Beth Woodin

Hands off the Heritage Fund, lawmakers

by

[Source: Arizona Republic Editorial Board] – Lawmakers, show some respect for voters.

In 1990, Arizonans overwhelmingly approved the Heritage Fund, directing $10 million a year in Lottery revenue each to the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Parks Department. This reflected a deep commitment to some of Arizona’s greatest resources: a rich history, diverse wildlife and dazzling natural landscapes.

The Legislature took the state parks’ share during the recession, and has unwisely rejected a number of efforts to restore that funding.

Now some of the Game and Fish share is at risk.

A portion of Game and Fish Heritage money is supposed to be spent on acquisition of land as habitat for threatened and endangered species. A strike-everything amendment to a House-passed bill would allow it to be used for operation and maintenance.

This goes against the “heart and soul” of what voters intended when they passed the Heritage initiative, says Beth Woodin, member of the Arizona Heritage Alliance and former Game and Fish commissioner.

What’s more, it’s sneaky.

This is a stealth effort to do something the public probably would not approve.

To that point, the altered bill was held in a Senate committee last week after it began to attract attention and opposition. It should disappear entirely.

If the Game and Fish department needs more money, let it ask for the funding. Then invite the Heritage Alliance and others who respect the spirit of this voter-approved law to be part of a discussion about what changes make sense.

Arizona Heritage Alliance Board Meets for Annual Meeting

by

Say hello to the Arizona Heritage Alliance board of directors. You can’t see the others who were there via conference call! — with Peter Culp, Barbra Barnes, Jennifer Martin, Janice Miano, Matt Fesko, Margaret Bohannan, Bob White, Kathy Roediger, Bonnie Bariola, Beth Woodin, Bob Bohannan & Jim McPherson at the Flinn Foundation.

Heritage Fund creates jobs in rural areas: Arizona Heritage Alliance makes presentation to the Natural Resources Review Council

by

[Source: Bonnie Bariola, Florence Reminder] – The purpose of the Arizona Natural Resources Review Council (NRRC) is to protect state interests related to wildlife, land, water, and natural resources by actively engaging and countering federal encroachment on state authorities tasked with managing Arizona’s natural resources. It was established by Executive Order by Governor Jan Brewer on January 14, 2013.

The Executive Order stated the Council was to develop land and natural resource management strategies for Arizona and coordinate with state natural resource agencies and their existing management plans. Members of the Council include the directors of the following state departments: Game and Fish, Land, Environmental Quality, Water Resources, State Forester, Geological Survey, State Parks, and Agriculture. The chair is designated by the Governor and is currently Larry Voyles, director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

The Council was directed to prepare a comprehensive report and plan for the Governor for long-term land and natural resource management. The report should include and address multiple use and sustained yield approaches, public access issues, and sustainable economic development. In addition, the Council is to develop a coordinated and centralized Geographic Information System database model that identifies current and future management priorities for designated land and natural resource areas.

An additional request is for the Council to identify and prioritize legal, legislative, and incentive-based needs that protect and maintain state interests related to wildlife, land, water, and other natural resources. The governor also directed the Council to provide her with recommendations on a statewide approach to mitigation and conservation banking that includes state government, local governments, and the private sector in order to meet long-term natural resource conservation objectives.

The chair of the Council appointed a subcommittee to research and prepare results for each of the above directives. Prior to the Call to the Public at which time the Arizona Heritage Alliance was to make their presentation, each subcommittee chair gave a report on the status of their particular directive. It was amazing how much research the subcommittees have accomplished in six months. Chairman Voyles stated he wanted them to continue being aggressive with their research so they could have a final report to the governor as soon as possible.

Heritage Fund

The Heritage Fund presentation was made by Beth Woodin, the Arizona Heritage Alliance board president and Russ Jones, board member and former state representative. In 1990 the citizens of Arizona approved Proposition 200 with 62 percent support for the formation of the Heritage Fund in an amount of up to $20 million from the Arizona lottery with $10 million to be administered by Arizona State Parks and $10 million to be administered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

The distribution of the Arizona State Parks portion was:

·        35% – Local, Regional, and State parks

·        17% – Historic Preservation

·        17% – Acquisition and Development

·        17% – Natural Areas Acquisition

·        04% – Natural Areas Operation and Maintenance

·        05% – Environmental Education

·        05% – Trails

These monies supported: critical and endangered species and habitat, environmental education, historic preservation, non-motorized trails, and parks and recreation acquisition and improvements.

The Arizona Game and Fish monies were not touched by the Legislature and are used to:  

  • Conserve wildlife and maintain its habitat in areas surrounding cities;
  • Carry out wildlife research, surveys, and management of habitat for sensitive species;
  • Ensure access to public lands for outdoor recreation, sometimes by creating roads or trails;
  • Develop and maintain wildlife habitat projects at schools or adjacent areas for wildlife education;
  • Enhance or develop conservation/environmental school education programs;
  • Acquire habitat.

