Itinerant Air-Cooled

Here's the latest email from Oregon Parks and Rec. I'd guess they got more than a few emails and phone calls.



Dear Cape Lookout & Nehalem Bay Customers:



We're sorry -- we originally thought we had figured out the best way to handle the tax change, but we were wrong. We're still required to collect the tax for the county, but you can take care of it any time from now right up until you check in at the park. No one will lose their reservation. If you want to take care of it now, you will need to call us at 1-800-452-5687, Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm ... we can't call you.



Assuming we have it all figured out now, this should be the last email you get from us about this, unless you have a question.



Happy Holidays!



Sheri Miller
RNW Call Center Manager
Oregon Parks & Rec Dept

I don't agree with there decision. Hambone wrote, "If you paid in full, it shouldn't matter if they raise their rates after the fact." They should "eat" there fee this year for those that prepaid. Next year you can pay there new tax, if that's what you choose.

Mike Boell wrote:I don't agree with there decision. Hambone wrote, "If you paid in full, it shouldn't matter if they raise their rates after the fact." They should "eat" there fee this year for those that prepaid. Next year you can pay there new tax, if that's what you choose.

I couldn't agree more. If they knew this tax was going to be in effect for the 2014 season they should have charged accordingly when I made my reservations. Although the tax was most likely passed in November after I had reserved I still don't agree that it should be charged retroactively for current reservations. The cost of camping in state parks is getting to be ridiculous. I had to pay $200 for six nights at Fort Stevens in August for our annual family fishing trip! Of course that's in a full hookup site but still outrageous.

The problem is there is NOWHERE else to camp on the Coast, all the former wild land has been developed, or in private hands. Supply and demand. $200 is craazy expensive for a week! I'll bet it was jam packed too.

Yes, State Parks should eat it on this one. So...I'm understanding they will collect more $ from each of us when we arrive? What if all 50 buses refuse to pay and "threaten" to cancel on the spot and go elsewhere? Or insist on talking to a higher-up ... will cost them more to get a supervisor on site to speak with each individual camper than the tax will yield (even tho the tax isn't revenue they actually keep anyway). As a private biz, we've eaten lodging tax on many occasions when we've screwed up or forgotten to add it to a guest's bill. Just part of biz.

I'm planning on taking my receipt that shows I paid in full in October and telling them I'm not paying any more. I'll move when they bring in the tow truck.

Unless someone stands up, nothing changes.

If you arrive Friday and don't see my bus parked a couple spaces over, that means I already got towed

I question the legality of what they're trying to do. I'll ask to speak with their attorney, then I'll "gladly" pay. Better keep Zoomer on a leash this year though

Dang, looks like no more yurts.


neal

Hm.

I'm with Mark here, theoretically Parks should be eating that cost as operating costs, as customers have paid for their reservations.

What sucks is that it's not entirely unsurprising that Parks is trying to do this, as Parks is already pretty low on the pecking order for budget as it stands.
For one spot on a given day, difference is laughable.
For all spots through the year, that could be in the 1000's.

@ Jasan: Ah yeah, Ft. Stevens. Even with that kind of pricing, the yearly Civil War event covers about 1/3 of their budget.

Better yet, they should approach the county and get an exemption on all reservations that were paid in full prior to the tax increase. But, there's logic in that approach ... and logic and government rarely collide.

just weeks away! we should have 2 home brews for the tasting.

I'm out. Going to the "Under the Sea" dance with my five-year-old daughter trumps hanging out with the likes of you guys! Seriously, I'm going to miss it as well as I see that most of the park will be closed during the winter next year for utility upgrades so I'm really missing out on two years.

So... before I cancel my reservation and eat the $8.00 transaction fee, I'm willing to modify my reservation if someone else wants it. As I understand it, the cost will be $52.00 with the newly added tax we all have moaned about. The first one to PM me gets it. If I don't hear from anyone by the weekend I'll cancel and it will be up for grabs. God forbid grandma and grandpa in their fifth-wheel with their big diesel Ford pickup and their poodle wander unwittingly in that land of debauchery!

dtrumbo wrote: grandma and grandpa in their fifth-wheel with their big diesel Ford pickup and their poodle wander unwittingly in that land of debauchery!

..but poodles are so delicious!

I'd take you up on it, but I won't know if I'm gonna be able to make it until The Last Minute...