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[#ff0000][size 4]The Lake will remain open at least until January 2004.
By the action of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, September 23, 2003, $753,000 was allocated to keep Castaic Lake's recreational operation under the County through negotiations. Read [url "http://www.castaiclake.com/Releases/Press%20Release%20Sept%2025%202003%20Castaic%20Lake.pdf"][#800080]Press Release[/#800080][/url].[/size][/#ff0000]
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Hey there tubeN2,
Did anyone mention what that money was going to be used for in the next three months. Are they paying back money borrowed or owed? No matter, enjoy the next coupla months.
JapanRon
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Those are pretty much just the operating expenses. They normally operate on a $2,000,000 a year budget. That budget covers some of the necessary expenditures ie: employess salaries, maintenance of the facility, re stocking of trout to feed the stripers and so on. And I was wondering if they are paying property tax or not. After all, it is the County of LA that is leasing it from the state.
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[size 2]Something that will be interesting to see is Gov Arnold said he will stop car tax increase and put a freeze on state funding.[/size]
[size 2] The cities get alot of money from the car tax. Alot of cities and counties are struggling alrerady because of Davis(citizen)mis-management of funds resulting in less funds to them.[unsure][/size]
[size 2] Just to give you an idea they said if the proposed car tax went through Long Beach alone would of gotten something like $1.5 million in the first year alone.[shocked] [/size]
[size 2] With no car tax increase they get zero.[unsure][/size]
[size 2] I am curious how LA County will handle this now. Because you know parks and recreation always get hit![mad][/size]
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city parks are normaly low on the budget scale, at least they are in michigan. minimal ficilities minimal care cost to cities usualy result as an income because of block grants allocated to them by the state even tho they say it is a major expence to upkeep those parks.
these days it seem like everybody is on the scam. no wonder we are in such termoil with our budgest every where.
it is a shame they dont realize that who they are hurting is their own cildren and grand children's future quallity of life.
dont these cities have a tax for these parks?
dont these cities have income taxes?
dont these cities have road assesments?
dont these cities have water and sewer taxes?
dont these cities have school milliges?
dont these cities have property taxes?
dont these cities sell permits to just stand on the side walk?
dont these cities sell dog licenses?
dont these cities sell permits to shops and retail yearly?
personaly I am at a loss of understanding as to why cities are having the problems they claim.
we have the city of detroit that sells water and sewer to 1/3 of the state of michigan yet it cant buy school books for its children let alone a gallon of paint and some plaster to cover the cracks and holes in the walls of the school buildings. I am having a hard time understanding why the city of detroits streets are not paved in gold. the city of detroit incompases 6 townships
the truth is so long as the system of the general fund is in existance we will for ever be at mercy of the wims of our corrupted city and state mis allocations and apropreations of funds.
I am more interested in seeing how your city governments are going to act now that they have seen the highest official in the land litterly thrown out of office for mis management pratices. I wonder if it will make them realize they had better streighten up and fly right?
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[cool] Hey Dave, That is a touchy subject in CA. Although the lake is owned by the State, it is leased to and managed by LA County.
Everywhere we go we hear about missmanagement of funds and other donations likewise. The lake itself has a very fine grounds crew to maintain and keep the lake beautiful for all to enjoy. If you look at the website, you will see a lot of what they have to manage (missmanage) for the upkeep. [url "http://www.castaiclake.com"]www.castaiclake.com[/url] .
The county itself doesn't receive as much money as they would like to have anyway. Most of the funding goes back to the state as is and less of it goes to the actual upkeep of the grounds. But they try to do the best job they can with what they have to work with.
All of those taxes and assessments that you mentioned go to other areas of the local city and some to the county. They need to rehash or try to divey up the moneys just a little differently.
The system itself needs an overhaul and even a fresh look or perspective. Think about this: The State has an 8 million dollar reward for a Fish that is at least 2oz larger than the current state record but it doesn't have the money to fund and support any of the major lakes that are struggling to survive. It just does'nt make sense.
If I was to get that torpedo that I am after or his big brother, I can then be able to open up a lake and recreational area that has been closed down for the past 24 yrs. That lake is about 3 miles from my house but it is dry as a bone except for one little 2 acre spot which is off limits to everyone anyway.
Even the wet spot has some cannon balls (large LMB) that sound off in the morning and full moon struck nights. There is a lot of other wild life in the area as well. They have foxes, coyotes,badgers, racoons, rattle snakes and other nice animals there as well.
It would be nice to see it open. As well as Castaic.
