Posted on Tue, Jul. 22, 2008

When looking at the intrinsic qualities that define California, many images come to mind: pristine beaches, soaring redwoods, awe-inspiring deserts, majestic rivers and a distinct cultural history. These natural and cultural attributes are among the many factors that make California a great place to live, work and raise a family.

These qualities also draw millions of tourists to the state who fuel the economy by patronizing local shops, restaurants and businesses. I've always believed state government should provide well-maintained parks and expand the park system as our population grows. This is as true now as it was in 1902, when my great-grandfather Duncan McPherson played a leading role in establishing California's first state park at Big Basin.

However, while trumpeted as the gold standard of state park systems and praised by elected officials, business leaders and environmentalists alike, our state parks are threatened by chronic under-funding.

Sadly, these postcard images could become a thing of the past if we don't start planning for a long-term, viable solution to keep our state parks open, accessible and maintained for all Californians.

Often, visitors to state parks see facilities and infrastructure that are clearly in need of repair or replacement. I observed this deterioration during my years in Sacramento, and it came to a head when Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed to close 48 state parks because the state couldn't afford $13.3 million from a general fund budget of $107 billion.

Forgoing annual maintenance and upkeep over the years resulted in a $1.2 billion backlog of deferred maintenance. Additionally, inadequate staffing levels means that many units of the park system have no dedicated full-time staff. The situation is so bad that the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed California's entire 278-park system on its national "11 Most Endangered Places" list.

Assembly Budget Chair John Laird proposed a long-term solution. He introduced the California State Park Access Pass program, a $10 surcharge assessed annually on all noncommercial vehicles statewide. The program's basic tenet is that Californians will pay the $10 and gain free access to state parks.

This program would raise approximately

$282 million annually in new funding to support the state park system. Most important, this fee provides state parks with a stable and sustainable funding source in the future.

The proposal is adapted from the system in Montana -- passed by their Republican legislature and signed into law by a Republican governor.

This isn't your typical fee hike floated from Sacramento. Day-use fees for state parks currently average $6 to $8. Under this proposal, Californians will receive free day-use entrance to virtually all state parks. Only out-of-state visitors will pay the park entrance.

Californians will benefit because these new funds will make it possible to not only better maintain our current state parks but also to staff and manage future parks and recreational facilities being planned statewide, particularly in areas with high population growth and limited access to state park resources, like the Central Valley and the Inland Empire.

Whether you're liberal or conservative, a park enthusiast or an occasional visitor, the State Park Access Pass proposal makes sense. It provides a long-term funding solution to our world-renowned park system and represents a shining example of what Californians should demand from our budget process -- a creative, long-term solution that finds a middle ground. It deserves bipartisan support and approval.

McPherson served in the California Assembly from 1993-96, the State Senate from 1996-2004, and as Secretary of State in 2005-2006.