Proposition Green, No, Not That One

Will I be able to smoke a joint in public, is the thought on many of my college classmates’ minds as voting day rapidly approaches.  Most of these students though, are very intelligent, driven individuals who attend a respected university; they just like the occasional herbal escape.  And while this may be their most important proposition on the ballot, even before whom to vote for governor, at least they are getting out to vote.
    And while marijuana legalization isn’t on the top of my proposition priority list, I can’t lie, it’s definitely up there as one of the most interesting.  #1 for me however, still pertains to greenery and plant life: Proposition 21.
    Here is what the California Voter Guide states:

Prop 21 Summary:

    “Exempts commercial vehicles, trailers and trailer coaches from the surcharge. Fiscal Impact: Annual increase to state revenues of $500 million from surcharge on vehicle registrations. After offsetting some existing funding sources, these revenues would provide at least $250 million more annually for state parks and wildlife conservation.”
    What Your Vote Means:

YES: “A YES vote on this measure means: An $18 annual surcharge would be added to the amount paid when a person registers a motor vehicle. The surcharge revenues would be used to provide funding for state park and wildlife conservation programs. Vehicles subject to the surcharge would have free admission and parking at all state parks.”

NO: “A NO vote on this measure means: State park and wildlife conservation programs would continue to be funded through existing state and local funding sources. Admission and parking fees could continue to be charged for vehicles entering state parks.

   For most, it seems like a given – a small vehicle registration charge will provide millions to wildlife reservation, an area of our state that is often neglected by the government budget yet faces constant damage (especially state beaches).

But there is a counterargument: the potential for wasted funds. And also, in her LA Times op-ed, Karin Klein writes,

“Why no vehicle registration fee for them? Or for the state's children who need medical care but whose parents can't afford or get health insurance?”

Further she asks, “Would this added fee be worthwhile to you?”

The answer to this question for most comments to this article was a resounding YES.

State parks are constantly under the threat of closure as last year, Schwarzenegger proposed to close 220 state parks in order to cut the deficit. But with 80 million visitors to state parks each year, shouldn’t these parks receive more funding rather than suffer constant cuts?

Here are some state parks currently threatening closure:

Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay, Will Rogers' Southern California ranch and 

Humboldt Redwoods State Park (pictured), which boasts the world's tallest tree, a giant that tops 370 ft.  

Fort Ross State Historic Park, the southernmost Russian settlement in North America; Bodie State Historic Park, one of the best-preserved Old West ghost towns; 

                                       Big Basin Redwoods (pictured), the oldest state park.

This $18 vehicle fee evens out to be merely $1.50/month and you get free access to all state parks.

Multiply that monthly fee by 100 and you get the amount I paid for my annual park pass.

-Yep, it’s currently 150 bucks and with all the cuts to state park funding, I can’t blame them.

Further, $18 dollars is the average amount for a one-time entrance fee to state parks-so if you plan on visiting one state park in the next year, this fee is absolutely worthwhile, everyone saves.

And in response to Klein’s point about alternate funding, a commenter on her article responded,

“As for asking if the vehicle registration tax should be utilized for state parks, instead of colleges or medical care for state children, it is a moot point as neither of those initiatives exist today and therefore not in contention.”

California state parks are natural treasures essential to California’s identity as both beautifully diverse and uniquely historic—a history that, for children, is a tangible education tool, not limited to pictures in textbooks.

   My most memorable elementary school educational experience was when my class took a trip to Lands End in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco—it was a field trip that combined various sciences, political/environmental issues, and essential stewardship lessons which gave my classmates a hands-on learning opportunity while building community outside school. 

   And these opportunities are not limited to school trips—parents enjoy the parks as much as children, so why not substitute expensive summer camps for a trip to a state park?

Proposition 21 is a win-win-win for voters, families, and Californians alike as I propose to my fellow classmates and voters: this $18 (the cost of a 12-pack of Stella or two meals at Chipotle or a piece-of-cloth tank top from American Apparel) will keep state parks from closing—ideal locations to celebrate the (potential) passing of Proposition 19.