Source: http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/alton_14371___article.html/days_open.html

Costly camping

"The price of gas has gone up so much, and now the local parks are raising their camping fees on top of it," said Butler, an Alton resident. "Camping is for families, and now they have to pay double the rate if they want to stay on a campground. It would cost them almost as much to go stay at a hotel, instead."

Campers will see fee increases across the state this weekend at campgrounds for sites with electrical hook-ups. Gov. Rod Blagojevich implemented a plan to help the Illinois Department of Natural Resources recoup some $900,000 lost last year in utility costs. This fee increase was approved last Tuesday by a legislative panel in Springfield and will go into effect today.

Camping rates for sites with electricity will increase from $5 to $10 a day. Campers will see an even bigger increase during premium holidays, including Memorial Day weekend. Rates will be increased by $10 a day for holiday weekends during the summer. This will begin Memorial Day weekend and continue through Labor Day weekend.

"This is the first time in history the state has ever increased rates for prime holidays," IDNR spokeswoman Paris Ervin said.

Although the increase itself may not deter avid campers and outdoorsmen, the reasoning behind the fee hikes may raise questions.

State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said Blagojevich's proposed budget for the IDNR is to cut state support by half, which is about $30 million. Rutherford said after the budget cut, the plan is to make up for the loss in revenue, in part, by rate increases, which are passed onto the consumer, or campers.

"I think it is fundamentally wrong to cut state support from one program and then use it for another, and expect to make up the loss with rate hikes," Rutherford said. "It's not smart to cut the general revenue funding, which could've paid for it."

State Rep. David Leitch, R-Peoria, agrees with Rutherford. Leitch said historically, the state pays for operations with general revenue funds, or taxes. He said the governor is implementing this increase to be used as a device, so the administration can spend the budget originally set aside for IDNR elsewhere, such as on state health care programs.

"It's not honest to increase the campsite electricity fee and then use that money to pay for something else," Leitch said.

IDNR spokesman Chris McCloud said the department took in about $1.2 million last year from the old fee schedule but spent about $2 million on utility costs. He said the rate increase would offset the extra amount paid for by the state for campers' utilities usage in state parks.

"We don't enjoy raising rates, and we want the campers to know the increase is not a money-maker for the DNR," McCloud said. "Camping is a user-based recreation, so when (the state) has to pay more for the increase in utility costs, so do the people who use those services."

The increase in electric hook-ups and premium holiday rates only apply to premium campsites that use electricity and water. If campers want to purchase a tent camp with no electricity, they will not be affected by the rate increase.

There are exceptions for those who already have made reservations for the Memorial Day weekend. They will be allowed to camp at the rate confirmed on their reservation form. Those who have purchased or made reservations for other holiday weekends this summer will be notified by mail about the increase and will have the option to cancel their reservations. Those who choose to cancel reservations will be given a full refund. Campers with confirmed reservations for Tuesday, May 27, or later will be charged the new utility rate.

For a list of the campground classifications, the new fee schedule or other information, go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Web site at www.dnr.state.il.us.