations, More sleds registered, more money in out system. Also I'm guessing you have seen some grooming if you've been to a heavily used snopark ???> Staffordirt, thanks , I know you get it as you've helped out many times. Also, we are lucky our sled money did not get put into the general fund like the Offroad money did. It hurt them terribly. Thanks to WSSA we kept our money in our own program. And to all you have to remember this is a "state wide" program. We have to take care of everyone who rides, from spokane to baker , to st helens , stampede, greenwater . lake cleum , blue mountains, yakima, bluet pass ect ect ect. If some of you think $ 20 to $25 more a year per sled will make you stay at home and sell your sleds, great, I just cant believe the mentality of some people. Maybe if more people dugg into our grooming programs and saw how it really worked they's understand a whole lot more. And yes, our grooming pays for plowing the roads to the snoparks, plowing the snoparks, sanitation (out house) and lots more that is involved with snowmobiling. If the road aint plowed, you aint getting there so to speak, And one more thing that was brought up at the end of the day on saturday, Another alternative is to make us purchase a snopark parking permit for $ 40 or so and not get them for free when we register our sleds. , this could work also and maybe save some of us some money. Sorry for the long post, but we have a serious problem here. And another thing, the Discovery pass will help keep 5 or more snoparks open this year, They will not be called snoparks but will be plowed and taken care of by DNR. Some very important areas too.
 

Bagger

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JJ call made, thank you for your efforts.
I know this is a touchy subject, but it's here and we have to deal with it. I get just as po'd as the next guy when folks ask for more money from me. I sure can't do that, I have to make things work with what I have, BUT, it seems to be the way things are now and we need to get smarter about how we follow and monitor things.

I also get po'd when I see sleds not registered and sno park permits missing from rigs.

I'm wondering, those of you more in the know than me, how would we go about setting up our funding more in like with Idaho? There, you stipulate your prefered riding area and the allocated funds go to that area. I favor this idea.

I also favor a STIFF fine for unregistered sleds/missing snopark permits.

Anyway, thanks to all of you trying to be a part of the solution!

Bag
 
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