Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Park Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lawmakers hear proposal to raise Douglas State Forest parking surcharge to fund emergency response
Summary
Representative filed a bill to raise a $1 parking surcharge at Douglas State Forest to $5, aimed at increasing a locally administered fund used for emergency response equipment and reimbursements; proponents said the existing fee cap and park capacity limit revenue and requested committee support.
Representative (speaker identified in the hearing transcript as Rep. McKenna) told the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources that House 10021 would raise the vehicle parking surcharge at Douglas State Forest from $1 to $5 to expand a town-managed fund used for emergency response.
Rep. McKenna said the Douglas State Forest is a large, rural recreation area with camping, fishing and hiking and that access limitations and the park’s remote location place a disproportionate emergency-response burden on the Town of Douglas. He told the committee the surcharge fund has been used for a high-capacity drone and off-road vehicles to support missing-person searches and brush-fire response.
The representative said the revenue is limited because the main parking area is closed when the park reaches capacity and most revenue accrues on weekend days between mid-May and September; the surcharge does not apply to people who walk into the park or use dispersed parking and trails. He said the raise to $5 would preserve free general use while increasing funds available for public-safety and search-and-rescue needs.
Committee staff confirmed written testimony had been submitted from the town administrator, police chief and fire chief and invited any additional documents for the record. No committee vote or amendment was recorded during the hearing.