    The Arizona State Parks monies were used for:

  • Historic Preservation projects;
  • Hiking trails;
  • Picnic ramadas and park landscaping;
  • Ballfield lighting and improvements;
  • Playground equipment;
  •  Acquisitions and capital needs.

Heritage Fund for parks eliminated

In 2009 the Legislature swept the state parks portion of the Heritage Fund resulting in Arizona State Parks rescinding $6 million in Heritage Fund grants already awarded, leaving grantees with projects that were incomplete. Then, in 2010 the Legislature completely eliminated the State Parks Heritage Fund language from state statutes. As the result of the Arizona Heritage Alliance working with the Legislature, in February 2011, 2012, and 2013 the House Agriculture and Water Committee initiated and passed unanimously bills to reinstate the Arizona State Parks portion of the Heritage Fund. Unfortunately House Appropriations Chairman Kavanagh refused to hear these Heritage Fund Reinstatement Bills in his committee. which killed the bills.

In 2011, the Arizona Heritage Alliance and Arizona State Parks commissioned an Economic Impact Statement through the Arizona Hospitality Research and Resource Center at Northern Arizona University. Their study showed, among other benefits to Arizona, that direct expenditures from the State Parks Heritage Fund resulted in 125 direct jobs, 33 indirect jobs, and 66 induced jobs, for a total of 224 jobs per year, mostly occurring in rural areas of Arizona. This portion of the Heritage Fund created a tremendous economic impact to the state by promoting economic development, creating more jobs and heritage tourism, revitalizing historic sites and areas, and increasing property values.

The Arizona Natural Resources Review Council was then asked to recommend to Governor Brewer to reinstate the State Parks Heritage Fund, especially the grant program which supplied valuable programs and resources for both Arizona residents and visitors. The Council was also told the Heritage Fund provided economic, environmental, education, tourism and quality of life benefits that are too important to be lost.

Their presentation concluded with the following statement:  “If you hike, boat, ride, hunt, fish, watch wildlife, visit a park, or tour historic sites, then Arizona’s Heritage Fund affects your life.  We need to protect the Heritage Fund and improve it — not eliminate it!”

The Arizona Natural Resources Review Council’s meetings are open to the public. The meetings are usually held at the State Capitol Building but the June 25 meeting was held at the Arizona Game and Fish Department complex located on Carefree Highway in northwest Phoenix.

Bill to Reinstate Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund Passes House Committee 8-0 ~ Please call Representative John Kavanagh

by

On Monday, February 18, HB2594, a Bill to reinstate the Heritage Fund, passed unanimously in the Arizona House Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources

HB2594 would reinstate the Local Transportation Assistance Fund (LTAF), which helps to fund transit services, and also the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund, which funds parks programs, environmental education, trails, historic preservation, and more.

Both of these funds received Arizona Lottery revenues but were eliminated by the Legislature and Governor during the 2010 state budget crisis. Under this bill, both funds would receive their original allocations — LTAF would receive $9 million per year and Heritage Fund $10 million per year.

Representative Ethan Orr of Tucson is the primary sponsor of HB2594 with Representatives Juan Carlos Escamilla of San Luis, Karen Fann of Prescott, Frank Pratt of Casa Grande, T.J. Shope of Coolidge, Bob Thorpe of Flagstaff, and Bruce Wheeler of Tucson as cosponsors.

Beth Woodin of Tucson, president of the Arizona Heritage Alliance, noted, “It is heartening to see state legislators recognize the need to restore the Heritage Fund that was overwhelmingly supported by voters in 1990. Over the years, millions of dollars in Heritage Fund matching grants have developed new parks, trail systems, campgrounds, picnic facilities, and lake improvements, as well as preserved important parts of our rich cultural heritage.”

In a study conducted by the Arizona Hospitality Research & Resource Center at Northern Arizona University, it was found that direct expenditures from the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund in 2007, the last full year of Heritage Fund matching grants, were $12.9 million spent on both land acquisition and construction related to maintenance and repair. Direct program expenditures resulted in indirect expenditures of $4.6 million and induced expenditures of $8.5 million for a total economic impact of $26.1 million. Direct expenditures resulted in 125 direct jobs, 33 indirect jobs, and 66 induced jobs, for a total of 224 jobs from the Arizona State Park Heritage Fund. Estimated total taxes for these expenditures (Local, State, and Federal) were $3.3 million.

William Schwind, vice president of the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association, stated, “It’s now our hope that the House Appropriations Committee, under the chairmanship of Representative John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills, will give HB2594 a full and fair hearing and move the legislation to the House floor.”

However, two similar bills in the last two legislative sessions were not advanced by Chairman Kavanagh. When recently asked if he would hear HB2594 in Committee, he refused. The reinstatement of the State Parks Heritage Fund is in his hands. He needs to know today that the citizens of Arizona care about this issue.

We urge you to please call or email  Representative John Kavanagh at [email protected],  602-926-5170 and ask him to PLEASE HEAR HB2594 in House Appropriations Committee.