Doubling state fees on the one activity for which out-of-staters still actually visit RI. Brilliant.

"explains how people can circumvent the fee increase by "doubling up" in cars as they visit the state beaches"

Set aside for a moment that we have a spending and not a revenue problem. Set aside that these new rates would make it so that people in the lower income bracket (myself included) would no longer be able to go to the beach. And set aside Marc's excellent point about how taxation affects behavior. (How might it be affecting behavior in other sectors of the economy? H'mmm ...)

With this suggestion, isn't the governor setting the stage for the disruption of his OWN projected revenue stream???

Monique no, it's more like "RAH! Get those darn kids off my beach! I'm the Governor! I want my own beach! Go home you screaming kids!"

On a more serious note, some day this summer, take a stroll through the parking lot at Lincoln Woods State Beach and look at the license plates. Usually 1/3 to 1/2 are from out of state. For at *STATE* beach!! It's free, so is there any surprise that's where they head?

C'mon, let's make this easy and cheap, say free for state residents and $5 for out of state plates. It's mayhem at that beach in the summer.

At least for non-residents, you might have a good summer business running a parking / shuttle operation(s). If this season's rates are not quite enough then wait for the next budget.

I wish I could find the news clip of his response yesterday. He's doubling the fees to solve the budget deficit and in the same interview he tells people how to get around it by doubling up in their cars. I guess he thinks everybody goes to the beach alone. When asked if the increase will effect the number of people using the beach he says no. Am I living in the Twilight Zone?

Why stop there.
We can double up on our newspapers, too...I get comics this week!
How about hair cuts- line our heads up and one continuous cut.

Movies- hmmmm..that's a toughie!

Can we double up in his car?
This piece of sh*t is beyond words.
Note to Phil and OTL:I have much more regard for you two hardheads than he does.You guys just can't see it.

When I was living in Woonsocket I stopped going to south county beaches because of the bumper to bumper traffic causing most parking lots to fill up early especially on hot summer weekends. Then there was the return trip home also bumper to bumper.

I started going to Breezy Picnic Grounds Waterslides in Douglas, MA. It is privately owned on a large freshwater clean lake with great facilities, clean bath-house and restrooms, full snack bar with decent prices, arcade, 3 large waterslides, spotless picnic grounds with tables, charcoal dump stations and trash cans, very clean sandy beach with gentle slope to deeper water with plenty of lifeguards. Cost was $6 adult entry fee and parking was free.

Joe

Thanks, I think. The buses go to Narragansett all summer. Or, do as I do. Get a flat bottom skiff and beach it anywhere you would like. There are free beaches like Spink Neck.

Don't worry Linc (and fellow marxists)-
we are QUITE adapt at evading as many of your taxes and fees as we humanly can.

Since the fee hadn't gone up since '02, I could live with a $5-10 increase. Too much at once.
Second Patrick's idea re; Lincoln Woods.
Linc's lesson in Yankee thrift doesn't offend me. If it takes cars off the road and lightens traffic, that's fine with me.

I actually don't go to the beach anyway-never have.
I used to live two blocks from the Atlantic in Brooklyn and I never liked the huge summer crowds anyway.
Most people came by subway/elevated trains.
Bella-you are mentally enslaved by this creep.What "Yankee thrift"are you talking about?
The eleven vehicles he owns?The deceptive way he registered them to avoid paying Providence taxes?The question of his Providence homestead exemption when he was living in Warwick?
It's "thrift" for us and the high life for that turd and his family.
Oh,yeah,how about his 21 properties and his $47 million net worth?
He lives in another world and here you are wanting to kiss his rump.Fool.

I criticize a Chafee proposal, and am told I am "mentally enslaved." Sounds like somebody down a bad zeppole this morning.
One of us is the fool, Mr. Nernstein. It sure isn't me.

South County does become bumper to bumper in the summer, but I look at the cars of families and teens coming from the city (these aren't the BMWs and Escalades) and see people not lucky enough or able to afford to live here, availing themselves of something that belongs to all of them - access to the beach. Getting out of horrendous heat and seeking relief and fun at the beach. It's bad enough that on the most sweltering days the State closes most parking lots and doesn't allow parking on the Succotash Rd, for instance, leaving hundreds more people unable to access what belongs to them - the right of access to the ocean.

The beach should be free for every citizen in this state. Instead we charge for parking and hire politicians' relatives to man the beach parking lot, or lifeguard, or pick up trash, for more per hour than those family breadwinners trying to get a day at the beach.

Chafee is an elitist, protected by his family money from the realities of the world most other developmentally challenged people face. The more I see and hear him the more firm my belief that if it weren't for his name and money he'd be working in a sheltered workshop.

There is no "Yankee Thrift" to Chafee. For poor people, jam yourselves into cars and suffer the traffic to get to South County. When you get there if you can't get in - too bad. You just wasted gas and miles on your car, you put your kids through a miserable ride, and you have no relief from the heat. Go back to South Providence.

