Dear Save Our State Parks Supporters,
Just hours ago, Governor Schwarzenegger released the May Revision to the FY 2010-11 Budget, which addresses California’s $19.1 billion deficit. The May Revision proposes to restore $140.1 million in general funding to the Department of Parks and Recreation’s budget. This is a change from the Governor’s January budget proposal which planned to eliminate general funding to state parks and replace it with uncertain revenues from the proposed Tranquillon Ridge oil project (the Governor recently withdrew his support for the Tranquillon Ridge project). The proposal included in the May Revise would place state park funding at levels comparable to 2008-09 levels, still a far cry from the funding necessary to adequately protect state parks. (Please see CSPF’s statement- attached)
The Governor’s May Revise Budget proposal includes (among other things) eliminating CalWORKs and making deep cuts to health care and human services programs. In addition, the budget proposal anticipates over $1 billion in funding from the water bond that will go before voters in November.
The budget ball is now in the court of the Legislature. CSPF has posted an action alert campaign online at http://www.calparks.org/ , asking park supporters to send a message to legislators in support of state park funding.
In addition, CSPF continues to be a lead supporter of the California State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010, which is slated to appear on the November 2010 ballot. This initiative will provide adequate funding for state parks in perpetuity, removing the threat of park closures once and for all, and will free $140 million annually for other state budget purposes. Thank you to those partners already actively engaged in the initiative campaign. If your organization has not already endorsed the initiative, please do so today at http://www.yesforstateparks.com/ .
Thank you,
Linsey Fredenburg
Legislative Coordinator
California State Parks Foundation
ph. 916-442-2119
fax 916-442-2809
www.calparks.org |
To see the article online: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/2010/04/proponents-of-p.html?storylink=lingospot
The latest on California politics and government
Another initiative appears to be on its way to qualifying for the November ballot.
Proponents of a measure to fund state parks delivered about 760,000 signatures to elections officials yesterday, according to the San Jose Mercury News. They needed 433,931 valid voter signatures to qualify.
The proposed initiative, backed by a coalition of environmental groups, calls for using revenues raised by an increase in the annual vehicle registration fee to fund state parks.
Alert readers can expect to see a flurry of ballot measure activity in the coming weeks as proponents scramble to turn in their petitions in time to qualify. All measures for the November ballot must be certified by June 24.
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What is the $18 DMV Pass? To address the issues facing the extreme downgrading of our parks, the California State Parks Foundation (CASPF) & Save Our State Parks )SOS Parks) are intitiating a movement to place on a 2010 ballot the...
$18 DMV Pass to help fund parks and other entities.
• 85% to the California Department of Parks and Recreation to repair, operate, manage,
maintain and develop state parks. Out of the department’s funding, approximately $20
million a year (by law, 4% of the Trust Fund) would be used for grants to public agencies for the operation, management and restoration of urban river parkways, with priority placed on
the most underserved urban communities
• 7% to the California Department of Fish and Game to manage and operate wildlife refuges,ecological reserves and other lands it owns or manages
• 4% to the Ocean Protection Council for marine wildlife conservation and the protection of
coastal waters
• 2% to state conservancies for park and wildlife habitat
• 2% to the Wildlife Conservation Board for grants to local public agencies for wildlife
conservation
Vehicles subject to the surcharge and all occupants of those vehicles would have free day use admission to all state parks throughout the year. What a bargain!
MAPA is attending a meeting with SOS Parks and CASPF Monday, November 16, to discuss the initiative and the steps required to put the proposal on the ballot.
One of those steps will be petitions. Anyone in the Mendocino County area who would like petitions for this effort may contact us at mapa@mendoparks.org, or 707.937.4700.
Below is the information copied from the California State Parks Foundation website http://www.calparks.org:
California's state parks are falling apart because of chronic underfunding. Budget cuts are causing them to fall severely behind in needed maintenance and repairs – a backlog of more than $1 billion already exists. Twice in the past two years, state parks were on the brink of closure. Only a last‐minute budget reprieve kept them open. But nearly 60 state parks will be shut down part‐time or their hours of operation reduced because of this year's budget cuts, and more park closure proposals and budget cuts are expected next year. California's parks are becoming less available to the public and are at serious risk of irreversible damage.
In response, a statewide ballot measure has been prepared that would create the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund. Rather than living on a budget roller coaster, the fund would provide a stable, reliable and adequate source of funding for the state park system, for wildlife conservation and for increased and equitable access to those resources for all Californians.
Initiative Basics:
- The State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund ("Trust Fund") revenues could only be spent on state parks, wildlife, natural lands and ocean conservation programs.
- The Trust Fund would be funded by an $18 annual State Park Access Pass surcharge on all California cars, motorcycles and recreational vehicles that would be collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles as part of the annual vehicle license fee. Larger commercial vehicles (those subject to the Commercial Vehicle Registration Act), mobile homes and permanent trailers would be exempt.
- Vehicles subject to the surcharge and all occupants of those vehicles would have free day use admission to all state parks throughout the year.
- Trust Fund revenues would amount to approximately $500 million each year (based on about 28 million registered vehicles) and 85% would be allocated to state parks and 15% to other state wildlife and ocean protection agencies.
- With a new dedicated revenue stream in place, approximately $130 million of General Fund dollars ‐ that provide a portion of overall state parks funding ‐ would now be available for other vital needs, like schools, health care, social services or public safety.
- The Trust Fund would be subject to an independent audit by the State Auditor and a Citizens' Oversight Committee would be created to ensure funds are spent appropriately. Audit, oversight and administrative costs of this measure would be limited to 1% of the annual revenues.
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What MAPA and all of us know is that the struggle for parks is a community problem, and the communities will need to pull together to benefit everyone. These parks belong to all of us.
If you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to participate, please contact MAPA at 707.937.4700, or mapa@mendoparks.org.
We will keep you updated as the situation develops.
Thank you for your support.
Carolyne Cathey
MAPA Executive Director
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