I don't know about anyone else, but there has been so much discussion and so many articles (all with differing views and numbers) that I don't even know what the purpose of the original bill was! So what I think the CLA intended was not really to decrease the number of boats, that would be counterproductive to the real goal... Create/increase revenue to the CLA general fund to offset the cost to the surrounding towns and home owners for lake patrols and the anticipated cost of the shoreline management program. Everything else including reducing boat traffic, increasing lake patrols, improving ramps, etc.. is just a pipe dream.

The numbers don't add up. How are you going to decrease the number of boats AND decrease the amount the surrounding towns pay into the CLA budget (both scenarios have been suggested and/or reported on). There may be enough money to continue the status quo on patrols, but that will be it and nothing more. So we come back to the CLA just wanting to lessen the financial burden on the towns and home owners. And also one very important section in the bill that the "The Candlewood Lake Authority shall have the authority to increase permit fees..." Just wait! Once those out of state boaters decrease and the revenues go down, that sticker will start costing in-state boaters more every year.

I read in one article that the sticker program was estimated to bring in up to $180,000. I hate revenue projections. They are ALWAYS overstated. I have empathy for lake home owners who I agree should not have to bear all the cost. Here is my proposal (which has already been said on this thread a few times, but I don't know who to give credit to) is to charge a nominal, but reasonable launch/parking fee at the state ramps. BUT first fix the ramps and parking facilities! Lattins parking lot is a mine field. Repave it. Put in a floating dock on the left side so that people can launch and recover properly. That's a cluster f*&* on busy days. Some folks won't pay $50 or $100 for a sticker, but you could still get 2 or 3 (maybe 4) launch fees out of them per season. Charge a seasonal lake access fee to all slips at the marinas. The marinas will pass that on to the boat slip owners. Yes, that's a tax (I'm not beating around the bush and they can afford it). Leave the lake front home owners alone, but give them a two boat limit at their private docks. Let that program run for a year or two and see what the REAL numbers are. You might find that the cost to the surrounding towns can be reduced or at least held in check.

That's my view FWIW. BTW, I'm a NYS resident and I used C'Wood 4 times last summer. Earlier in this thread I said I would pay the $100/yr, but have since changed my mind. If the sticker program goes into effect I won't use C'Wood. But I would pay a launch fee of $10 every once in a while. Hey, that's $40 bucks the CLA would otherwise have lost!