GlamisDunes.com > Code Red Action Alert - Action Required This Am !

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TomJeeps

Jul 1 2009, 01:01 PM

CODE RED ACTION ALERT - Action required this am !!!!!!!!!!!!

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Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Several weeks ago, BRC asked you to take a few minutes to ask lawmakers in Sacramento to leave the California OHV Program and its Trust Funds alone. THANKS to the many letters that were sent in - they listened. However, a new threat has arisen.
The latest twist in the "Let's take money from the OHV Program" saga is that the folks under the dome in Sacramento are considering gutting the basic operating budget of OHMVR that funds state OHV parks and provides grants to other land agencies.
See article/blog from Capitol Notes:
http://blogs.kqed.org:80/capitalnotes/2009...-b-deficit-fix/
As many of you already know, the State of California is in fiscal meltdown. One victim of the current budgetary crisis is the CA OHV program. It is one of the very few self-funded "user-pay/user-benefit" government programs in the state. The California legislature has already "borrowed" and diverted $90 million dollars from the OHV Trust Fund to other non-OHV-related programs.
If there is one time you send a letter to Sacramento... it is TODAY. Send your letter and get as many of your friends to do the same. BRC has provided a sample letter that you can cut and paste and FAX/email to the following legislators including the chairperson of each committee.
SEND BOTH A FAX AND EMAIL
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - Fax 916-558-3160 (phone 916-445-2841)
governor@governor.ca.gov
2009 Budget Conference Committee Members
Assembly
Noreen Evans - Fax 916-319-2107 (phone 916-319-2007) (Chair)
Assemblymember.evans@assembly.ca.gov
Roger Niello - Fax 916-319-2105 (phone 916-319-2005)
Assemblymember.niello@assembly.ca.gov
Bob Blumenfield - fax 916-319-2140 (phone 916-319-2040)
Assemblymember.blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov
Kevin de Leon - Fax 916-319-2145 (phone 916-319-2045)
Assemblymember.deleon@assembly.ca.gov
Jim Nielsen - Fax916- 319-2102 (phone 916-319-2002)
Assemblymember.nielsen@assembly.ca.gov
Senate
Denise Ducheny - Fax 916-327-3522 (phone 916-651-4040) (Chair)
senator.ducheny@senate.ca.gov
Bob Dutton - Fax 916-327-2272 (phone 916-651-4031)
Senator.dutton@senate.ca.gov
Mark Leno - Fax 916-445-4722 (phone 916-651-4003)
Senator.Leno@senate.ca.gov
Alan Lowenthal - Fax 916-327-9113 (phone 916-651-4027)
Senator.lowenthal@senate.ca.gov
Mimi Walters - Fax 916-445-9754 (phone 916-651-4033)
Senator.walters@senate.ca.gov

Cut and Paste Sample Letter: To match the canned response your going to get

Dear ,
As a resident of California and a member of the off-highway vehicle (OHV) community, I am urging that as you search for funding for California Sate Parks, you do not attempt to redirect any funds from the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division budget. The OHV Division of California State Parks is completely funded by fees generated by OHV recreation. These user-generated fees should not be directed to uses that have nothing whatsoever to do with how the funds were generated.
In 2005, the California Bureau of State Audits found that Parks misappropriated millions of dollars from the OHV Trust Fund for use at facilities with no OHV opportunity. Sadly, it appears that Parks is once again attempting to balance its books on the back of the OHV program.
The OHV Division is a nationally-recognized model of a "user-pay/user-benefit" program. This success is due to the State's ability to collect fees generated by OHV recreation on local, state and federal lands, and use these fees to support management of OHV recreation on these same lands. It is essential that both the operations of the State OHV Parks and the grants provided to local and federal agencies where OHV recreation occurs continue in order to maintain the success of this program.
I understand the serious nature of California's budget crisis; however, the state has already borrowed $90 million dollars from the OHV Trust Fund. I again urge you to avoid redirecting any OHV Trust Funds to non-OHV-related projects or programs.

Sincerely,
Name
Address

Thanks for your attention to this very serious matter.
Don Amador
Western Representative
BlueRibbon Coalition

EGG

Jul 1 2009, 01:05 PM

im all over it

jasonpwms129

Jul 1 2009, 01:31 PM

Emails sent

Brain411

Jul 1 2009, 01:42 PM

Done, and also sent messages to my district as well.

to find your district http://www.legislature.ca.gov/

letter generator from Pirate 4x4 http://www.pirate4x4.com/letters/

TomJeeps

Jul 4 2009, 09:11 AM

Sent out by CORVA

Urgent! - Raid on OHV Funds Planned Again!

