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Parking in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Jan 24, 2023 14:48:57   #
Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee
 
If you are planning a trip to GSMNP you will have to pay for parking beginning March 1, 2023.

Daily - $5
Weekly - $15
Annual - $40

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fees.htm

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Jan 24, 2023 17:01:22   #
tramsey Loc: Texas
 
That's about normal

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Jan 25, 2023 07:23:22   #
kodiac1062 Loc: Sarasota, Fl
 
Time to pay back some of that "free money" from the government.

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Jan 25, 2023 07:31:56   #
Jimmy T Loc: Virginia
 
kodiac1062 wrote:
Time to pay back some of that "free money" from the government.


Plus Interest!!!

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Jan 25, 2023 08:52:09   #
goldstar46 Loc: Tampa, Fl
 
Jim Plogger wrote:
If you are planning a trip to GSMNP you will have to pay for parking beginning March 1, 2023.

Daily - $5
Weekly - $15
Annual - $40

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fees.htm

=================================================

Absolutely classical for a Government Agency...

We need/want more money ~~ Let's invent or create a new "Fee" ??

The GSMNP was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934, and officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940,,,,

Parking has always been without a "FEE" for the entire time.......
...... NOW, they want more money..........

Classical - Government
....... Question: What Changed? to justify more money ??? NOTHING


Cheers
George Veazey - Goldstar46

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Jan 25, 2023 09:26:42   #
MTDesigns Loc: Corryton,Tenn.
 
That's only certain areas.

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Jan 25, 2023 09:37:01   #
kvanhook Loc: Oriental, NC
 
I know ahead of time that many will be critical of me, but I feel the need to respond. The question of "what has changed" may need more clarification. In this current time of the "powers that be" flooding the economy with money, we have a gigantic inflationary situation. I don't like to pay a fee either, so don't think I'm any different in my feelings. But, I know the costs of everything in the park has gone up along with the price of eggs. I imagine that every item used by the Park Service is higher than two years ago. It costs them more for toilet paper, electricity, wages, uniforms, cleansers for keeping the bathroom floor clean, rags to wipe each surface with, paint to keep the facilities from rusting into oblivion in the naturally humid environment, and even printing the daily passes so we can enjoy the park. In this day and time the Park is receiving more visitors than ever. That means more cars. That means more wear and tear on the parking areas. That means more frequent paving at a higher than ever cost. Do we know what budgetary changes may have been made? Does the park receive as much "Per visitor" money from the government as it used to? My point is that there are changes we aren't considering and don't even know about. I have not placed any blame here, so don't try to jump on me for some imagined "Political" reason. I'm just sitting here knowing that economies change and so do the financial demands on everyone and every organization.

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Jan 25, 2023 09:46:07   #
Terry
 
Have you ever driven through the park? I have quite a few times and I!m always seeing trash on the sides of the roads, maybe a very small fee will pay for some one to pick up after people who keep throwing out their trash. If you don!t want to pay then don!t throw out trash out of the window.

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Jan 25, 2023 09:52:55   #
StanMac Loc: Tennessee
 
kvanhook wrote:
I know ahead of time that many will be critical of me, but I feel the need to respond. The question of "what has changed" may need more clarification. In this current time of the "powers that be" flooding the economy with money, we have a gigantic inflationary situation. I don't like to pay a fee either, so don't think I'm any different in my feelings. But, I know the costs of everything in the park has gone up along with the price of eggs. I imagine that every item used by the Park Service is higher than two years ago. It costs them more for toilet paper, electricity, wages, uniforms, cleansers for keeping the bathroom floor clean, rags to wipe each surface with, paint to keep the facilities from rusting into oblivion in the naturally humid environment, and even printing the daily passes so we can enjoy the park. In this day and time the Park is receiving more visitors than ever. That means more cars. That means more wear and tear on the parking areas. That means more frequent paving at a higher than ever cost. Do we know what budgetary changes may have been made? Does the park receive as much "Per visitor" money from the government as it used to? My point is that there are changes we aren't considering and don't even know about. I have not placed any blame here, so don't try to jump on me for some imagined "Political" reason. I'm just sitting here knowing that economies change and so do the financial demands on everyone and every organization.
I know ahead of time that many will be critical of... (show quote)


Spot on! Thank you for a reasoned analysis of the issue.

Stan

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Jan 25, 2023 11:33:33   #
goldstar46 Loc: Tampa, Fl
 
Jim Plogger wrote:
If you are planning a trip to GSMNP you will have to pay for parking beginning March 1, 2023.

Daily - $5
Weekly - $15
Annual - $40

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fees.htm

===========================================================

To: All here on this thread - I want to respond to a comment with General Info.
Ref: The Subject of Economics (Not Politics)

No, I never mention politics in my previous post about "Parking Fees" in the GSMNP
....… Politics are forbidden here on the “Hog.”

I will keep my response to pure economics. BTW, which is what my college degree is in from U. of S. Fla.

Someone previously responded by stating the following~~~

• I know the cost of everything in the park has gone up… It cost more for…
o Toilet Paper
o Electricity
o Wages
o Uniforms,
o Cleansers
o Floor cleaners
o Rags to wipe
o Paint for facilities
o Printing daily passes, etc., etc., etc... Bla, Bla...

My response is -- So, the “Park” & management want users to “pay for their inflation” with a "new fee" to generate more “revenues” and we – the park goes - have to pay additional for their inflation... as well as for our inflation… or our “cost of living…”

Compare this ~~ The National Park Service has a “Business Budget” -- We as citizens have a “Personal Budget.”
The National Park Service receives “Federal funds” to pay for “its Budget”… and you and I have our respective “income” to pay for our personal budget…

Here you are saying…. OH, the Park is going over its budget, so now, let's "put more of the burden" onto the park goer and ask for more from their private budget funds… because the park has more cost than its budget.

