This post was written by Morgan, 2010 Canoe Coordinator.
Even as the California Legislature budget conference committee is busy deciding exactly how much 
money to strip away from California’s 278 unique state parks this year, there are hopeful signs of a long-awaited funding solution for state parks.
Earlier this month, the California Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, qualified the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010 for the November 2 statewide ballot. Passage of the initiative (Measure 21) will ensure a long-term stable and adequate funding source for state parks and make important General Fund dollars available for other vital needs like schools and health care.
The Mono Lake Committee joins a wide-ranging coalition including business, public health, education, labor, and conservation interests in supporting the November state parks initiative. Overall, the campaign submitted more than 760,000 signatures, nearly twice the number required to qualify the measure.
“Once considered to be among the best in the nation, California’s state parks now rank among the most endangered sites in the country,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation. “Budget cuts forced nearly 150 of the state’s 278 state parks to close or reduce services last year, and chronic underfunding has caused state parks to accumulate a backlog of more than $1 billion in needed maintenance and repairs.
Roofs and sewage systems leak, restrooms are not cleaned regularly, bridges have collapsed, trails are washed out, campgrounds and visitor centers are shuttered and buildings and structures throughout the system are badly deteriorated. A recent article in the Sacramento Bee further investigates the dismal state of state parks in California.
Currently, the proposed state budget provides some General Fund money for state parks, but it is still insufficient to address the ongoing funding needs of the system.
Approval of the state parks initiative will provide California vehicles with free, year-round day-use access to state parks, in exchange for a new annual vehicle registration surcharge. Funds from the surcharge will be placed in a trust fund dedicated specifically to state parks and wildlife conservation, which cannot legally be used for other purposes. Approximately $500 million will be generated annually from the trust fund, providing the funding needed to restore, maintain and keep state parks accessible today and for future generations.
The passage of the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010 will also help to strengthen California’s economy. Annually, California’s state parks attract millions of tourists, who spend $4.32 billion annually in park-related expenditures. In fact, visitors generate so much local economic activity that every dollar spent on state parks creates another $2.35 for California’s treasury. These economic effects are especially important here at Mono Lake and Bodie, as the health of our rural communities depend on the visitors who flock to experience these special places.
This week the Sacramento Bee ran an editorial, “Who will step up for state parks?”
You can step up for Mono Lake, Bodie and all of California’s state parks by supporting the ballot initiative here.