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I am glad to hear you are pationate about this topic, I have herd much to do about Castiaic Lake over the past two years.
what you need to know about keeping the lake open is the amount of revenue it gennerates for the state. tht is the real issue here. the states tend to keep money makers open and those that are borderline they close down.
you may be able to sub lease the park and open a metro park the same way several areas here in michigan have done. in my area there are about 20 metro parks that runs it self free from city and state intervention. they hire their own park gaurds to police the park. their own concessions and even have a small farm on the grounds that care for injured animals and maintain a petting farm where kids can see chickens and pigs hold on to fresh layed eggs feed the bunny rabbits and goats and ducks. guest pay for the feed to feed the animals, what a giveme eh? they even have a loge with a kitchen that serves sunday breakfast. What a deal...
the point is you need to come up with a workable plan and show how funds can be raised to suport your efforts. there are grants available from the state and privet sectors that will fund a major undertaking of this nature.
if you are waithing for a pot of gold to fall out of the sky in to your lap, thats kool, but dont bank on it, only a well layed plan will have a chance of surviving.
a good place to start would be to start a bass club in your town. set short range goals and high in the sky range goals. you will be surprized as to how many residents and bussiness that will suport your efforts.
both lakes you speak of need just this kind of planning. it is the failure to make ajustments to the needs of the public that causes it to dwindle in revenues. provide a beach where fishing is not allowed. provide natural walk areas, provide sesonal programing to keep things moving along year round.
form a nonprofitable commity to oversee this venture to make sure it meets its goals and if it isnt they need to be flexible enough to say hey we have to make a change here because a certain type of people are not comming in, (swimers, paddle boad/conoe renters, anglers, nature lover walkers,) this means you need to build bird houses to accomidate our fethered frends create natural habitats and protect them. there are countless number of clubs like scouts - 4-H - bass lovers of america who would love to over see and work with you to accomplish these task. you need a park superviser who will work with you and these other groups on these projects
I pay 4 for each time I enter these metro parks, I can buy a yearly metro park sticker for $25 like the state park sticker for a yearly pass if I think I will use the park more than 4-5 times in a particular year. the metro park makes money and dose not have a financial buget problem. if your state park is having financial problems it is as you said a mismanagement problem.
if they are not doing any thing to attract people in to the park then they are just waiting for the chance to close it and make a realestate deal. meaning some body is gong to get a pocket or two lined with gold.
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here is a link to what was done back in the 51's and has been a multy billion dollar a year industry
[url "http://www.metroparks.com/"][#606420]Huron-Clinton Metroparks[/#606420][/url]
[url "http://www.metroparks.com/parks/pk_featured.html"] ![[Image: main_featured_photo.jpg]](http://www.metroparks.com/images/global/main_featured_photo.jpg) [/url] ... Kensington Metro Park. Kensington Metropark is 1 of the largest of the 13 Huron Clinton Metro Parks. ...
dont forget you need to run educational programs as well to bring in youths so they will bring in thier own children. nature camping skiing/rollerblading fishing hunting saftey. these are just the short list of what people will pay to partisipate in. where else where they get the experience when that ficility is gone?
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Hey Dave, I really appreciate the advice and concern. It would be nice if they had some areas built out like you have over there.
In the area where I live, there are city parks all over the place. Within a 10mile radius, there are close to 25 parks. The majority of them have playgrounds and the usual stuff for the little tikes. Some of them have basketball courts, tennis courts, shuffle board (does anyone still play that??) and some of them even have duck ponds and fishing lakes.
All for free.
The main lake that is in question, Castaic, has been charging entrance from day 1. The new fees are posted on their website. [url "http://www.castaiclake.com"]www.castaiclake.com[/url] So I will not post them here.
There are fees for the upper lake as well as the Lagoon where I fish the most over there. They charge per vehicle that enters and there is a separate charge for water crafts. Whether it be a tube, pontoon, bass boat, kayak or canoe. There is also a separate fee if you want to camp there.The campground is pretty full every weekend.
The upper lake allows mostly boats and PWCs. There parking lot is usually very packed as well every weekend of the summer.
Please take not that our summer can start as early as February. This year we were at some 97-102degrees in Feb. It is now Oct and we are still experiencing mid 90s. Although they closed the swim beach at the Lagoon, there still remains a great deal of boat and pwc traffic in the upper lake.
I did notice that they are also adding on an additional access road from the main highway. That might be why they needed so much money to continue operation but that can't be all of the reason.
For some reason they have been able to operate all of these years with the money that they were making but this year they came upon a stumbling block.
We are still hoping for the best here and still have a lot of good fishing ahead of us.
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[size 2]That money for the new state record will be paid over lifetime more than likely.[unsure][/size]
[size 2] So the 16 year old who catches will be set.[sly][/size]
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[cool] If it is over the lifetime of the fish, then I will have it made. That thing will go on my wall in a heart beat. But you have to consider the promos and stuff like that from all of the sportsfishing publications and lure companies. All I have to do to shut them up and accept their money is to show them that I caught it on a baitbug made by my TubeDad. haaa haa.
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well I looked at your lake site, tho it is not developed as much as those here in michigan they do have some interesting programming of their own like this one...
Sunday
Nov. 9, 2003 Love Ride 20
(with a performance by ZZ Top) Contact Info. 24 Hr Hotline (818) 246-5618 X-7 or www.loveride.org Castaic - Lower Lake
I would not mind this adventure.
from the way you make it sound, it could not get any bussier unless they opened up more area to the public. you may want to toss a doggie biscut thier way, tell them a golf cource on the grounds would bring in a pretty penny. that sort of arangement useualy dose.
what it sounds like to me is that some one had their eye on the property and is hoping that every one will just let it go....
keep up the fight, that is the only way you will be able to keep if from the developers.
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[size 2]I am not big on stuffing things, unless it's my stomach![sly] So I would get a BIG freshwater tank and let him die from natural causes[  ][/size]
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