CORVA has received word that there will be another run on the OHV Trust Fund, this time aimed at the Grants Program that funds OHV recreation on federal lands. We all know that 80% of OHV recreation in California occurs on federal lands, most of it paid for with California OHV funds. Please take a few moments to fax and email Governor Schwarzenegger to voice your objection to this raid on our funds. SEND BOTH A FAX AND EMAIL - please do this today! Sample Letter below – Please use this to draft your own!

________________________________________

July 1, 2009

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

As a resident of the State of California I understand the gravity of the budget crisis and the difficulty of finding ways to resolve it. I feel very strongly that what is needed is long term solution, not temporary measures that only put off dealing with the problem.

I understand that our State Parks are in need of funding and that measures to redirect funds from the OHV Division to the Parks are being considered. I would like to point out that OHV funds are held in the Fuel Tax Trust Fund. Recent court cases have upheld the need for repayment if these funds are borrowed and used for anything other than the intended purposes.

OHV recreation areas on federal land are among the most popular in California and receive millions of visits each year. OHV facilities on federal land such as the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area are for the most part funded by OHV Trust Fund dollars. The Oceano Dunes and other State Vehicular Recreation Areas are some of the most visited parks in the state. Redirecting funds from these areas to other less visited areas will leave millions of Californians with nowhere to go.

The State of California has already borrowed $90M from the Trust Fund. The OHV Trust Fund has already contributed more than its fair share. To borrow more from the Fund is not a solution to the budget problem, only a short term fix.

I urge you to avoid redirecting OHV funds to any other purpose.

Sincerely,

NameAddress

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol BuildingSacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160 (new number)
Email address: governor@governor.ca.gov

Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa),
Chair Phone: (916) 319-2007
Fax: (916) 319-2107
assemblymember.evans@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills)
Phone: (916) 319-2040
Fax: (916) 319-2140
Assemblymember.blumenfield@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles
Phone: (916) 319-2045
Fax: (916) 319-2145
Assemblymember.deLeon@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Roger Niello (R-Sacramento)
Phone: (916) 319-2005
Fax: (916) 319-2105
Assemblymember.niello@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Jim Nielsen (R-Biggs)
Phone: (916) 319-2002
Fax: (916) 319-2102
assemblymember.nielsen@assembly.ca.gov Senator

Denise Ducheny (D-San Diego)
Phone: (916) 651-4040
Fax: (916) 327-3522
Senator.ducheny@sen.ca.gov

Senator Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga)
Phone: (916) 651-4031
Fax: (916) 327-2272
Senator.dutton@sen.ca.gov

Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco)
Phone: (916) 651-4003
Fax: (916) 445-4722
Senator.leno@senate.ca.gov

Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach)
Phone: (916) 651-4027
Fax: (916) 327-9113
Senator.lowenthal@sen.ca.gov

Senator Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Hills)
Phone: (916) 651-4033
Fax: (916) 445-9754
Senator.Walters@sen.ca.gov

TomJeeps

Jul 9 2009, 05:05 AM

http://www.peer.org/docs/ca/07_6_9_Cal_PEER_case.pdf

QUOTE

California
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
P.O. Box 4057 Georgetown, CA 95634
Phone: (530) 333‐2545
Email: capeer@peer.org
June 3, 2009
Memorandum
To: Governor Schwarzenegger, Members of the Budget Conference Committee, Interested parties
From: Karen Schambach, California Coordinator, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Subject: The Dept. of Parks and Recreation should be getting 83% of motor vehicle fuel tax revenues that now go to the Off Highway Vehicle Division
1. The OHV Division refuses to fund any project that doesn’t provide for green sticker recreation (non‐street legal motorcycles. ATVs, snowmobiles, etc.)1
2. The Fuel Tax Survey shows that 82.6 percent of motor vehicle fuel account revenues transferred to the OHV Trust fund pursuant to Revenue and Tax Code Section 8352.6 are from taxes on fuels used in recreation by street legal vehicles. 2
In FY 2008/09 fuel tax transfers to the OHV Trust Fund were $60 million dollars. They are estimated to be the same in FY 2009/2010.
The OHV Division, by refusing to fund any “non‐green sticker” opportunity, is in violation of the spirit and the express language in SB742 that provided for “extra consideration” for projects that provided motorized access to non‐motorized recreation. The legislature should therefore reallocate the $49.8
1 Email correspondence between Karen Schambach and Phil Jenkins, OHV Division Chief. (Available upon request)
2 ICF International, “Estimating the State Fuel Tax Paid on Gasoline Used in the Off‐Highway Operation of Vehicles for Recreation.” 2006
million dollars attributable to street legal vehicle use to the Department of Parks and Recreation to support the street legal motorized access to recreation that the legislature intended when it passed SB742.

