Hiking Trail Fee

John McKinney protests the county’s $23 annual trail fee by asking the question: “Why should only hikers pay a park fee?” (Commentary, Jan. 12). McKinney should have done his homework. The county charges user fees for most of its specialized parks and recreation services, including athletic fields, campsites, swimming pools, lawn bowling, reserved picnic areas, boat launches, interpretive centers, basketball/softball leagues, regional park parking lots and golf courses.

Even after the application of the $23 annual fee, the county’s trail system will still require 80% of its funding from other sources. The same is true for most of the county’s fee services. The fees charged cover only a fraction of the actual cost. The lone exception to this rule is the county golf program.

Even prior to massive October, 1992, price hikes, the green fees at county golf courses were sufficiently high to pay for the maintenance and the operation of the courses and to provide the county with $8 million in profit.

Simple equity demands that the county require higher fees from users of specialized programs such as the trail systems, before bleeding golfers once again.

CRAIG KESSLER, Public Affairs

Chairman, Southern Calif. Public Links

Golf Assn., Buena Park