Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released his budget summary for 2010-11 on Friday. His budget proposal includes a new controversial strategy to fund all 278 state parks using revenues from an oil offshore drilling project that may never happen. The proposal comes the same day as supporters of a ballot initiative that would secure reliable, permanent funding for state parks announced the official launching of a volunteer signature-gathering campaign to qualify the initiative.

“The proposal to support state parks with uncertain oil offshore drilling revenues is the wrong idea at the wrong time,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing that the state replace $140 million from the General Fund that goes to state parks with revenue generated from the Tranquillon Ridge oil lease, an offshore-drilling project located off the coast of Santa Barbara. Schwarzenegger estimates that the oil lease will generate $1.8 billion in advanced royalties over the next 14 years, all of which would be used to fund state parks.

However, the proposal comes under the assumption that the oil lease will be approved by the State Lands Commission, which has been reluctant to give approval to the project in the past. The Tranquillon Ridge project was rejected last year by the State Lands Commission and also failed to pass in the legislature during budget negotiations last fall—all of which could mean state parks could be out $140 million come next year if the oil lease idea is rejected once again.

“Right now, he (Schwarzenegger) has completely zeroed out state parks. It’s gone out of the general fund, there’s no funding for it. He’s put it in the hands of a potential oil drilling project, which is completely unacceptable,” said Fiona Hutton, campaign spokeswoman for the California State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010.

Even if the Tranquillon project is accepted, it does not address permanent funding for state parks, which have been rocked by budget cuts ever since the economy started sliding downward. That issue is what Hutton’s group is attempting to change.

The California State Parks and Wildlife Trust Fund Act of 2010 is an initiative that seeks to provide long-term funding for state parks. The proposal’s main objective is to offer free admission to state parks in exchange for a new $18 vehicle license surcharge fee. Revenues from the new fee would be around $500 million annually, while only $50 million in state revenue would be lost due to the waiving of admission fees into parks. Eighty percent of the revenue from the fee would go towards operations and development of state parks, the rest would split among other conservation efforts.

“There’s been a lot of support out of the gate because there was so much opposition to the governor’s original cuts to parks. Usually a campaign team wouldn’t be assembled until June or July, but proponents want to get up and running, that’s why there has been such an outpouring of support,” said Hutton.

California state parks lost $14.2 million due to budget cuts last year. The loss of funding meant reductions in fire protection, ranger and lifeguard staff, and general maintenance.  Supporters of the initiative say the recent cuts have lead to a $1 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs that have contributed to closure and reduction in operating hours at 60 state parks. Reductions hit several parks in San Diego including a 50 percent reduction in lifeguards at Silver Strand State Beach and reduced camping opportunities at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

“California’s state parks were among the best in the nation, and now they rank among America’s most endangered sites,” said Graham Chisholm, executive director of Audubon California, one of the groups supporting the initiative. “The state parks have fallen so far behind in maintenance and repairs that many have leaking roofs and sewage systems, collapsed bridges, washed-out trails, restrooms that aren’t cleaned regularly, badly deteriorated structures and shuttered campgrounds and visitor centers.”

The initiative has raised support from most large environmental groups in the state, including Surfrider Foundation, California State Lifeguard Association and The Nature Conservancy. But not everyone is on board. Several tax groups have come out against the initiative saying that a new tax in this economy isn’t needed and that vehicle taxes should go towards improving transportation. But Hutton doesn’t buy it.

“It’s a minor fee when you look at your expenditures over the year; it’s a couple of lattes,” she said.

But funding for state parks goes beyond just a financial argument. As reductions have been put in place, crime, fire danger and public safety have become bigger issues. Crime has more than doubled at state parks, where park rangers have been reduced. Lifeguard reductions have brought concerns the number of drowning will increase. A lack of maintenance and staff at parks worry park officials that fire prevention will be less of a priority.

Proponents of the initiative have until mid-April to qualify the measure for the Nov. 2 statewide ballot. The group needs to collect over 477,000 in order to ensure qualification.  If qualified and passed in November, park-goers can wave goodbye to the $125 annual state park pass and $15 daily pass for vehicles.

                                        

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