If concessioners chose to do so, they could recoup their surcharge contributions in the prices of their goods and services. Thus, the profitability of the concessioners would not be affected, particularly in light of the almost guaranteed steady stream of visitors that the national parks deliver to concessioners' doors. Park visitors would be made aware of the contributions and their purpose, and would understand that the concessioner and the visitor were partners in improving the physical environment of the national parks. Concessioners would also benefit directly from better parks. We believe that concessioners and park visitors would be as accepting of this proposed surcharge as they have been of the experimental fee program.
Substantial opportunity exists for a larger bond amount.
According to the General Accounting Office, the rate of return to the federal government on NPS concessioner franchises has been as low as 2.8 percent, although recent renewals have sometimes brought significantly higher rates of return. By contrast, rates of return from concessioners in Canadian parks and a number of state parks, including California, Missouri, and Michigan, have averaged 12.7 percent. Neither a revenue bond program, nor any other supplemental funding can or should replace the fundamental obligation of the federal government to support with regular appropriations the extraordinary lands and resources that it holds in trust for all the American people. This obligation is a contract that binds the Congress to a high standard of stewardship over the public's land. That contract has not been well-honored in the manner that our national parks deserve.