Industry News

California Budget Shortfall May Take Its Toll on OHV Program

BAKERSFIELD, CA (July 1, 2009) California State Parks has said that because of a severe budget shortfall, over 200 state parks will need to close. Until now, there was no suggestion of removing funds that support the State Vehicular Recreation Areas (SVRAs) and the other local and federal areas that depend on support from the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trust fund to remain in operation. Yesterday, the Administration announced that Governor would veto the Vehicle License Fee and that funds to keep State Parks open will be found elsewhere.

Send the Governor’s office a clear message that raiding the OHV trust fund is not acceptable. California’s OHV Program is a nationwide model because it is funded solely by users and helps manage OHV recreation statewide. Raiding the trust fund will result in the loss of OHV opportunity and management on millions of acres of county and federal lands. This means the elimination or reduction of trail maintenance, law enforcement and resource protection activities statewide.

Earlier this year the OHV trust fund was raided by the Legislature to lend the general fund $90 million that had been set aside for acquiring new properties. And now after that money has been sacrificed to the current budget crisis, the OHV community in California is being asked to give more!

California residents are urged to contact the Governor and ask him not to destroy the OHV program, which is one completely self funded program and receives no support from the state’s General Fund. The Governor can be reached by at 916-558-3160 or by e-mail at governor@governor.ca.gov.

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More information can be found on the Off-Road Business Association website at: www.ORBA.biz

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