WA Ping
Posted on 07/02/2011 9:52:12 AM PDT by Baynative
The state of Washington formally shuttered its tourism office on Friday, a move that helps close deep budget deficits but makes it the only U.S. state no longer spending money to attract visitors.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
This is a perfect example of politics trumping common sense. Only a liberal democrat would shut down the catalyst for bringing dollars into the state while continuing funding useless social programs that have proven useless time and time again.
Liberal Democrats are good for nothing.
Was in your fair state last week.
My son and his fiancee wed at Red Tail Canyon Ranch in Leavenworth.
I'll go to states that offer something of value for my tourist dollar.
Silly you..local Dems are just trying to keep Kucinich from visiting anymore.
Actually, they are trying to create a new congressional district for him.
Should cut funding of all State ferries. Sell them.
“the only U.S. state no longer spending money to attract visitors.”
Good. Promoting tourism should be left to the private sector. If you own a motel in a resort area, or you’re a fishing guide or you run a tour bus, print some pamphlets and advertise.
Back in the ‘80s when I still lived in California, I took the family up to British Columbia. Stopped off at the Oregon Welcome Center where they wanted to charge me 50c for a state map, crying poor mouth. I compared this to Louisiana, where they had free maps and a welcome cup of coffee. Then they hit us $2.00 extra at the state parks because I was from out of state. Filled up just enough gas to get us outta there and made sure I tanked up in Washington so I could make it through Oregon without refueling.
Now Washington defunds the tourism office. They never learn. Whenever they open, I expect to see ‘em charging for maps and maybe even brochures. Glad I left that whole area in ‘88.
Needs more Monorail. /s
Shutting down a part of the State highway system that thousands of folks commute on every day is not the answer. When you live around a large body of water that divides the population, water highways are required. Efficiency is also required by the system in use. They haven’t mastered that part yet after all these years. And when the State harbors criminal foreign invaders the legal population suffers.
So, either the tourism office was making the State money and these guys are pinheads, or the tourism office was never making any money and should never have been funded and these guys are pinheads. Either way, I see them as pinheads.
I’m still happy to live here (conservative eastern side of WA) but this is the weekend we “get” to start displaying the “Discover Pass” for access to state parks and state lands (even undeveloped DNR wastelands) and even some highway rest areas that are on the edge of state parks! Now I don’t object to the $30 annual fee for the first one, but each vehicle needs one and they can not be shared. Sometimes I take a street legal motorcycle or another, sometimes an old Jeep, sometimes a minivan with the whole family. After a few years the cost is really going to add up!
same old story....don’t want to cut wages, or bennies, or pensions for the precious govt class...
Heck...I wanted to have them closed when they brought out that idiotic “Say WA” tourism campaign a couple years ago.
BTW, the Discover Pass requirement applies to visitors also. $99 fine. Welcome to Washington! And often the parks aren’t staffed so you can’t always buy the pass onsite. Double welcome!
SAY WA!!!!!
(For those who do not know, that was the infamous slogan our state tourism office came up with for the state)
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