Texans react to . . . (OMG) the horror!

For those of y'all who aren't aware, all the beaches in the great state of Texas are publicly owned and forever accesible to the people. (None of these "private" beaches they got up hyar in yanquilandia. How can they "own" the beach? Even in South Florida the "private" beaches couldn't stop you from walking through their "property." And don't even get me started on how cold the water is here . . . /rant)

Anyway, they are going to start charging a . . . *gasp* PARKING FEE !!!! to help pay for cleaning & maintaining the beaches in Galveston County. It's only $10 per year, and there will still be plenty of beach that is free to park on, but people are freakin' out. Check this article from the Beaumont Enterprise.

BOLIVAR PENINSULA-- Mark Sona was headed out through the surf with his fishing pole, leaving his white truck parked on the beach nearby.

The 44-year-old printer from Waco comes to Bolivar three or four times a year to try his luck at luring fish.

But next year, parking his truck on the beach could cost him.

A part of the proposed Galveston County Dune Protection and Beach Access Plan requires parking permits for most of the beach.

The revenue from the annual $10 sticker would pay for beach maintenance, rest room facilities, replacing or repairing sand dunes and signs, beach cleanup and other beach projects on the peninsula. Permits will be discounted in January and February. How much the fee is expected to generate in revenues was not available Friday.

. . . .

Sona opposes the permits, saying that he pays enough in fishing and other permits and doesn't want to worry about another fee.

"If I had to pay, I wouldn't come," said Shirley Connor, 37, of Humble, who comes to the beach nearly every weekend. "There is always somewhere else."

Steven Connor, 41, a scaffold builder from New Caney, fears that if people have to pay to come to beach, there will be more restrictions on what people can do on the beach.

"What's next? Frisbee?" Connor asked.

Them sumbitches tryin'a make me PAY?! Sounds like a communist plot, I tell you what. I'll just drive on north of Meacom's Pier an' park on the trashy side.

Grow up people. If you want a clean beach you shouldn't complain about helping to clean it.

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