Responding to Closure Crisis Facing California’s State Parks

November 17, 2011

Bay Area Open Space Council

Traci Verardo-Torres, VP, Government AffairsCalifornia State Parks Foundation

About CSPF

• Founded in 1969• Over 120,000 members statewide• Dedicated to protecting, enhancing and

advocating for California’s state park system

• Key priorities:– Advocacy & policy development– Park restoration & capital projects – Volunteerism in parks– Supporting educational programs

How We Got Here

• Declining General Fund support for DPR (90% in ‘70s vs 40% today)

• Burgeoning deferred maintenance backlog

• Increase in population, park acreage, compliance costs

• Park closure proposals: Jan 2008, May 2009, Jan 2011 (enacted)

How We Got Here (2)

• Prop 21 loss• Administration:

– Focus on realignment, reduction in government service

– Use of parks for partisan compromises• Legislature:

– Parks vs. every other cut– March budget action vs. May closure list

Criteria for Closures

• Relative statewide significance • Visitation, Net savings• Feasibility of physically closing • Existing/potential partners • Operational efficiencies• Infrastructure investments• Deed & other legal restrictions• Presence of non-GF dedicated funds

Assembly Bill 42

• Authorizes operating agreements with nonprofits for:– Development, improvement, restoration,

care maintenance, administration or operation

• Unlimited partial operators• 20 parks for full operations• Funds raised stay in park unit

Responses to Closures

1. Funding/fundraising – for status quo– with hope of changes

2. Non gov’t operating proposals

3. Local government operators

4. Hybrid gov’t/non-gov’t operating proposals

CSPF Priorities

Long-term• Continue pursuit of sustainable funding• Work toward state park excellence

Short-term• Fight additional cuts• Create framework for future of state parks• Nonprofit technical assistance & funding• Explore new revenue options

Legislature’s Role

• Do no more harm• Don’t let good deeds get punished• Support & participate in local efforts to

keep parks open • Support appropriate, mission-centric

revenues options

Save Our State Parks Campaign

• Citizen Actions• Don’t Let State Parks

Become a Memory• Oversized Postcards

• Closing Parks is Bad for CA BusinessYour HealthKids

How You Can Help

• Endorse SOS campaignwww.savestateparks.org

• Help identify business contacts for CPBB campaign

• Communicate closure crisis, efforts to your members & constituents

• Participate in efforts to save your local parks

Contact Information

Traci Verardo-Torres

Vice President, Government Affairs

traci@calparks.org

916-442-2119