Parks Pride Pass

The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) hearing on the proposed Parks Pride Pass rule was accepted as valid by JCARR, seven votes to three. The FOP is negotiating with management on how this will be handled by FOP and AFSCME Members.

I would like to thank everyone for their continuous support for ODNR-Division of Parks with their efforts to obtain a funding source. The legislators have not been kind to ODNR over the past decade and now the time has come for Ohioans to let their voices be heard. There is opposition with both citizens and legislators on which is the best way to implement funding. I have been in contact with the majority of the State Senators, and the picture they portray is parking passes will not be implemented. The question I asked them is if you deny ODNR the right to implement the parking fee’s, what are you going to do for parks in terms of additional funding. Senator Tim Grendell from Geauga County has been parks biggest supporter for a dedicated funding source. Don’t get me wrong, the majority of the legislators I have spoken with both Senate and House stated they want to do something for ODNR but are hesitant to step forth on a funding source. Senator Tim Grendell has stepped to the plate and is aggressively pushing forward for dedicated funding. He has proposed a bill to give us funding from a gasoline tax which could generate roughly 15 million dollars for parks. Recently he has learned of Senate Bill No.87 from the State of Kansas which attaches a $5.00 fee to license plate renewals. A dollar of this fee would go to local parks. This bill would generate roughly 40 million dollars for Ohio State Parks and 10 million for local parks. I spoke with Senator Tim Grendell at the JCARR hearing in Columbus on February 12th and he assured me he would introduce a bill resembling Senate Bill No.87 from Kansas. Senator Grendell feels we need to pressure Governor Bob Taft, and get him to recognize parking fee’s is a quick fix and a permanent fix is needed.

Please remember our fight is not against ODNR! We are fighting the same fight and that is to generate additional funding for our Parks.

Update on Parks Pride (USER FEE) issue. We have made contact with many State Rep's and Senators and are getting a far different read no their opinion. The most recent is from Senator C.Wilson (JCARR) " Rest assured, He plans on voicing his OPPOSITION to this rule." Keep up the good work and keep making those calls and sending letters.

There have been many conversations about the new Parking fee's for State Parks and it appears that many are against it. A public hearing has been set for Feb. 12 at the Historical society in Columbus and I plan on being there. After recent meetings with the administration we have found this issue to be unclear on the details of how it will be handled and who will be responsible for the management of it. We are set for a Jan. 27 meeting to discuss many issues that have been raised by BU members. The issue is to be heard by the J-CARR committee which is a committee of 10, 5 from the house and 5 from the senate. I have been told that even if the committee rejects the rule that the administration plans on doing it anyway. This issue is being driven from the Assistant Directors office (Alexander) There have been two issues raised from the citizens of Ohio, one being the issue of double taxation, a citizen will be paying twice for the same service and the second being that the department has or is overstepping their authority in making the rule. It is mine, and many other's opinion ( PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN COLUMBUS ), that this was not the intent of the legislature, to give the department and or division this authority when the department and division was established. If you know of people that wish to voice their opinion in the matter we are recommending that they contact their local representative as soon as possible. There is a list on the web site if needed. I have been told that the State FOP is not in favor of this and will be forwarding letters to officials as well as personal contacts with them. It is also our opinion that the administration should pursue the issue of dedicated funding for the remainder of the budget coming from the State General Fund. This issue has opened up a can of worms and could generate many problems if discussed in a public forum. The dance card was handed down from the Department to the division with many concerns of the division put aside. Don't forget to have anyone concerned with this to contact their rep's ASAP.