Changing state park donations criticized

Plan would make $5 offerings opt-out instead of opt-in

By Adam Wilson | The Olympian • Published March 23, 2009

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Flipping the rules on a $5 donation program could keep dozens of state parks open for use over the next two years, but critics say it's a sneaky way to essentially raise taxes.

Currently, residents can check a box volunteering to pay the fee. A proposal that calls for charging the fee on vehicle tab renewals unless residents check a box allowing them to opt out has met stiff opposition in the Legislature.

Facing the possibility of losing $23 million over the next two years, the state Parks and Recreation Commission drafted a plan that includes closing as many as 45 state parks, including local parks such as Millersylvania, Rainbow Falls and Tolmie.

If 40 percent of license plate tab renewals came in with that extra $5 for parks, the problem could be solved. The agency estimates that rate of donation through an opt-out system would raise $23 million in the next budget cycle.

Republican leaders recently singled out the idea of switching the fee from opt-in to opt-out as an example of what majority Democrats should not do to deal with a recession-racked budget.

"Especially your elderly population, when they get a notice in the mail, they're just going to write a check for whatever that amount is. And then talk and complain about how big it's got ... They're not going to notice that they have an option to make a check out for $5 less," said Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Thurston County.

House Republican Leader Richard DeBolt of Chehalis called the tactic "disingenuous," designed to raise taxes on the public without attracting a lot of attention.

But Rep. Lynn Kessler, leader of the Democratic majority in the House, said she was surprised the minority party criticized the park-fees idea.

"I know it's gaining a lot of momentum with the public," she said. "The public seems to think this would be better than closing their parks."

The opt-in system, which allows drivers to add the $5 donation to their tab renewals, began Jan. 1, 2008. Since then, it has brought in $700,000, according to the parks commission.

That money has been spent on things on which the public often comments, such as new playgrounds and picnic tables, said agency spokeswoman Virginia Painter.

An opt-out system would bring in more money, and that likely would be used to keep parks running, paying for ongoing expenses for the 121-park system, she said.

The state parks commission has not specifically endorsed switching to an opt-out donation system, Painter added, but it has been looking for a stable source of money.

"They've discussed a lot of revenue options, and I think it's safe to say that they'll support a new revenue idea that keeps parks open, because that's what they're focused on," she said.

Several parks were closed in the recession from 2002 to 2003, when legislators also experimented with day-use fees at parks that proved unpopular.

Democrats in the Senate are expected to make their first budget proposal this week, looking to bridge a nearly $9 billion gap between what they expected to spend and how much tax money now is predicted to come into state coffers through 2011.