This week the Legislature”s key budgeting committee recommended by a 6 to 4 vote (six Democrats in favor vs. four Republicans opposed) to raising annual vehicle registration fees by $15 to avoid closing 220 state parks and eliminating day-use fees for anyone driving a vehicle with a California license plate into any of the park system”s beaches, parks and museums in the future (current day-use fees run from $6 to $10). Trailers and commercial trucks would be excluded. If you own three vehicles you would pay $45 a year, less than what it now costs to buy an annual pass. This is an old idea whose time, hopefully, has finally come with the public”s support.
California is the birthplace of state and national parks. In 1864 President Lincoln signed into law legislation that created the first state park, The Mariposa Grove of Big Trees in current Yosemite National Park. The park later became a national park. California set the stage for the National Park System. We have the most dynamic and diverse system of parks in the United States. Our parks are our heritage and our most valuable resources enjoyed by millions of Californians and our guests from all over the world. I know because I”ve traveled extensively and I was a park ranger for almost 30 years. In all good conscience we can”t allow the political winds of our time to blow away these “jewels” of our heritage.
Here is the current problem. State Parks are only able to pay for about one-third, or less, of its operational budget through the collection of fees. The rest comes from other funds but primarily from a one-tenth of 1 percent pie slice of the state budget or approximately $150 million from the state”s general fund. The general fund, of course, is a political football controlled by the political winds of our times. Since the 1980s the state has whittled away this allocation of general fund money constantly, while raising fees and allowing necessary positions, maintenance, school programs, and resource projects to fall along the wayside. Now we are facing closures. Are yard sales next? The real solution to fixing this situation is to come up with a way to get off the roller coaster ride of the general fund and to find a more viable and fair funding source to protect our parks. Other states have looked at this funding dilemma, including Florida and Oregon. Other states, without the uniquely diverse resources of California, have funded parks through use of vehicle fees; some with recreational vehicle assessments. Others have included fees on one time property sale transactions. These ideas have been out there for years. California”s leaders have crossed this path before. What has been missing in California? I believe it is the political will to step up to the plate and protect our most precious natural and recreational resources. Well, the time is now upon us to make hard decisions. Do we close parks? Do we raise more day-use fees? Do we hope that more borrowing will get us through? Do we pray that our pie slice of general fund money comes around better next time? Or … do we step up, as Californians, and all of us buy a reduced annual pass?
I”m supporting the California Assembly”s Budget Committee recommendation to buy that pass for all of us. I hope you”ll support it as well!
Tom Nixon
Kelseyville
