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Responding to Closure Crisis Facing California’s State Parks November 17, 2011

Responding to Closure Crisis Facing California’s State Parks November 17, 2011 Bay Area Open Space Council. Traci Verardo -Torres, VP, Government Affairs California State Parks Foundation. About CSPF. Founded in 1969 Over 120,000 members statewide

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Responding to Closure Crisis Facing California’s State Parks November 17, 2011

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  1. Responding to Closure Crisis Facing California’s State Parks November 17, 2011 Bay Area Open Space Council Traci Verardo-Torres, VP, Government Affairs California State Parks Foundation

  2. 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

  3. 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)

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Responses to Closures • Funding/fundraising • for status quo • with hope of changes • Non gov’t operating proposals • Local government operators • Hybrid gov’t/non-gov’t operating proposals

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. Save Our State Parks Campaign • Citizen Actions • Don’t Let State Parks Become a Memory • Oversized Postcards • Closing Parks is Bad for CA • Business • Your Health • Kids

  11. How You Can Help • Endorse SOS campaign www.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

  12. Contact Information Traci Verardo-Torres Vice President, Government Affairs traci@calparks.org 916-442-2119

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