Sonoma County Democratic Party opposes proposal to close California state parks
June 17, 2009
Sonoma County Democratic Party opposes proposal to close California state parks
Closures will devastate local economies dependent on park tourism
Santa Rosa, CA – The Sonoma County Democratic Party passed a resolution at their June meeting opposing Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposal to close 220 California state parks at the end of the summer to help cut California’s budget deficit.
Under the governor’s proposal, 80 percent of California’s state parks would close ― including all of Sonoma County’s 11 state parks ― and only 59 parks statewide would remain open. Some 2,000 park rangers, biologists and other park employees would face layoffs, and local economies that depend on income from park tourism would be devastated.
"The Sonoma County Democratic Party values the California state park system as a vital cultural and economic resource," said Stephen Gale, Chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party, "The local party is urging the governor and state legislators to pursue revenue increases as part of the budget proposal instead of cutting funding to state parks. Assemblywoman Noreen Evans' proposal for a modest increase in automobile registration fees to cover the cost of operating our state parks certainly appears reasonable to us."
The full text of the resolution passed on June 9 follows:
Sonoma County Democratic Party resolution opposing the closing of California state parks
Whereas, the governor has proposed cutting funding for 20 California state parks, resulting in the relatively small savings of $149 million from the state’s tax-based General Fund, which represents slightly more than one-tenth of one percent of the state’s total General Fund budget, and eliminating the Department of Parks and Recreation and closing all 279 state parks would fill less than one percent of the budget shortfall, and,
Whereas, state parks are a critical piece of California’s travel and tourism industry serving more than 75 million visitors every year, generating more than $6.5 billion (based on a 2002 study) in total output and new sales for private businesses from visitor spending, the tax revenue from that spending generates $2.34 in General Fund revenue for the state for every dollar of General Fund received by state parks to operate, will cost the General Fund more than $350 million in lost revenue, and have dire and devastating effects on local economies dependent on tourism around state parks, and,
Whereas, the governor then proposes to reopen the parks after three years, meaning that the state would have to hire and train new rangers, maintenance staff, environmental scientists, etc., and then carry the enormous costs associated with the repair of broken water lines, windows, holes in roofs, fallen trees, overgrown roads and trails, etc., and the costs become astronomical, and,
Therefore be it resolved that the Sonoma County Democratic Party opposes closing California state parks and strongly urges California legislators and the governor of California to pursue increasing revenues rather than cutting funding to the California state parks, and,
Be it further resolved that the Sonoma County Democratic Party will forward this resolution to Speaker Bass, Pro Tem Steinberg, all Democratic legislators on the Budget Committee and to our districts’ state representatives.
Contact: Stephen Gale, Chair
Sonoma County Democratic Party
(707) 537-9348
stephengale1@yahoo.com
