While the closing of 70 State Parks can serve as a good wake up call for Californians, it has it's problems.
To me it does not make sense as it:
1) Hurts our tourism industry (reducing jobs and perhaps losing more in State tax revenue than the cuts cost),
2) Eliminates one valuable reason for living in CA, and
3) Comes at a time when families are looking for affordable vacations the State Park system is perfect in filling that need (also keeps the dollars spent in CA not some other state).
Four rough ideas for new State Park funding:
Plan A: Local control and funding:
Divide the system into 5 or so regions and set up a new local Parks and Rec District (if the local voters approve) to fund the programs.
If the voters in a District to not vote for funding and local control then the State to keep control of that District.
All properties to remain owned by the State of CA. All properties can be taken back from the local Parks Districts if certain annual conditions are not met. All Parks will participate in the joint Statewide admission program.
Plan B: License Plates
Currently nearly ½ of the CA Arts Council revenue comes from special DMV plates (for each plate the Council gets about $40 a year). If parks could have their own plate perhaps a million people would ask for it. If 500,000 Parks Plates were issued that would fund the cuts that required the 70 Park closures. The problem: DMV makes it nearly impossible to buy plates (their process is hopelessly cumbersome and difficult for even the most dedicated plate purchaser. The Department would also need legislative approval to have DMV sell the plates.
Plan C: Raise Admission Fees
In addition to raising admission fees, create a new "good until you die" "lifetime" ticket that costs a lot of money (and raises a lot of money).
Plan D: Close Parks in Districts When their Assemblyman And/or Senators Refused to Fund the Parks System
We need to stay focused on the real reason this is even comming up:
and:
and:
a reminder: