California Budget Shortfall May Take Its Toll on OHV Program
BAKERSFIELD, CA (July 1, 2009) California State Parks has said that because of
a severe budget shortfall, over 200 state parks will need to close. Until now,
there was no suggestion of removing funds that support the State Vehicular
Recreation Areas (SVRAs) and the other local and federal areas that depend
on support from the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trust fund to remain in
operation. Yesterday, the Administration announced that Governor would veto
the Vehicle License Fee and that funds to keep State Parks open will be found
elsewhere.
Send the Governor’s office a clear message that raiding the OHV trust fund is
not acceptable. California’s OHV Program is a nationwide model because it is
funded solely by users and helps manage OHV recreation statewide. Raiding
the trust fund will result in the loss of OHV opportunity and management on
millions of acres of county and federal lands. This means the elimination or
reduction of trail maintenance, law enforcement and resource protection
activities statewide.
Earlier this year the OHV trust fund was raided by the Legislature to lend the general fund
$90 million that had been set aside for acquiring new properties. And now after that money
has been sacrificed to the current budget crisis, the OHV community in California is
being asked to give more!
California residents are urged to contact the Governor and ask him not to destroy the OHV
program, which is one completely self funded program and receives no support from the state’s
General Fund. The Governor can be reached by at 916-558-3160 or by e-mail at
governor@governor.ca.gov.
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More information can be found on the Off-Road Business Association website at:
ORBA - Off-Road Business Association
California Budget Shortfall May Take Its Toll on OHV Program
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