PEAK PUTTERS

I know looking at legislative bills is not easy.. trust me my eyes are getting crossed.

I am asking however that you do take a moment and look SB 5622 and please take the time to read the Bill reports.. they are a bit easier to read then the Bill Documents.

This bill is the Discover Pass.. As you all know thing will look different going foward. We will have to Pay to Play. Alternative will be closure if something does not happen.

SB 5622 is on its second Substitution, it still has lots of language and things that will need work.. but do nothing and we will have nothing.

SB 5622 It has a sister Bill if you will HB 1796. I am seeing a flurry of e-mails currently and from what I have read.. Mind you I am not Arlene with years of experience but from my take.. the SB 5622 is the one we want to move forward and the HB 1796 be opposed.

Please call the legislative Hotline 800-562-6000 and state your support for SB 5622.

Again no expert.. but I am like you and if we sit by and say or do nothing.. that is exactly what we will have. I know lots of talk has been already said regarding closures.. we are in unprecedented times and so far to date we have not been impacted as greatly (to my knowledge) as we are now. This impacts us all... regardless of tire size, regardless of wheel base.. regardles if motorized or non.. If something does not change there will be no places to play.

Please take the time and read the bill.. contact the legislators.. Be mindful how you respond. Anger is not always the way to solve an issue.


__________________
Dorothy Churchill
Washington State Director
Cascade 4x4s
Overbored Racing

A copy of this has been forwarded to the 8th Dist. Legislators...

Some grist for the mill:


Citizens for Parks and Recreation
120 State Ave NE #199
Olympia, WA 98501-8212
e-mail: cpr4parks@yahoo.com
cell phone: (360)480-0038

April 18, 2011

The Discover Pass-
A Comparison of the essential differences between 2SSB 5622 and SHB 1796

2SSB 5622 and SHB 1796 are very different in many fundamental ways. It is claimed that the great virtue of SHB 1796 is its simplicity. It is not simple. Nor is it fair or equitable. Nor is it honest- while for months the rationale for the Discover Pass has been to keep state parks, trails, and recreation sites open, under SHB 1796 much of the funding is diverted to other purposes. But the worst aspect of SHB 1796 is that it falls far short in providing the revenue budgeted.

For decades, certain outdoor recreation groups have paid for their activities- hunting, fishing, camping, boating, snowmobiling, and ORVing. But much of state recreation lands have been available for free- especially day-use of State Parks, and all of DNR trails and recreation lands. When designing the Discover Pass in the Senate, the outdoor recreation groups worked with the Senate to design a single, new Discover Pass (available annually or per-day) that provided a means for those activities that had not been supporting the cost of state recreation access- while ensuring that no activity had to pay twice. The activities of those already paying- and the current fee structure- is respected, while a single $30 annual/$10 daily pass is created for all other uses.

2SSB 5622 is, in fact, the simple alternative. It is also fair and equitable, giving a discounted Discover Pass to no one, and causing no one to be charged twice. And all of the funds raised- in the amount budgeted in both the Senate and House budgets- are used solely for recreation access.

On the other hand, SHB 1796 is a complex effort to merge the existing State Parks fee structure into a very different Discover Pass. Under SHB 1796, different groups are treated differently and pay very different amounts, while the existing State Parks fee structure is demolished. In the process, needed- and budgeted- existing State Parks revenues are lost, and revenues from the Discover Pass are diverted to uses other than recreation access- including payments to private landowners, law enforcement, and education and higher education. The result- other than the inequity and unfairness- is a shortfall of revenue well below budgeted levels.

This would be a shortfall so serious that passage of the SHB 1796 version of the Discover Pass will inevitably result in closed state parks, trails, and recreation sites, breaking the commitment being made to the people even before the new Discover Pass is implemented. For this, and the above reasons, recreation users urge the Legislature to reject SHB 1796 and adopt 2SSB 5622.
It is important that we equitably and fairly keep our state parks, trails, and recreation sites open.

For more information, contact Jim King at the e-mail or phone number above

This information comes to me from a member of an outdoor group!

Folks:

Depending on when you get this- Wednesday night or Thursday morning- the Discover Pass will be the subject of House floor action- and possibly more procedural moves- tomorrow or today. It is anticipated that the House will take up 2SSB 5622 as early as Thursday morning.

At this time it is expected that a striking amendment, roughly similar to SHB 1796, will be offered. The core of this striking amendment would rework the Discover Pass as has been described in recent days. This will blow a multi-million dollar hole in the State Parks budget- fiscal notes currently being analyzed indicate that the damage to the State Parks budget, compared to the Senate language, would be over $10 million.

All of the issues of fairness, equity, and recreation user support pale compared to the damaging loss of revenue. Supporters of the House approach simply refuse to believe the numbers- but they are derived from the same methodology used to develop the Senate revenue projections.

We are now past just hotline calls. You can find your legislators office phone numbers and e-mail addresses at these links:
Phone: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rosters/Members.aspx
E-mail: https://dlr.leg.wa.gov/MemberEmail/Default.aspx

House members are the primary target, but Senators will also have a say on any adopted House amendments. The message has gotten very simple: "Please do not support House amendments to 2SSB 5622 that will take away needed revenue for keeping our state parks open." As passed by the Senate, the Discover Pass- 2SSB 5622- provides the hope of keeping all state parks, trails, and other outdoor recreation sites open. House amendments will shrink the potential revenue by so much that some state parks will have to be closed. A Discover Pass that doesn't keep the promises made these past few months- and that does not meet the assumptions of both the Senate and House budgets- is a failure before it even gets a chance.

More detailed financial information, drawn from the fiscal notes prepared for the Legislature, will be forwarded tonight or in the morning. But time is short, and it is necessary to run with the information available.

On this short notice, it is unlikely many can come to Olympia to help work the doors, but there is still time to work the phones and e-mail. Hotlines still help, too- 1-800-562-6000. Information will flow as it becomes available and the ol' laptop can be accessed, but the action in the House and at the doors may make it tough to do timely updates.

All session, everyone has worked toward this day- let's not lose at the last minute.
__________________
Dorothy Churchill
Washington State Director
Cascade 4x4s
Overbored Racing

at 4:16 today the Discover Pass without amendment passed! 55 yea and 42 nay. It is on its way to Governor Gregoire.

Then call the legislative hotline- 1-800-562-6000- and leave a message for Governor Gregoire.

Now the real work begins as we understand what the impacts will be and how it will be inforced.
__________________
Dorothy Churchill
Washington State Director
Cascade 4x4s
Overbored Racing

Hi, folks:
Good news! We just learned yesterday that the Governor will be signing the recreation access bill (SSSB 5622) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 12 in the Governor's conference room at the Capitol.

By Friday, the Discover Pass website will be up and running at www.discoverpass.wa.gov. The website will include information about how and where to purchase the pass. The website will also include frequently asked questions, a toll-free number, and an email address.


The cornerstone of this bill is the Discover Pass, which will enable DNR, Washington State Parks, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to continue providing recreational opportunities through a user fee.

The signing will be streamed live on TVW. The signing is also open to the public, and you are welcome to attend. For those that have never seen a signing ceremony, it is interesting to witness.

Please spread the word!

Directions to the State Capitol: www.ga.wa.gov/Visitor/direction.htm


Mark R. Mauren
Assistant Division Manager
Recreation, Public Access and WCC Programs
Asset Management and Recreation Division
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
360-902-1047
mark.mauren@dnr.wa.gov
www.dnr.wa.gov
___________________________________________