Park supporters fears governor may veto bill Park supporters fears governor may veto bill (September 21, 2005)

By Marion Softky

Almanac Staff Writer

Should San Mateo County voters be allowed to decide whether they want to pay 1/8th cent more on their sales tax to support parks in the county and its 20 cities?

County park supporters and the California Legislature believe this is the best way to funnel more money into under-funded local parks.

Their bill, SB 203, carried by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, is sitting on the governor's desk, waiting his action.

Amid indications that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is considering a veto of SB 203, park supporters, led by supervisors Jerry Hill and Adrienne Tissier, are urging residents, nonprofit agencies, cities and special districts to write the governor in support of the bill.

"The governor needs to hear that a veto of SB 203 is a veto of local control and local flexibility," said Mr. Hill.

Why would the governor veto the bill? In a press release, supervisors cited concerns by the governor's staff that the measure might "conflict with a potential statewide infrastructure plan that has yet to be developed."

SB 203 is the result of more than two years of work by a wide-ranging group of local individuals, government agencies and organizations calling themselves Parks for the Future. They have been looking for a way to get more money for parks in San Mateo County,

San Mateo County is one of only two counties in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area that does not have a source of funds dedicated to acquiring, developing and maintaining park and recreation facilities, according to County Manager John Maltbie.

In the last two years, the budget for operations and maintenance of the county's 16 parks has been cut by 32 percent; and the parks need $78 million for capital improvements, Mr. Maltbie said. In addition, city officials say they have insufficient funds for park needs.

SB 203 would allow San Mateo County to adopt the 1/8th cent park and recreation tax if two-thirds of voters approve it. Planners with Parks for the Future are working with cities on details of how to divvy up the $16 million a year the measure would bring in.

Supporters of the measure include the Sierra Club, the Committee for Green Foothills, Coyote Point Museum, Sheriff Don Horsley, the American Heart Association of San Mateo County, and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

Ironically, the issue is before the governor only because the proposed tax is less than a quarter cent; if it were for a quarter cent, the Board of Supervisors could put it on the ballot now without legislation.

So why 1/8th cent? "Our polling has shown we only have support for 1/8th cent," said Julia Bott, executive director of the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation.

Supervisor Tissier noted that even with the increase, San Mateo County would have a lower sales tax than San Francisco or Alameda counties.

"San Mateo County stands ready to play a role in addressing statewide concerns," she said. "But concurrently we must be given the flexibility to meet our own needs. We simply ask that the state untie our hands and give us the authority in SB 203."
INFORMATION

Letters can be faxed and mailed to: The Hon. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. The governor's fax number is (916) 445-4633. Supervisor Hill has asked that copies also be faxed to his office: 366-6762. For more information, contact Mary McMillan at 363-4129, or mmcmillan@co.sanmateo.ca.us.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.