Advocacy - Advocacy Alerts
Friday, March 5, 2010
HCR 2040 is in trouble. While it successfully passed out of House Natural Resources
& Rural Affairs Committee, this piece of legislation is now stuck on Rep.
John Kavanagh's desk. As chairman of House Appropriations Committee, Mr.
Kavanagh has chosen to kill this potential funding source for Arizona State
Parks by simply not placing it on the HAC agenda to be heard or debated by the
committee. If he has his way, it will go no further.
If you are a voter in Representative Kavanagh's District 8 (Fountain Hills & beyond), please write and urge him to place HCR2040 on the House Appropriations Committee agenda as soon as possible.
Be certain to cc Speaker of the House Kirk Adams (see email address below).
Click here for a Sample Letter.
Email address for Rep. Kavanagh: jkavanagh@azleg.gov
If you are a voter outside Representative Kavanagh's District 8, please write to
Speaker of the House Kirk Adams and urge him to force Rep. Kavanagh to add HCR2040 to the House Appropriations Committee agenda as soon as possible.
Click here for a Sample Letter.
Email address for Speaker of the House Kirk Adams: kadams@azleg.gov
Wed., January 20, 2010
Governor's Plan to Kill the Heritage Fund
On Friday, January 15th, Governor Brewer's Office released its Proposed Budget Plan within which the "Resolving the Budget Crisis" section included the following plans for the Arizona Lottery:
"The Executive calls for a 20-year extension of the Lottery, with the retroactive redirection of the major revenue streams to the General Fund. The Budget proposes redirecting the funds as of January 1, 2010 and will include the Local Transportation Assistance Fund (both the original Fund and Fund II), the County Assistance Fund, and the Heritage Fund. The redirection will provide $29.8 million in FY 2010 and $59.6 million in FY 2011."
In addition, a section of the Governor's Proposed Budget Plan titled, "One-Time Steps", recommends issuing $450 million in revenue bonds supported by Lottery revenues. Director Hatch-Miller and Kevin DeMenna were told by the House leadership the plan is to refer the lottery's reauthorization to the ballot for a Special Election on May 18, 2010.
The immediate impact of this action: Elimination of the Heritage Fund will eliminate all grant program distributions and Arizona State Park's ability to transfer Heritage Funds for park operations.
Sources: Governor's Fiscal Year 2011 Budget proposal
The Executive Budget: Media Presentation FY 2011
pg. 68 refers to "Redirecting Lottery Revenues to the General Fund"
pg. 78 refers to "Executive Authority to Reduce Appropriations" and includes
"The Governor should have authority under certain conditions to modify appropriations - including voter-approved programs"
The Executive Budget: Appendix FY2011
pg. 130 (138) refers to Fund Number 2296 - AZ Parks Board Heritage Fund
The Executive Budget zeros out all funding to the Arizona State Forester, the State Land Department and State Parks Board from this funding source for FY2011.
The Governor is redirecting Lottery revenues, including the voter-approved Heritage Fund, to the state general fund.
Friday, December 18, 2009
The cuts proposed in House Bill 2001 of the 5th Special Session are catastrophic to Arizona State Parks. Fund Reductions and Transfers totaling $3,151,100, coupled with Fund Sweeps of $6,088, 700 will eliminate the agency's ability to operate.
The Legislature is seeking $205 million in cuts to begin to address a deficit currently estimated at $1.5 billion. The proposed cuts to State Parks would equate to 5% of their solution, while State Parks currently receives less than 1/10 of 1% of the overall state budget. Additionally, State Parks receives NO money from the State General Fund, but the impact of the park system on the state economy is more than $266 million.
The proposed cuts would force significant reductions in staff, thereby forcing a closure of much of the park system this fiscal year. Without the revenues that the open parks generate, the agency will be forced to dispose of much of the property that it currently manages.
Some of the most problematic cuts include:
- $2,302,100 in reductions and sweeps to the Enhancement Fund, the agency's principle operating budget, will force reductions of approximately 75 staff and the closure of more than half of the parks. The resulting loss in revenue will result in a zero balance to begin the next fiscal year (July 2010).
- $1,915,800 in reductions and sweeps to the State Lake Improvement Fund is more than the projected ending cash balance available. These cuts would make it impossible to operate the parks along the Colorado River.
- $3,909,400 in reductions and sweeps to the Arizona Heritage Fund will imperil funding for critical State Parks capital projects (including a water line for fire suppression at Lake Havasu State Park and the extension of Benson water line necessary for the long-term health of Kartchner Caverns), and grants currently under contract.
Ongoing shortfalls in state revenues make it likely that Arizona State Parks will remain vulnerable to cuts and funding sweeps until Arizona's economy recovers.
In recent years, state lawmakers have siphoned millions of dollars from funds administered by State Parks. The cuts have been imposed upon a relatively small state agency and one of the few state agencies that actually produces tangible economic benefits for local economies.
As a means of better defending State Parks in the legislative arena, ASPF has accessed the recent 2007 Arizona State Parks Economic Impact study conducted by Northern Arizona University. This updated research demonstrates the indisputable economic value of parks throughout the state.
Keep tuned for updates on legislative issues and actions affecting your State Parks system and parks near you.