Taxes, fees; it’s all money out of our pockets. Changing the name doesn’t really change the funding source.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is floating a proposal to add $5 to the state’s vehicle registration fee. The revenue from the fee would go to support state parks ($4) and to revive a matching grant program for local park improvements ($1).

If the fee is approved, drivers with Kansas license plates would be admitted to state parks free of charge. That’s a good deal if you go to the parks — year-round permits cost a total of $12 — but not such a good deal if you don’t go. To that end the Wildlife and Park proposal allows people to opt out of the fee. The measure hopes that most people won’t make that choice but there is no way to exclude Kansas vehicle owners who don’t pay the fee. (Montana has a similar program and found that about 20 percent of vehicle owners chose not to pay that state’s $4 fee.)

The $5 fee isn’t insignificant. The current state registration fee is $33 for cars and $43 for light trucks. A new fee represents a 15 percent increase for cars and 12 percent increase for trucks. The goal of the fee, officials say, is to reduce or hopefully eliminate the need for Wildlife and Parks to receive money from the state general fund. The governor’s proposed budget already starts that process by reducing the department’s share of general fund money from $3.34 million this year to $2.85 million next year.

Reducing expenditures from the general fund helps balance the state budget, but it’s almost certain that any savings will be eaten up by other state needs. The tax load needed to support the general fund won’t decline because Wildlife and Parks is removed but Kansans still will be paying an extra $5 a year on each of their vehicles to support a state service. However, if the fee plan isn’t approved, Kansas parks apparently will have to absorb a major financial blow.

Lawrence residents probably are more likely than many Kansans to benefit from the fee. Clinton State Park is right at the edge of the city and is an attractive destination for local residents. The fee also would likely increase traffic at the park and its marina because local residents wouldn’t be deterred by an entrance fee from making a short trip to the lake. Increasing funds for state parks hopefully would allow for better maintenance and more updating and consequently more usage by Kansas residents.

The proposed parks fee has a positive side, especially for Kansans who live near a state park. Many people also may view such fees as a less painful way to pay for some of the services they enjoy. But assuming that instituting fees will save anyone any money on their overall state tax bill is wishful thinking.