The current plan to save the parks involves instituting a $15 fee for all non-commercial vehicle registration fees (a "car tax"). This will provide enough revenue to run the Parks in perpetuity. In return, all California registered vehicles will get a free pass to all State Parks.

This proposal is included in the current budget plan which will, at some time in the next month or so, go before the Legislature and the Governor. (More information)

It sounds like a fine idea, but it is a revenue increase and will therefore require a 2/3rds vote. In the past, the Republicans have threatened anyone in their caucus who votes for any revenue increase with political execution. I am not sanguine that this will change in this case and our State Parks may be sacrificed to the cause of political posturing by both sides. Perhaps our only chance is that a few of those who have already been sentenced to political death for past crimes of collaboration will figure they have nothing left to lose.

I encourage you to call and write your State Representatives, but this won't make a lot of difference if your representatives are Democrats. Politicians only listen to their own constituents, and only if a worse fate than party displeasure awaits those who vote to kill the parks is there any hope.

Find your Representative

And that is where things stand right now.

Walter Nelson