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Environmental groups rally behind state parks initiative
Fee: Car registration would increase $18
If environmental groups have their way on the November 2010 ballot, car registration will be up $18 and admission to state parks will be free to California vehicles.
The State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act, an initiative sponsored by the California State Parks Foundation, aims to establish a steady funding source for staffing, caretaking and development of the state’s 278 parks by raising the annual Vehicle License Fee by $18.
Currently, the majority of funding for the parks comes from the state’s General Fund. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, revenues from the new tax would total about $500 million if the initiative passed, while about $50 million in state revenue would be lost due to the waiving of admission fees to the park system.
“Quite a few environmental groups are on top of this [initiative] because there’s no permanent funding for state parks,” Lorraine Unger, a member of the Executive Board with the Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club, said.
Sierra Club California joined a coalition of supporters, including California State Parks Foundation, The Trust for Public Land, Save the Redwoods League, Defenders of Wildlife, Surfrider Foundation, California State Park Rangers Association, Audubon California, California State Lifeguard Association and Ocean Conservancy, in endorsing the initiative on Dec. 14.
The initiative is one of 51 currently cleared for circulation by the Attorney General. At least 433,971 voter signatures are required by May 28 for it to qualify for the November election.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office fiscal analysis of the measure calculated that 85 percent of the money deposited in the trust fund created by the act would be used for operations, maintenance and development of state parks; seven percent for management and operation of Department of Fish and Game lands; and eight percent for other wildlife conservation activities.
Up to one percent of the revenues would be available for administration and oversight, the LAO report stated. According to the text of the initiative, submitted Nov. 3 by Joseph Caves of behalf on Californians for State Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the measure is intended to establish a “stable, reliable, and adequate funding source for the State Park System and for wildlife conservation.”
As much as $200 million could be saved from the General Fund and other special funds if it was replaced by funds from the trust.
One of difficulties created by the park system’s variable funding situation, Unger said, is staffing sites with qualified employees.
“A lot of your staff people have four year degrees in biology, but there’s no career track for them,” she said. “They never know if they’re going to be let go.”
According to Pam Clark, chairperson for the Porterville-based Kaweah group of the Sierra Club’s Kern-Kaweah Chapter, the group may become involved with the petition process for the initiative, but hasn’t discussed doing so as of yet. Historically, the group has not participated in canvassing efforts, Clark said.
According to Kris Vosburgh, Executive Director of the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, measures that raise California taxes are unlikely to succeed in the current economic climate, regardless of their purpose.
Vosburgh said the state’s fiscal issues and high unemployment contribute to growing taxpayer opposition to new taxes.
“Until that situation turns around, I think that anything that suggests a tax increase is likely to get a thumbs down,” he said.
Though he said the HJTA has not reviewed the text of the initiative because it is still in the petition process, he said a likely problem with the measure is a lack of direct connection between the vehicle surcharge and park access.
“When people pay higher vehicle taxes, they assume, incorrectly, that their money will go to improve roads. There are going to be people out there that feel it’s deceptive,” Vosburgh said.
If the measure makes it to the ballot and is approved by voters, day-use entry to the majority of state parks would be free to California vehicles.
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, Tulare County’s sole state park, is currently open only Friday through Sunday due to budget cuts and service reductions.
The vehicle entrance fee is $6. Annual vehicle passes to 125 state parks that charge day use fees cost $125.
-- Contact Sarah de Crescenzo at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or sdecrescenzo@portervillerecorder.com.