QUESTION: So when my budget is “exceeded,” where do I go to get more money because my cost is more than my budget?

So, when the NPS wants more than its budget, the NPS just “creates another fee” and wants more of our “Private Citizens Budget” which "NO One has increased for us" ?? (like the price of eggs and parking fees)…. Where do we turn to for more money because our budget is going up? Hmmm.

Here again, keeping it to economics – the poster stated: “that economies change and so do the financial demands on everyone and every organization.

In summary, what I am saying is…. Just because the “Financial Demands” got changed or increased on the park, that is no justification for the … “shifting” the cost of their budget “demands” onto the consumer… at a higher ratio… What is going to pay for the "consumers" budget overruns ??

The above is a question of "Pure Economics" -- The park wants "More" -- Who is going to pay "Us (private citizens) More"??

YES ~~ I realized we are talking about a 'small amount' BUT, but it is the principle of "economics" and it is "Personal Economics"... NOW ~ for me, it does NOT really matter, for we have "Special Needs" in our family and "Handicapped" are exempt from the above fees..........

I am talking about principles.. and the fact that when a "Government wants more money ~~ They just "disguise it" by creating a new "FEE" and expect the consumer to "suck it up..." We see that in Government, and the private sector, all the time...

If I have to “Live within my Budget” ~~ Why shouldn’t the NPS Live within its budget? and NOT Create new fees?

Saying it another way... Oh, you (NPS) want more ... so you take it from me (Parkgoer)... but who will give me (John Q Citizen) more, to make up for what the NPS took?

After the above ~~ I will "Opine" no further... that is all I can/or will say on the subject of economics.

Cheers
George Veazey – Goldstar46

PS: There was a mention of Road Repairs -- YES, "Infrastructure" such as roads is what “Gas Taxes” are for…

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Jan 25, 2023 15:49:06   #
Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee
 
goldstar46 wrote:
=================================================

Absolutely classical for a Government Agency...

We need/want more money ~~ Let's invent or create a new "Fee" ??

The GSMNP was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934, and officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940,,,,

Parking has always been without a "FEE" for the entire time.......
...... NOW, they want more money..........

Classical - Government
....... Question: What Changed? to justify more money ??? NOTHING


Cheers
George Veazey - Goldstar46
================================================= ... (show quote)


George, what changed was the number of visitors. Parking is a problem for many of the trailhead parking lots. When a visitor can't find a spot in the parking lot they tend to park on the side of the narrow roads creating a safety issue. They are now placing large boulders along the side of these roads to prevent roadside parking. They could have done that without parking fees. The other problem is double parking in the parking lots which blocks other parked cars. Parking fees won't fix that issue either. If park rangers can enforce parking fees they could easily fix the double parking problem. Now for the the biggest issue. The parking fee does not guarantee that you will be able to park when you arrive at the trailhead. If the lot is full you are out of luck. So if you purchased a parking tag and your plan was to hike up to Laurel Falls you just may find the parking area full. This is one the most popular areas in the park. You can park free anywhere for 15 minutes. Who is checking that? If there were enough park rangers to enforce the 15 minute rule, there would be enough to fix the perceived problems leading up to the parking fees. To me this feels like a government "money grab" that won't fix anything but, instead lead to frustrated visitors.

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Jan 25, 2023 19:14:46   #
dwermske
 
The GSMNP is the only National Park that doesn't charge an entrance fee. Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier all charge 35$/car or 20$ person, White Sands National Park charges 25$/car or 15$ person. Yosemite charges 35$/car and up. With that in mind I don't consider a 5$ a day parking fee to be so outrageous. These parks are not free they have to be maintained so why shouldn't we have to pay for the right to visit them?

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Jan 25, 2023 19:15:50   #
Klickitatdave Loc: Seattle Washington
 
Perhaps I am mistaken but it appears from your post that you are attempting to equate personal finances with those of a governmental agency that is assigned the responsibility of maintaining, protecting and providing access to National Park lands to all who wish to enjoy their majestic beauty. It seems to me that this is a false equivalency given that while you as a private citizen have the flexibility to adjust your spending rapidly if necessary. The NPS like any national governmental entity is dependent on whatever Congress establishes as their yearly budget plus whatever fees that they can levy to offset any unanticipated deficits.

If one looks at the status of NPS funding over the years, it is noteworthy that the park service has been underfunded and understaffed for decades and that it is in a perpetual struggle to even minimally carry out their mission. While one might argued that the NPS could do better in budgeting the monies that they are allocated by Congress, their ability to do this is not a given because they are subject to the same economic vagaries that impact our personal budgets. Unlike the average American citizen, they do not have the ability to simply shop at a bargain outlet as opposed to a boutique grocery store in order to help balance their budget. Throw on top of this damages to the roads and trails due to unanticipated weather events or forest fires and it seems unavoidable that adjustments in fees might be necessary to cover the extra costs in a given year. This I believe was particularly true during 2022 and is even more relevant in 2023.

I sincerely apologize if I have misread your post and as a result that I have dismissed your opinion out of hand. However, if I did understand you correctly, I believe that your premise that there is an actual one to one equivalency here is wrong.

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Jan 25, 2023 19:41:15   #
Terry
 
If you are against the parking fee, guess what, Don!t go.

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Jan 25, 2023 19:51:33   #
Klickitatdave Loc: Seattle Washington
 
Terry wrote:
If you are against the parking fee, guess what, Don!t go.



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