By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
A measure to alter how Michigan pays for state parks and recreation areas is on its way to Governor Granholm. The $24 annual window sticker fee will be retired after the governor signs the bill. Instead, drivers will be asked to contribute $10 to the state parks fund when they renew their license registrations. Drivers who pay the fee will get a sticker for their license plates, which will allow them into to state parks, recreation areas, and boat launches.
State Representative Rebekah Warren chairs the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee.
"We've had a challenge finding funding for our state parks as we've suffered in this economic crisis, and we know that we have parks around the state that are really the crown jewels of our tourism industry and we have parks that are falling into disrepair because we don't have the funding to keep them up," she says.
She says the new system is expected to raise tens of millions of dollars in additional funds for state parks.
Michigan drivers who sneak into state parks without buying a license sticker would face fines. People would still be able to buy day passes.