$15 fee on every car could keep state parks open

<p>Could California's parks be saved by raising car registration fees by $15?</p><p>The Legislature's key budget committee recommended that action Monday to avoid having to close as many as 220 parks statewide, including every park in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.</p><p>Now the political fight begins.</p><p>Democrats say they will not go along with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to close parks to help bridge the state's $24 billion budget gap, while Republicans say they won't support higher taxes.</p><p>That fight was previewed Monday when six Assembly and Senate Democrats on the committee chaired by Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, voted to support raising car fees to help the parks. All four Republicans voted no.</p><p>Evans afterward acknowledged the significant hurdle the proposal has in overcoming Republican resistance. A similar proposal died last year.</p><p>"I think they (Republicans) are going to resist this fee and seek to close down the parks," Evans said. "If this doesn't work, we'll try to go back to square one and find another way."</p><p>Schwarzenegger's proposal would slash about $70 million from the state's $150 million general fund allocation for parks. An additional $143.4 million would be saved in the following fiscal year by keeping the parks closed.</p><p>Of the state's 279 parks, 220 could face closure.</p><p>Democrats say parks generate revenue to local communities through tourism and other means, and that closing them would lead to vandalism and their general deterioration. But raising vehicle fees is a hard sell.</p><p>Four Republican lawmakers who agreed to support a a near doubling of registration costs in February to help break a budget impasse put their political careers at risk.</p><p>Under the plan supported by Democrats on Monday, a $15 annual surcharge would be assessed on the registration of all vehicles except trailers and commercial trucks.</p><p>In exchange, anyone driving a vehicle with a California license plate would get free year-round admission to any of the state park system beaches, parks or museums. Parks normally charge entrance fees between $6 and $10.</p><p>The total amount raised would be about $430 million. Of that, $143 million would go back into the general fund. An additional $40 million would be lost in entrance fees, leaving an estimated $237 million for parks to spend.</p><p>Having a steady revenue source would realize a dream long held by park advocates, said Michele Luna, executive director of the Stewards of the Redwoods and Coast, a nonprofit group that provides volunteers and conducts educational programs in partnership with the state.</p><p>"That's part of the problem with state parks and has been since the '80s," she said. "Every year there's been a reduction in state funding. It reflects grossly reduced staff levels and not being able to address maintenance problems."</p><p>Evans' committee is expected to wrap up a month's worth of hearings today.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Derek J. Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com</p>