Park Advocacy Day at the State Capitol

On Monday, March 8, the California State Parks Foundation held its eighth annual Park Advocacy Day at the state capitol. Over 150 volunteers and park activists gathered to call attention to the plight of our state park system and to lobby for solutions.

This gathering, organized by Foundation president Elizabeth Goldstein and Traci Verardo-Torres, Vice President of Government Affairs, started with a general meeting to discuss the days events. After that the group, armed with posters stating, "I'm Saving Our State Parks For," plus a photo taken by an attendee, held a press conference on the steps of the Capitol. Several legislators spoke in favor of the parks, including local assembly member Bill Monning. One of the speakers, a nine-year-old named Adam, was the hit of the morning.

Then some of the group delivered bags of state park petitions to the Governor's office (another photo op), while the rest started the round of meetings with members of the senate and assembly.

After the meetings, where small groups had appointments with various law makers or their staffs, everyone gathered again for a wrap up and two rousing, pro state parks speeches by assembly members Hector De La Torre and Mary Salas. A reception followed, after which attendees departed for the long trips back home.

The groups found most law makers supportive of our state parks, which have been threatened with closure recently, and which now have one billion dollars in deferred maintenance. Unfortunately budgetary problems and the inability to get the two thirds necessary to raise revenues, have tied the hands of even the parks' most vocal supporters.

Among the issues the lobbyists brought to law makers were the Governor's proposal to tied state parks funding to very uncertain revenues from a yet unapproved off shore oil deal, several bills currently being considered that would help our parks, including one to make part of east Andrew Molera Park a state wilderness and also the state parks ballot initiative. Currently state parks supporters all over the state are gathering signatures to get a measure on the ballot that would fully fund state parks, along with ocean and water conservation programs, return the current 130 million parks funding to the general fund and allow every California license plated auto into any state park or beach at any time, for no charge. All this would be accomplished by a once a year $18 additional charge on license renewals for autos, RVs and motorcycles. Most law makers indicated that they supported this measure.

It was a very upbeat day, with the small army of activists encouraged by the responses they received. Even though the day of lobbying is over, the volunteers intend to follow up with their assembly and senate members and continue to gather signatures for the State Parks Initiative.