For Linc - private beach access so he doesn't have to mix with the hoi-poloi.

Bella wouldn't mind $5-$10 increase because she doesn't care about anyone else. She can afford it, so it's all good in Bella world. Chafee's dogs and horses live better lives than most of the citizens of RI who he proposes to keep away from the beach, and in Chafee world, that's just the way it should be.

riborn-You're absolutely right about the beaches and spot on about Chafee.
Bella -you adore this idiot-you can't hide it.
I don't eat zeppole.
I met someone whose kid went to school with the missing linc when he was young and riborn's assessment is pretty accurate.
Maybe I can double up with the Chafees in their car after eating a limburger,garlic,abnd onion sandwich followed by a nice plate of beans.

While I don't necessarily agree with the increase in parking rates at the beaches, one could make a straight economic argument that the state is leaving money on the table at the beaches. We've all seen how the parking lots fill up very early in the morning and there are still more cars looking to get in. So if you have more demand than supply, then your prices are too low. When you can get the supply and demand to a net zero, then the right price has been reached.

I'll go to the beach with Linc Chafee. We really do have a lot in common. I go to the beach alone, so why not double up in cars with Linc? Hope he agrees.

When discussing government we left straight economic arguments long ago. The straight economic argument would not propose or accept allowing generations of families to live on welfare and never be expected to work, or keeping state and municipal employees who are not doing their jobs, not producing, or giving raises and step increases to incompetents, or allowing teachers or any other taxpayer paid employee to retire before 65.

I am so tired of watching people work to feed the insatiable State of RI and not be able to enjoy the most basic of all pleasures - the ocean that RI citizens have a right to enjoy.

When I buy the beach property that's what I buy - a house on the beach subject to the public's right to use the beach below mean high water. Do I measure it and keep them off the beach above the line? If I'm a Chafee I do. [Then I also have the rest of us foot the bill for his flood insurance. I believe his father had an entire town beach closed to protect his private and personal use of the beach. Oh, sorry, to protect the Piping Plover. ]

It's divide and conquer and it's a great strategy. Chafee's increases are all over the board, the bird shot approach, and he's bound to get some of them. As we all take a stand on our little piece of tax exemption or no fee increase, Chafee's puppeteers (that would be the municipal union head pigs and hogs) are laughing their way into their taxpayer sponsored lucrative sunset.

Unity is required. No increases. Nothing. No new taxes. No new fees. No fee increases. Cut spending. Cut muni employee salaries, benefits, increase their medical insurance %, increase pension contributions of every state and municipal employee. If they don't like it, quit and try to get a job.

Patrick makes a sound economic argument, which is tempered by the fact we want to keep the price low (really, can you think of anything that hasn't gone up in nine years?)
$60 is just too much - that will discourage people from going. $35 ($40 at the most) would've been wiser - raise revenue without discouraging people from going there.
Of course, maybe his whole approach has been a mistake. If Linc had just raised taxes on the rich, he wouldn't have as many people angry at him.

bella-this is why you're a fool.
Rich liberals living on trust funds dont f**k with their own milieu.
Gump had a fundraiser in a Newport mansion with 27 bathrooms!!
Now,I fugure if a home has one more toilet than there are asses residing there,it's a waste.

"explains how people can circumvent the fee increase by "doubling up" in cars as they visit the state beaches"

UHHHHH! If the intent of raising beach fees is to increase revenue, then doesn't doubleing up in cars get you back to zero??? Is Chaffee alright or what?

Also, when was the last time a car filled with a family with just 2 kids, folding beach chairs, blanket, umbrella, lunch/drink carrier, beach ball, etc. have any room for another family with all those things. Seriously, is he O.K.?

"explains how people can circumvent the fee increase by "doubling up" in cars as they visit the state beaches"

UHHHHH! If the intent of raising beach fees is to increase revenue, then doesn't doubleing up in cars get you back to zero??? Is Chaffee alright or what?

Also, when was the last time a car filled with a family with just 2 kids, folding beach chairs, blanket, umbrella, lunch/drink carrier, beach ball, etc. have any room for another family with all those things. Seriously, is he O.K.?

"explains how people can circumvent the fee increase by "doubling up" in cars as they visit the state beaches"

UHHHHH! If the intent of raising beach fees is to increase revenue, then doesn't doubleing up in cars get you back to zero??? Is Chaffee alright or what?

Also, when was the last time a car filled with a family with just 2 kids, folding beach chairs, blanket, umbrella, lunch/drink carrier, beach ball, etc. have any room for another family with all those things. Seriously, is he O.K.?

"explains how people can circumvent the fee increase by "doubling up" in cars as they visit the state beaches"

UHHHHH! If the intent of raising beach fees is to increase revenue, then doesn't doubleing up in cars get you back to zero??? Is Chaffee alright or what?

Also, when was the last time a car filled with a family with just 2 kids, folding beach chairs, blanket, umbrella, lunch/drink carrier, beach ball, etc. have any room for another family with all those things. Seriously, is he O.K.?