California State Parks Update
by admin
The Edge of Cypress Grove Cliff, Point Lobos State Reserve
Just received this in my email:
This afternoon held some “good news, bad news” for California’s state park system.
The bad news first – the Legislature’s Budget Conference Committee voted to adopt the Governor’s proposal to eliminate core, state funding for our state parks. But the good news – and it’s good!- is that the committee also voted to enact the State Park Access Pass, CSPF’s proposal from last year to institute a surcharge on vehicle license fees of non-commercial vehicles, in order to provide Californians with free day-use access to state parks and generate much-needed revenues for the system. The version adopted by the Budget Conference Committee today differs from last year’s proposal in that today’s action adopted a $15 fee, in order to gain permanent General Fund savings of approximately $143 million annually. In exchange for paying the fee, residents driving into state parks with a California license plate would receive free day-use entrance into state parks.
This is good news, but it’s only one step toward a final budget victory. Since the vote was divided, this proposal still has a high hurdle to overcome, in order to be enacted. Please TAKE ACTION and send a message to your legislator supporting the State Park Access Pass and urging the Legislature to Save Our State Parks!
Thank you for your support for CSPF and the Save Our State Parks campaign!
Elizabeth Goldstein
President, CSPF
Personally, I think these are great news. The fees we pay to register our cars here in California are outragous (we paid over $300 the other day for an annual registration on our Toyota Camry the other day – can’t imagine what people pay for luxury cars), but I don’t mind an increase of $15 if that means I can enter state parks for free. In fact, I go to state parks at least twice a month, and pay $10 each time to enter/park, so $15/year is a change I welcome, if it irritates other Californians who never visit state parks. However, I’m sure this is not how the final ruling on this will look like, but I’m glad legistalators are listening to us, the California citizens, and are going to try to find a solution that will be people and nature friendly.