We need the help of the entire OHV community. Time is of the essence.
In the Budget Conference Committee last week, Assemblyman Kevin de Leon (D-LA) proposed redirecting $62M of the gas tax revenue that currently funds a significant portion of the OHV program, to the non-OHV State Parks. Taking $62M from the OHV program would result in a 72% budget cut to the OHV operating budget and decimate the OHV program. There would be no grants program and many SVRA’s would be forced to close.
The economy is in crisis, but this is crazy! The OHV program receives no support from the State’s General Fund. It is funded solely by user fees deposited in the OHV Trust Fund, fees from fuel taxes paid on gasoline burned while recreating off-highway, registration fees on off-highway vehicles, and gate fees collected at the SVRA’s.
The community is exhausted and does not want to write one more letter or send another email or fax, or make another phone call, but this is serious and must be done in the next day or two. The OHV community has been through enough already as earlier this year $90M was “borrowed” and will not be paid back until 2014. The legislature cannot take our operating money. We must contact all of the members of the Budget Conference Committee and tell them not to pit one State Park against another. You can also cc Senator Steinberg (the sponsor of the SB 742, the most recent OHV legislation) and the Governor. However, the Budget Conference is the most important.
Below is a list of talking points that people can pick and chose from. You do not need to use all of them.
Members of the 2009 California Legislative Budget Conference Committee:
Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Chair
Phone: (916) 319-2007
Fax: (916) 319-2107
Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills)
Phone: (916) 319-2040
Fax: (916) 319-2140
Assemblymember Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles
Phone: (916) 319-2045
Fax: (916) 319-2145
Assemblymember Roger Niello (R-Sacramento)
Phone: (916) 319-2005
Fax: (916) 319-2105
Assemblymember Jim Nielsen (R-Biggs)
Phone: (916) 319-2002
Fax: (916) 319-2102
Senator Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego)
Phone: (916) 651-4040
Fax: (916) 327-3522
Senator Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga)
Phone: (916) 651-4031
Fax: (916) 327-2272
Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco)
Phone: (916) 651-4003
Fax: (916) 445-4722
Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach)
Phone: (916) 651-4027
Fax: (916) 327-9113
Senator Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Hills)
Phone: (916) 651-4033
Fax: (916) 445-9754
For 38 years, since the creation of the Chappie Z’berg act in 1971, the program has successfully provided for a self-funded high-quality OHV recreation program. The OHV community has supported directing funds to law enforcement, education programs emphasizing safe and responsible vehicle operation, conservation efforts, and closure and restoration of OHV areas.
In the Budget Conference Committee last week, Assemblyman Kevin de Leon (D-LA) proposed redirecting $62M of the gas tax revenue that currently funds a significant portion of the OHV program, to the non-OHV State Parks. Taking $62M from the OHV program would result in a 72% budget cut to the OHV operating budget and decimate the OHV program. There would be no grants program and many SVRA’s would be forced to close.
The OHV program receives no support from the State’s General Fund. It is funded solely by user fees deposited in the OHV Trust Fund. OHV Trust Funds are derived from fuel taxes paid on gasoline burned while recreating off-highway, registration fees on off-highway vehicles, and gate fees collected at the SVRA’s.
The OHV community has already paid a significant price and suffered a great deal of pain in this budget crisis. $90 million of the OHV Trust Fund that was to be used for capital improvements and acquisitions was taken this fiscal year as an “interest free loan” and will not be repaid until 2014. This reduction represented a 51% loss in total program funding. Combined with the current proposal would result in an 86% reduction to the overall program.
In 2008, the OHV community supported doubling their OHV registration fees in order to ensure needed funding to support OHV recreation. The support was based on assurances that OHV funds were being placed in a “trust fund”, the fund which can only be used for OHV purposes.
This program is a “pay to play” program, supported by funds derived from the very people who use the resource. This includes both those engaging in OHV recreation, and those using OHV routes maintained by the program to access other types of non-motorized recreation.
California State Parks’ OHV program is a nationwide model for sustainability and responsible land use and is the standard to which other states strive to attain. Willful destruction of the program will set a nationwide precedent and be one more example of a successful California program that was sacrificed for politics.
The OHV Division of California State Parks funds and administers a grants program for the management of OHV recreation statewide by agencies and organizations throughout the State. Redirection of funds from the OHV program to non-OHV State Parks would mean the loss of funding for vitally needed support of law enforcement, resource management activities, restoration projects and necessary ongoing maintenance of existing recreation opportunities.
In the past five years alone, more than $9 million has been directed specifically to local law enforcement organizations in California to prevent vehicle trespass onto private lands and other OHV related impacts.
Taking more funds from the OHV program would decimate what little trust is left in the OHV community that the State can be trusted to administer funds that they paid for managed OHV recreation and resource protection throughout the State.
Closing these State Parks (SVRAs) in order to keep other non-OHV State Parks open, is sacrificing a self-funded community for the benefit of a chronically subsidized community.
“If you drive on a dirt road, you pay for a dirt road”. Taxes for operating OHVs on dirt, should not go to parks which do not allow this activity.
The OHMVR Division operates eight SVRAs. These State Parks host over five million visitors each year and set aside large portions of land for resource protection.
Any amount of money redirected from OHV, whether small or large, will create a precedent. The long held concept that funds generated by OHV recreation must be used to support OHV recreation will be destroyed.
It is not appropriate to close SVRA Parks supported by user fees, and then use those fees to support units which have no relation to the generation of these funds.
