Recently, the National Forest Service announced that the Capulin Snow play area in the Sandias would be open for only 3.5 hours per week. The problem, of course, is supposed federal budget cutbacks. I don’t understand how you can’t afford to hire some minimum wage, temporary help to stand around and supervise a bunch of sledders for a few months when the budget has doubled since Clinton’s last year in office, but that’s another story.
Leaving all that aside, however, what if the bureaucrats at the National Forest Service got creative (ha, ha, creative bureaucrats, I know) and outsourced management of the play area to a private company for the winter? People who want to bring their kids to sled ride or play could pay $1 a head and more than pay for the necessary staff. Similar ideas have worked at parks elsewhere as our friends at PERC (the Property and Environment Research Center) have pointed out.
With all of the federally-funded boondoggle programs out there (ostensibly for the children here and here), it is high time for the feds to leverage the private sector to get our kids out of doors in the mountains.
Paul:
Well put.
I’m sure National Forest Service pays millions of dollars in salaries in our area for staffers to sit around and “hold down their desks.”
The idea that the Capulin Snow Area can only be open 3.5 hours per week is absurd–as long as there’s adequate demand.
Your idea of a private contractor is excellent.
Average business overhead is 20-30%. Government overhead is more like 90%.
Let’s hear more about this from you.
Cheers.
John Onstad
When government is forced to cut its budget, it always seems to chose an area that most directly affects the public. This is a good example, as was the recent proposal by the Postal Service to close so many post offices in small rural towns. The cost per year to run most of these offices was reported to be well under one hundred thousand dollars per year-the salary of just one position that could be eliminated elsewhere in this monstrous beaurocracy.
But no, they want hundreds of residents in these remote areas to drive an average of 20-30 miles more EACH to get to the next closest office.
If budgets need cutting lets look at FANIE MAE and FREDDIE MAC.
Banks are not making home loans, so there is no longer a need for thousands of Washington DC employees to fill those offices and do nothing. How about some cutbacks there?
Sorry for the digression. Either staff the snow play area correctly so it can be used by the public, or put it our for bid in the private sector. OH my! Obama could actually save or create jobs that way!
There are many private contractors operating lodges in national parks such as Yosemite. Then hire private operator for Capulin.
As to post offices in small towns, why not make the postmaster job a part time job, say 8 AM to noon, or move the post office inside another business. And that is only where there is some business. I can buy stamps in super markets.
So, either the Post Office changes its business model, which does not work, or let it go out of business, and let for profit operators run the system. Most of my “mail” is advertisements which I have not requested.
Why does it have to be staffed at all? Let the people govern themselves . . .