The 2024 / 2025 Season has started
Well the new season is here. Looks like it could be the last season at $180. I sure hope people are sending emails to complain about the price triple in cost. Prices always go up but this increase is far too much. If they have been able to run everything for years at $180, maybe $200 would be the next increase, but to triple the cost is way too much.
You can provide comment on this draft business plan by emailing
BLM_AZ_YFOWEB@blm.gov
with the subject line "LTVA Fee Proposal Comment" or by delivering/mailing comments to:
BLM Yuma Field Office
7341 E 30th St, Suite A
Yuma, AZ 85365 Comments must be received by Oct. 21, 2024.
I wonder if they through the $600 price out there so that they might get $300-$400 as a compromise. The $600 also might be a way of thinning the herd, but they will just drive folks out further and cause more damage to the desert, unforeseen consequences to their actions. On top of that a lot of people are living on fixed retirement incomes and that really places a hardship for many.
I plan on heading down there this season to check it out and stay a couple of weeks. There are a lot of nice spots around Ajo AZ. that I like to camp at anyway and they are free. Unfortunately there are not as many services around Ajo as there are around Quartzite.
I've never been to the magic circle, but I'm told they have at least six BLM employees, each BLM employee cost $70,000 per year including benefits, according to an online search. Although I think they're fluffing it when you consider they'll get 20 to 30 years of retirement, it's probably closer to 120k per year if you factor in feature retirement costs. In any case if the magic circle brings in 100 people paying the long-term fees of 600 that's only 60k per year, that doesn't even cover the cost of a single employee. And that doesn't even factor in the operational cost. I could take an educated guess the magic circle probably cost 1.5 million per year to operate, the only reason it stays open is because it's federally subsidized by using Federal resources and employees. It's not fair to the taxpayers to subsidize a campground, it's awesome not fair to the other private businesses in the area or state that have to compete with the federal campground that can taxpayer money to undercut the rates of a private campground. Duane
And that doesn't even factor in the operational cost. I could take an educated guess the magic circle probably cost 1.5 million per year to operate
I believe the "Magic Circle" is just a primitive camping area on BLM land and not a "campground" as such. The only operational costs would be for the person who collects the fees, and possibly some trash removal. Most of any "operations" that happen are volunteer efforts by the the campers themselves, many of whom return annually.
And that doesn't even factor in the operational cost. I could take an educated guess the magic circle probably cost 1.5 million per year to operateI believe the "Magic Circle" is just a primitive camping area on BLM land and not a "campground" as such. The only operational costs would be for the person who collects the fees, and possibly some trash removal. Most of any "operations" that happen are volunteer efforts by the the campers themselves, many of whom return annually.
This ain't Mayberry, things cost money, I speculated the cost of operations would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5 million, that was pure speculation based upon my previous business experience. fortunately for us the BLM did provide a business plan that included operational cost. Their labor alone was 1.2 million, maintenance costs were 1 million. 1.3 million I came pretty close and that's close enough.
I have attached the image of the BLM operational cost, you will note the trash collection at laposa for last year was $242,000. Law enforcement costs alone were over 100,000.
I'm a retired state/federal ranger with over 25 years experience in recreation management and recreation area planning.
Unfortunately, BLM's business plan has several major errors including incorrect assumptions about boondocking in private campgrounds. They have estimated (don't ask me how) that private campground boondocking goes for $45-$75/night. I'm sorry, but those are daily rates for full hookup sites in private resorts with amenities like pools, hot tubs, tennis courts and the like. The closest I've seen is a county park in Arizona that has shade structures, porta-potties, and picnic tables with no water or garbage service (pack it in, pack it out). It is a reservation only campground and costs $10/night, which pays for the cost of the reservation system.
Also, BLM law enforcement staff doesn't serve just the Long Term Visitor Areas, they patrol all BLM lands in the Yuma District, so making campers pay their full salaries and benefits is not appropriate. I have been to La Posa South for the past two years and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen one of their LEOs even drive through the area. The same can be said of the District's planners. Most of the actual "staff" are volunteers who may or may not receive a stipend to help cover living expenses.
Campers were not expected to pay for the initial construction costs as the LTVAs were constructed to encourage use as a way to avoid degradation of more sensitive environments in the area. They have spent very limited amounts for maintenance or upgrades since then. This massive increase in fees is only going to discourage use of the LTVA areas and force people back out into the desert where the environmental damage will be much worse.
BLM should be able to operate the area in the black with a much more modest increase to no more than $300 per season.
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