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Originally Posted by Duke41
just another tax thats all it is. This from a state that allowed state employees to purchase years for their pension. No one raised a stink. If you didn't try to vote those greedy peices of #^&#^&#^&#^& out of office you get what you deserve.
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No, it's a user fee. Unlike taxes, which everyone has to pay, user fees are paid by those who want to enjoy the facility. If you haven't been reading the ProJo, Rhody is broke. It doesn't have the money to subsidize beach goers to any great degree. So, there are 3 alternatives available to DEM: 1) close the beaches down. That saves operational costs, but deprives the state of tourist dollars. Sales tax and gas tax revenues go down as a result. 2). Increase state taxes. Like that will fly with voters. And in truth, why should people in Woonsocket, who never go to the beach, pay more taxes so out-of-staters can use RI beaches at bargain rates? 3). Increase user fees.
It's called pay to play. FWIW, NY State starts collecting beach parking fees in April and continues into December, on weekends.
And if folks want to expound on politics, we have a separate place to do that.
