Arizona State Parks Board letter to Gov. Napolitano

July 30, 2008

The Honorable Janet Napolitano
Governor
State of Arizona
1700 W. Washington, 9th Floor
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Dear Governor Napolitano:

We appreciate your continued leadership in protecting and enhancing Arizona’s natural and cultural resources. The Arizona State Parks Board met on July 18 and 19, 2008, to assess the impact of this year’s budget cuts and to prepare recommendations for you for FY 2010 and beyond. We recognize the dire financial circumstances surrounding this year’s budget and applaud your ability to find and maintain a balance between the variety of needs of our citizenry and our current capacity to respond.

We are a Board that is made up entirely of your appointees and are seeking ways to reverse the deterioration of the State Park’s infrastructure. We recognize that FY 2009’s budget will be just as challenging as this year’s budget.

On July 18, 2008, the Parks Board passed a Motion regarding operating budgets in FY 2009, FY 2010 and FY 2011. The Motion is consistent with the constraints suggested by your budget staff. As part of the Motion, we unanimously voted to seek your support in appointing a Blue Ribbon Committee whose charge would be to determine the present and future needs of the State Park System and explore new revenue sources. The Arizona State Parks Board requests that you appoint such a Committee by November 30, 2008, and ask them to report back to you with recommendations on or before June 30, 2009.

Our current State Parks System is in dramatic need of new resources. There has not been adequate investment in our infrastructure for more than a decade. Hence, key conservation opportunities need to be taken to allow Arizonans and Arizona’s visitors to experience and embrace the special areas of this great State of Arizona. Arizona’s “lifestyle,” which is a major factor in our State’s growing economy, is dependant upon a good statewide parks and recreation system. State Parks has and should continue to provide assistance to local governments for their historical preservation and recreation programs. We would hope that you would charge your task force to answer some key policy questions:

  • What impact does Arizona State Parks’ recreation facilities have on the overall economic development of this State?
  • What new methods of financing could the State utilize in order to provide for efficient and effective parks and recreation areas and facilities?
  • Should there be a priority in the acquisition and development of water-based recreational resources?
  • What changes need to be made in long range planning and coordination to ensure the most effective implementation of the statewide park and recreation policies and programs?
  • Are there new creative intergovernmental resources for management and acquisition strategies?

Members of our Board are willing to serve on the task force or in any manner you suggest to help with this necessary exploration of new funding sources for the Arizona State Parks.  We have instructed our Arizona State Parks staff that this is a top priority for their activities if you chose to appoint a Blue Ribbon Committee.  As your appointees, Governor, we share your vision of balancing smart growth with quality natural and cultural resource protection and enhancement.  Arizona State Parks is a critical part of this and we are pledged to work with you to help you achieve a better Arizona.

Sincerely,

William C. Scalzo, Chairman
Arlan Colton
William C. Cordasco
Larry Landry
Tracey Westerhausen
Mark Winkleman, State Land Commissioner
Reese Woodling

Take the Arizona Trail User Survey!

Click here to take the Arizona Trail User Survey.  This study is part of an effort to develop plans for the State Trails Program and the Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Program.  The survey is being conducted by the Arizona State Parks Board and Arizona State University to ask for input into the trail planning process. 

Your participation in this survey is very important.  Your answers will help set priorities for trail management in Arizona, and help determine how a portion of the Heritage Fund and the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Fund should be spent.  The Heritage Fund comes from Lottery revenues and the OHV Fund comes from gasoline tax dollars.  Some of these funds go directly to provide recreational trail opportunities and facilities for all Arizona residents and visitors.

The survey will take approximately 15 – 20 minutes to complete.  Your answers to this survey are completely confidential. Your name will not be connected to your answers in any way.  Your participation in this survey is voluntary; however, you can help us very much by taking a few minutes to share your opinions.  Please forward this e-mail to other Arizonans interested in trails.  If you have questions about the survey, send an e-mail to Arizona State Parks.

Arizona State Parks budget among the losers

Budget cuts...ouch!

[Source: Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona Republic, July 6, 2008] — Winning and losing is sometimes a matter of perspective.  In terms of the state budget, it is more accurately measured in terms of who got funding and who didn’t.  Some details from the fiscal 2009 state budget approved in late June:

HAVE NOT: State Parks Department.  A fund used to pay for improvements at state lakes, such as docks, moorings, and other infrastructure, is cut by $6.3 million.  In addition, the department must cut $250,000 from its operating budget.

[Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Off-highway vehicle bill passes Arizona Senate, goes to Governor

[Source: Arizona Game & Fish Department, June 24, 2008] — Long-awaited legislation that will help better manage off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation and protect wildlife habitat passed the Arizona Senate yesterday and has been sent to the Governor.  Senate Bill 1167, also known as the “Off-Highway Vehicle Bill,” passed the Senate by a vote of 16-7, with 7 members not voting.  The bill has been transmitted to Gov. Janet Napolitano and awaits her signature.  SB 1167 will provide long-overdue resources to better manage issues created by the dramatic increase in OHV use in Arizona (347 percent in the last decade). Irresponsible riding has damaged habitat and created the potential for closures of some areas.

With the passage of SB 1167, revenue raised through an estimated $20 annual user fee (exact amount to be determined through a public rule making process) on off-highway vehicles will help provide funding for additional law enforcement, trail/facility maintenance and reconstruction, rider education and information (including identification of lawful places for operators to ride), and mitigation of resource damage from OHVs.  This “user play, user pay” approach is similar to that used by hunters and anglers, where sportsmen pay license fees to support their hunting and fishing opportunities and benefits.  In this case, OHV users will pay the annual user fee to support the sustainable management of their recreational opportunities and resource protection.  “We’re thrilled to see this legislation pass,” said Arizona Game and Fish Commission Chairman Bill McLean.  “Balancing the protection of wildlife habitat with opportunities for responsible OHV recreation has been a priority of the Game and Fish Commission.  We worked hard on this bill with sponsor Rep. Jerry Weiers and the coalition of supporters, and we’re looking forward to its implementation.”

“This was drastically needed to keep up with the explosive growth of OHV use in our state,” said Mike Senn, assistant director for field operations for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.  “It provides beefed-up tools—information/education efforts on responsible riding, trail development and habitat mitigation, new laws to address irresponsible riding, and seven new OHV law enforcement officers — to better manage OHV recreation and protect wildlife habitat.”

The bill passed through the Arizona House of Representatives in April by a vote of 42-13.  Key supporters in the Legislature were Rep. Jerry Weiers (R-District 10) and Sen. Linda Gray (R-District 12).  The bill was supported by a diverse coalition of organizations, including the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition, Responsible Trails America (Arizona Chapter), Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife, Arizona Power Sports Industry Association, Wildlife Conservation Council, Apache County ATV Roughriders, Sierra Club (Grand Canyon Chapter), Arizona Motor Sports Association, Arizona Wildlife Federation, Drew and the Crew Motor Sports, National Rifle Association, Arizona Council of Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Sonoran Institute, Arizona State Parks, and Arizona State Land Department, among others.  When signed by the Governor, the OHV bill would become law on Jan. 1, 2009.