About those tax dollars you spend on wilderness management do you want your 3 pennies all at once or in 3 monthly installments?
Would be nice if you didn't choose the installments, postage sending a penny a month gets expensive.
The value is beyond the proverbial cent the alleged Taxpayer actually pays for our federal lands...
Though read for yourself, Buzz...
This - is the crux of the debate.Outdoor recreation generates 887 billion in consumer spending, that supports 7.6 million American jobs. Much of the outdoor recreation we all enjoy, along with the economy of same, is tied to Federal public lands. Along with that comes billions in taxes paid to local, state, and the federal governments.
Depending on the sources you find, the estimated cost to the taxpayer is about 8-9 billion a year to manage federal lands.
I'm unsure on how that cost of management is off set by grazing fees, mineral royalties, timber receipts, etc. etc.
Don't forget to, that there are lots of benefits that people receive from Federal lands:
What is clean water worth?
How much do States benefit from the BLM, NPS, USFWS, and FS providing wildlife habitat, food, and water for the States wildlife Resources?
Also, keep in mind that under multiple use management, there is NO mandate for federal lands to make money...none. That's for good reason, since it would be impossible to manage in a way "that some land be used for less than all of the resources, and harmonious and coordinated management of the various resources, each with the other, without impairment to the productivity of the land, with consideration being given to the relative values of the various resources, and not necessarily the combination of uses that will give the greatest dollar return, or the greatest unit output".
In fairness, as a tax paying Citizen, I also have the right to guide management of those lands via public involvement, my congressional delegation, and as an active citizen. Something I've been doing for a long time.
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