February 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 20

Who, What, Where & hoW around the Parks

S tat e P a r K S c r i S i S c O n t i n u e S

Can Washington State Avoid California Blues?
Layoﬀs in Washington State Parks Part of Long term Strategy
to cope with Budget cuts
By richard J. dolesh

hile supporters of parks nationwide watch in disbelief as
California, beset by huge budget deficits, makes plans to close
up to 70 of its 278 state parks by the end of June, its neighbor to
the north, Washington State, braces for similar troubles. The Evergreen State is similarly facing a structural budget crisis, the
result of large, long-term deficits coupled with a generally flat economy. As a result,
state parks, along with all other state services that are funded by general tax funds,
are suffering.
from the sale of the Discover Pass have
not lived up to projections, and as the
state enters the slowest months of visitation, the Department of Parks and Recreation is taking additional steps to deal
with potentially even deeper cuts should
some funding not be restored.
The origins of Washington's predicament resemble those in other states which
have primarily funded state park operations mainly from general funds. The recession of 2008 provided the tipping point,
and now a number of state park systems
face the abyss, most notably California
and Arizona. Washington State is earnestly trying not to follow in their path.
" It is certainly a serious situation, " says
Rodger Schmidt, a member of the Washington State Park and Recreation Commission. Schmidt describes the steps the
governor and legislature took in the past
three years to deal with the recession,

SHUTTERSTOCK

As of January 1, Washington had issued
new notices to 160 state park employees
informing them of the possible termination of their positions or reduction to parttime status (with loss of benefits). This
personnel action would come following
several previous rounds of budget cutting by Governor Chris Gregoire and the
legislature. Since the high-water mark of
$97 million allocated for state parks in the
FY 2005-07 biennial budget, the general
fund budget for parks has been cut to $17
million, and even that amount is uncertain
in the next budget cycle.
Slashing $70 million in the FY 2011-13
budget from $87 million to $17 million,
the governor, with legislative approval,
directed the state parks department to
make up the difference with the proceeds
of a statewide parking and entrance pass
to state parks called the Discover Pass.
However, for numerous reasons, receipts

late afternoon winds
whip sagebrush in front
of Steamboat rock State
Park, south of Grand
coulee, washington
18

Parks & Recreation F E B R U A R Y

including creation of a donation fund,
gradual cutbacks in services and maintenance, and the eventual adoption of
the Discover Pass. But, he acknowledges, this latest round of cuts " was especially tough. "
Washington approached its state park
funding crisis differently than California by standing fi rm in its intention not
to close any parks. California had also
proposed a state park pass for vehicles
in 2010, but its legislation would have required drivers renewing tags to either
pay the state park fee or opt out of the program. Washington, on the other hand, followed the lead of states such as Michigan
by making its $30 annual Discover Pass
voluntary. Although visitors can still pay
a daily entrance fee of $10 per vehicle, all
are encouraged to purchase the annual
Discover Pass which allows unlimited visitation and parking.
Elected Washington officials concur
that it's in the best interests of the state
to keep its parks open. Despite layoffs
and reduction of many full-time ranger positions to part-time status, the state
continues to believe park closures only
devalue the quality of the product promoted through the Discover Pass. " In fact,
we think it's counter-productive to close

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February 2012 - Parks & Recreation

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