From PEER (Public Employees Expecting Retirement)

Give um an inch they try and take the Universe ..TJ

TomJeeps

Jul 11 2009, 10:32 AM

Don Amadors reply to this as well

QUOTE

Thursday, July 9, 2009
COMMENTARY ON PEER'S EFFORT TO DEFUND CA OHV PROGRAM

On July 6, 2009 PEER (parent organization of Rangers for Responsible Recreation – one of its rangers is being interviewed by the US Senate today for National Director of BLM) issued an error filled news release advocating for the gutting of the CA OHV Program.

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PEER NEWS RELEASE
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1214

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As some of you know, BRC’s Don Amador spent over 100 hours in the summer of 2007 working with a core group from state parks, the OHV and green lobby, and the Governor’s Office on SB742 – a bill that would provide the state with an ecologically-balanced OHV program. At the end of the day, it got almost a unanimous vote of approval by the state legislature and was signed into law by the Governor. BTW – PEER opposed the bill.

Based on my recollection of some intense negotiations on SB742, and my review of the bill, here is my response to PEER’s bilge.

RESPONSE AND OVERVIEW

A bipartisan committee (GOP, Dems, Enviros, and OHVers) back in the early 1970s: created the 1971 Chappie-Z’berg Act. The bill provided a stable funding source of non-General Fund monies to help pay for trail maintenance, law enforcement, new riding areas, and safety/education. This concept is similar to other user pay/user benefit state programs such as Boating and Waterways where fuel taxes on gasoline burned by boaters is set aside for managing reservoirs and waterways. In a similar fashion, fuel taxes on gasoline burned while operating vehicles off-highway is set aside for managing off-highway vehicle recreation throughout California on local, state, federal and private lands.

According to the Revenue and Taxation Code, funds generated by off-highway recreation shall be used to for managing off-highway recreation, just as on-highway funds are used for highways.

Since the working group spent a lot of time discussing the following foundation block or tenet of SB742, let me restate it for the record… the bill says that the program is to support both motorized recreation and “motorized off-highway access to nonmotorized recreation.” SB742 states that priority should be given to grant projects that maintain existing OHV opportunity, and then give extra consideration to those projects which also provide motorized access to nonmotorized recreation.

BTW –I seem to remember that OHMVR staff said at a OHV meeting that that approx. 20-21 percent of the OHV fund comes from the new increased OHV reg. fees – not 12%

TomJeeps

Jul 12 2009, 05:16 PM

QUOTE

Letter to the Editor: OHV lands use too much park money

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I received this email from Mike this morning. Wanted to share with the rest of you the assault we are constantly facing from the other side. Mike is asking for letters of rebuttal be sent to the HD Star.

The Hi-Desert Star is Yucca Valley's bi-weekly news paper. The following misinformation appeared in the readers write section of Saturday's edition.

LETTER: OHV lands use too much park money

Published: Friday, July 10, 2009 6:43 PM CDT
D.S. Wenzel
Twentynine Palms

"Very soon three-quarters of California's state parks will close, unless the legislature replaces $143 million in general fund monies. While law enforcement and fire protection programs are being slashed, off-highway vehicle (OHV) programs continue on fully funded. Not one State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) is slated for closure.

It is a problem that OHV programs are taxpayer funded instead of user funded, but only 12 percent ($10.2 million) of OHV Trust Fund monies come from OHV users. This year the OHV trust fund will receive $49.8 million from fuel taxes paid by Californians who use vehicles on the pavement but do not use OHVs.

Those millions will not go to keep up dirt roads in state parks that are open to all Californians, as they should, they will go to maintain dirt tracks in SVRAs.
Fewer than 1 in 15 California households use OHVs and only a portion of those use SVRAs - these elite few are deriving huge benefits ($49,800,000) at the expense of the rest of Californians.

California's non-OHV parks and public lands are open to everyone. Those parks should get the bulk of the tax dollars derived from recreational driving, not the facilities closed to all but the OHV-owning elite.

Fifty-million dollars would go a long way toward replacing lost state parks general funds, and it may keep the park you use open!

No one is asking that OHV activity stop, just that OHV owners do the reasonable thing and bear their fair share of the burden.

…Call California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg at (916) 651-4006 and Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass at (916) 319-2047 and tell them to tap the OHV Trust Fund to support state parks for all Californians."

Abandon ship every man for himself, here we go again...TJ

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