Molly Murray

The News Journal

In a tight budget year it's hard to imagine any fees going down in Delaware, but Joint Finance Committee Chairwoman Rep. Melanie George Smith, D-Bear, suggested Monday that with the rising cost of health care, from Medicaid to state worker health benefits, it might be time to give Delawareans more of an incentive to get outside and exercise as preventative medicine.

"Where I'm going with this is we're looking at carrots and sticks," she said. One of the carrots I think we may be able to offer is easier access."

Her next question for State Environmental Chief David Small: "How big of a bite would it be if we didn't charge a fee. Free parks would be a wonderful incentive."

The free park pass plan was one of several issues that came up when leaders of Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control attended a budget hearing focused on the agency.

Small said that Smith covered a lot of territory with her idea, adding, "I love it."

He pledged to get back to the committee with detailed numbers on how much park entrance fees raise and he said he would also look at models that are used in other states.

Some states use an add-on to license plate renewal fees with the money dedicated to state park operations, said Ray Bivens, state parks director. That could be one way to offset the expense of a free park entrance fee system for Delaware residents, he added.

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The state has a tiered system of park fees. Most Delaware residents pay $35 for an annual permit to use the parks. There are reduced fees for senior citizens and active duty military. A reduced park pass fee of $10 is offered to Delawareans on public assistance.

Under federal grant requirements, the agency is allowed to charge no more than twice the entrance fee for non-Delaware residents, Bivens said. A standard, non-resident annual permit is $70..

Then there are the other fees the agency charges such as surf vehicle passes, camping fees and rental fees for space within the state parks.

Even with the revenue stream, all state parks operate at a loss, Bivens said.

And that raised questions for Sen. Dave Lawson, R-Marydel, and Rep. Michael Ramone, R-Pike Creek. Ramone wanted more financial details on the business model used to operate state parks. And Lawson had questions about when capital improvements made at the water park on Killens Pond State Park would pay off.

Bivens said the water park is unlikely to ever be self-supporting.

"The Indian River Marina is the one spot where were are profitable,' he said.

"We generate 60 to 75 percent of our operating budget," Bivens said. "But there are a lot of things that we do that are never going to be profitable."

Contact Molly Murray at (302) 463-3334 or mmurray@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @MollyMurraytnj.