Letter to California Parks supporters,

(Jan. 8), the Governor released his proposed FY 2010-11 State Budget. For state parks, he has included a proposal that attempts to pit popular environmental causes against each other. The budget zeroes out all General Fund funding for state parks but “restores” the funding by assuming that an offshore oil lease in the Santa Barbara area will be approved and will provide $140M to state parks. The drilling proposal was defeated twice last year – once at the State Lands Commission then again in the legislative budget process.

Please take a moment to send a message to your legislators, urging them to reject the Governor’s proposal and to focus on supporting long-term solutions to state parks’ budget crisis.

Even if the oil drilling proposal passes the high bar that is necessary to approve it, this budget can’t commit future Governors and Legislatures to ongoing funding for state parks. At best, this is a shaky one-year proposal and the “promise” of ongoing funding isn’t one that can be counted on at all. Which is why we’re dedicated to a real solution – passing the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010!)

CSPF’s statement on this budget proposal can be read here.

As always, thank you for your support and advocacy for state parks.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Goldstein president State Parks Foundation