From the CBO's cost analysis of the "Migratory Bird Habitat Investment and Enhancement Act":
H.R. 1916 would raise the price of a duck stamp from $15 to $25 for hunting years 2010 through 2020. The bill would exempt certain individuals from the price increase, such as persons under 19 or over 65 years of age, active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and veterans. Based on information provided by the USFWS, CBO estimates that implementing the $10 price change would increase federal revenues by $2 million in fiscal year 2010 and by $8 million a year over the 2010-2019 period. CBO’s estimate reflects previous experience with price increases, which usually result in a temporary reduction in the number of stamps sold.
As under existing law, amounts collected from sales of the $25 duck stamps would be deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (MBCF) and would be available without further appropriation for waterfowl conservation projects. In recent years, duck stamp revenues have provided about $22 million a year for such projects, which usually focus on acquiring habitat. Enacting the $10 price change would raise deposits into the MBCF by $74 million over the 2010-2019 period, resulting in additional direct spending of that amount over the next 10 years.
User fees are a fine way to pay for government programs and services. Too bad the knee jerk reaction by some taxpayers is that this is an unfair increase in taxes.
Also, this line:
CBO’s estimate reflects previous experience with price increases, which usually result in a temporary reduction in the number of stamps sold.
Might seem strange. You might think, of course the number of duck stamps sold will fall if the price is higher, but why is this temporary? It is temporary because the cost of the duck stamp is swamped by the other expenditures made to go duck hunting, $674 per hunter in 2006 [see page 76 of this PDF] and a duck hunting trip is the good that is being consumed. The price elasticity of demand for the duck stamp should approach zero.
