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Monday, August 04, 2014

Non-hunters who use state game lands across Pennsylvania could be forced to pay fee

It's a humid but cool morning last week when Leroy Ketner and his buddy Mark Buehler show up in the State Game Lands 156 parking lot along Route 322 for a trail run.

The guys say the forested property is convenient to their respective homes in Ephrata and Landisville, and it's a pleasant place to play for a few hours.

"I brought my kids up here to hike for the first time last week," Ketner said. "It's nice."

Neither Ketner or Buehler is a hunter, and so neither paid to help buy the 5,100-acre tract on the Lancaster-Lebanon county line, nor do they currently pay for its maintenance.

Hunters have shouldered the bulk of that financial load for the past century.

But under a proposal being considered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which owns and takes care of some 1.5 million acres of game lands across the state, non-hunters who use those properties would be required to pay up — possibly $30 a year.

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want to know when someone it's going to have the nads tofinally stand up and say all these tax increases ....is taxation without representation ...we already pay taxes for these type of things and now they want to extract more ??what are they doing with the funds they already have ?why aren't they slashing budgets ?why are they not looking for ways to reduce spending? instead of looking for ways to increase it?

lmclain said...

It can't be stopped. More fees fines, surcharges, levies, and taxes.
You cheered. They responded.
And it will not stop until 'we the people" stop it ourselves.....

Anonymous said...

I'm all for lower and actual reduction of taxes however, I think these people should have to pay to use these lands. The hunters have to, after all.
I liken it to bicyclists using the streets and roadways for free.., damned if I don't have to pay and pay and pay some more to use them. I have to tag my vehicle, I have to pay an extreme tax on the fuel I use and I have to have insurance to use any roadway. A bicyclist has only to pay the sales tax on their bike, no insurance or tags nor insurance should they cause an accident. I don't feel that this is a fair distribution of cost, at all. So, if you view this PA land in that light, the non-hunter should have to pay fees to use the land. Just as any bicyclist over the age of 16 should have to.

Anonymous said...

Another tax for you, my dear, to keep what you like pristine and natural!

We will use the money for O'Malley's light rail project and "General Fund".

Thank you so very much!

Anonymous said...

if you use it pay for it

Anonymous said...

As a cyclist I would pay a road tax that is proportionate to the amount of maintainance required to offset the damage to the roads caused by my presence. Like a penny for every thousand dollars paid by motorists

Anonymous said...

7:34PM
I'm pretty sure that the fees drivers pay isn't determined by the damage their vehicle does to roadways. Your argument is moot.

Anonymous said...

Every bird watcher, hiker, camper, and nature lover, has to buy an access stamp in Virginia, it is $16.00 a year for everyone using state owned land. If your going to us the state land you have to pay, or go use federal land, oh that also has an access stamp of $12.00 a year!

Anonymous said...

its about time someone other than a hunter pays. Its much needed in Maryland.

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure that the fees drivers pay isn't determined by the damage their vehicle does to roadways. Your argument is moot.

August 4, 2014 at 8:49 PM

Actually, yes it is. Ask a trucker how much they pay a year for the privilege of riding on these highways.

Anonymous said...

as a hunter i support this idea