Among the provisions of the new bill:
• Formation of an advisory council compact that guarantees an ongoing level of state funding for operations and maintenance of state parks
• Creation of a State Park Enterprise Fund to develop fee collection equipment and technologies to increase park visitation and revenues.
• Creation of a state park environmental license plate with fees going toward support of state parks.
• An option for taxpayers to purchase an annual state park access pass when they file their state tax returns.
• A requirement that the state Department of Parks and Recreation be more transparent on how it evaluates and selects specific parks for closure. There would be a cap of 25 state park units that could be closed from 2012 to 2016 without legislative approval.
"We have an opportunity with this legislation to not only prevent park closures, but to begin to reinvigorate our neglected California State Parks system," said Huffman, D-San Rafael. "This bill is about charting a more sustainable approach to managing and financing our treasured state parks."
Of California's 278 state parks, 70 are slated to be closed this summer to help the state save $22 million. China Camp near San Rafael and Olompali near Novato are two Marin state parks set for closure; two others, Samuel P. Taylor and Tomales Bay, had been targeted but will be spared due to a funding arrangement worked out with federal land management agencies.
"Keeping state parks open is vital to our local and state economies," said Caryl Hart, director of Sonoma County Regional Parks. "While our communities are working hard at the local level to partner with the state to help keep the parks open, it is also imperative that the state identify new revenue opportunities and strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of our state parks."
The bill will be considered by the Assembly at a policy committee hearing
later this session.
