The state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will be collecting more money from state parkgoers as a sales tax on parking will soon be enforced.
The new state budget includes a provision that expands the state's 6.35 percent sales tax to the price of parking. It will be the first time that such a tax will be enacted.
Exactly how much the parking price will go up depends on the day, time of day and whether the visitor lives in Connecticut. For locals heading to Sherwood Island in Westport on a weekday, the price would go from $9 to $9.58. On weekends, the cost will jump from $13 to $13.85.
Officials say that while the change could pose some issues, the main goal is to get people through the entrance gates as fast as possible.
The state plans to impose the tax at all 25 state parks starting next Saturday. Only three of the parks, including Sherwood Island, have credit card machines.