At the suggestion of the California State Assembly, the state
might divert $27 million from the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund to
the state’s general fund
– effectively gutting the OHV program and its eight state parks
across California, including the popular Hollister Hills.
At the suggestion of the California State Assembly, the state might divert $27 million from the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund to the state’s general fund – effectively gutting the OHV program and its eight state parks across California, including the popular Hollister Hills.
The cuts to the OHV fund are one of many proposals considered by a budget committee of California lawmakers to help fill a $26.6 billion budget shortfall. Gov. Jerry Brown has given a March 10 deadline to come up with a budget and allow California voters to decide on an extension of taxes in June.
The county board of supervisors was told the news during the Feb. 22 meeting by Hollister Hills State Vehicle Recreation Area Superintendent Jeff Gaffney. In a quick decision – taking only a few hours – county staff drafted a letter to Brown to recommend preventing the budget committee from re-directing the money.
“Lets fight for this one,” Supervisor Anthony Botelho said.
The originally proposed plan would cause a 40 percent reduction of Hollister Hills’ budget and would force the park to change its availability to the public, Gaffney said. Since its original proposal, the total cuts and their origins have fluctuated between multiple different ideas – but the original proposal is still on the table.
The fund is self-sustained by the parks users, Gaffney said. Using a “green sticker” tax, users must pay for the right to use off-road vehicles on the parks. The trust fund receives no money from the state and the total operating budget of the eight state parks in more than $58 million.
Operating on a $3 million budget, the proposed reduction would eliminate around $1.2 million from Hollister Hills’ budget, Gaffney said. The loss of funding would cause extensive restructuring on how the park is run.
The closure of the park, described as an “economic anchor to San Benito County,” would further “deteriorate” the economy in the county, according to the letter to the governor. The park generates $11 million in annual expenditures for the county.
During the state’s assembly and senate meeting on the budget Thursday, members expressed interest in taking money from a different portion of the OHV fund that wouldn’t affect the parks’ operating budget. The assembly proposed targeting the Off-Highway Grant Fund instead.
The grant fund sends millions of dollars to local governments and business – including San Benito County, Gaffney said. More than $100,000 is directed to the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, and additional money was sent to Clear Creek when it was open.
“A lot of programs rely on that money,” Gaffney said. “The money helps out a lot of people and programs.”
But as of Monday, the assembly and senate budget committee has yet to come to a decision on what they are going to do.
Look to the Free Lance for the full story and more information.
