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6A – Daily News – Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Opinion D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 New approaches to funding state parks The prospect of California Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 State Park closures is again in the news as California deals with its continuing budget cri- sis. There are, however, private alternatives that should be con- sidered before closing the parks. Increased public funding is no longer an option. The failure of Proposition 21 last Novem- ber made that clear. Voters declared their opposition to tax increases in order to operate and maintain California’s parks. With governmental funding solutions exhausted, the State is left with no choice other than to close its parks or find non-governmental answers. In the past, privately funded methods have been given little consideration. However, no remedy that keeps our state park system viable should be discarded. So, let?s consider these: Assess State Parks. As a park professional, it is difficult for me to even mouth this, but some parks don't belong in the state park system. Most of these are the smallest of our parks. They lack any sem- blance of statewide historical, natural, cultural, recreational or economic significance and were often added in response to political influence or when funding was more available. California needs an indepen- dent task force (similar to the Defense Base Closure & Realignment Commission) to assess which parks should be retained and which should be mothballed until times are bet- ter. The task force might also recommend parks for adoption by non-profits, local park dis- tricts or other sympathetic enti- ties. The potential savings from this assessment could be sub- stantial. Private Management. Many parks could be packaged regionally for private-sector management, while others have sufficient real or potential rev- enues to be managed privately on their own. Private enterprise has demonstrated itself capable of operating parks, on average 30 percent less than it costs government to do so at compa- rable standards. Under this sce- nario, supervision and protec- tion (public safety and natural resources) would remain under the direction of state park per- sonnel. Functions like mainte- nance, janitorial, fee collection, interpretation and limited secu- rity services could be assumed by private contractors. These represent the lion's share of the overall costs to keep parks open. There are many examples of this working at public parks across the country. The savings (both human and financial) at these privately operated parks could make it easier to fund parks still operated directly by the California State Parks. Generate New Revenue. Many privately-managed approaches can raise funds for parks, such as: automated 24/7 fee-collection at park entrances, parking lots and showers; privately owned and managed portable tent cabins, park models, yurts, and other forms of alternative camping; special events (such as, con- certs, competitions and specta- tor events); and new types of tour, recreational and interpre- tive programs that appeal to new audiences of park users. To its credit, California State Parks is now study- ing some of these, however a top-to-bot- tom review of outdat- ed policies could result in considerable gains, such as at Hearst Castle where significant revenue is lost because of current approaches. More revenue to the State can be generated without addition- al investment by state govern- ment. In many cases, existing concessionaires would be will- ing to invest privately to expand their operations in ways that increase revenue to the state, sustain and improve upon the park experience, and preserve park values. Guest View John Koeberer nity to review and reinvent how state parks are managed and operated. Major U.S. cor- porations and non-profit orga- nizations stay competitive, vital and relevant by employ- ing private consul- tants. The same approach could bene- fit state parks. These private-sec- tor approaches can be accomplished at little to no cost. They are Seek Concessionaire Solu- tions. It is in the DNA of entre- preneurs to invent new ways to stimulate revenue. Do that by challenging state park conces- sionaires to propose revenue- producing ideas and programs appropriate to the parks. Pri- vate capital will flow when opportunities for return on investment are given. These private investments could con- vert to state ownership upon contract expiration, providing even greater revenue to the state when those contracts are rebid. Reinvent State Parks. Con- sidering that old approaches aren’t working, it’s time for a fresh start. Take this opportu- not panaceas, but privately financed successes elsewhere indicate that most criticisms of private solutions are unfound- ed. In the light of today’s funding realities, past reluc- tance by the legislature and labor to involve the private sector must be overcome if California is to sustain the quality and diversity of its state park system. If we muster the political will to honestly con- sider new ideas from the pri- vate sector, park closures and deteriorated parks need not be inevitable. John Koeberer, of Red Bluff, is the CEO and co-owner of The California Parks Company. He is president of the California Parks Hospitality Association, a trade association representing the interests of state park concessionaires. He was a former member of the California Travel and Tourism Commission and received the California Travel Industry Association’s prestigious Entrepreneur of the award in 2002. Year Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. The sleeves of a vest Commentary This is but a snapshot. A frozen moment in time, guaran- teed to transmogrify on an hourly basis. So, knowing the situation is fluid, here’s your daily budget update and if I were you, I’d find a nice comfy chair to plop down into, because this promises to be more frustrating than translating Sanskrit into Japanese using Morse code smoke signals in the rain. President Obama released HIS budget plan, which calls for tens of billions of dollars of pro- gram cuts mixed with tax increases. The Republicans countered with THEIR plan specifying nine figures of cuts only, and Ron Paul, well, he just wants to invade China, give them a proper thrashing and take all our money back. Meaning that although we’re less than two months deep into the 112th Con- gress, looks like business as usual. Abstract-theory time is over now and actual programs are being singled out for devasta- tion, decimation and elimina- tion, and as we all know: One man’s pork is another man’s paycheck. But this is about sym- bolism, not jobs. Tea Partiers were promised $100 billion in cuts and they’re going to get $100 billion in cuts, even though Charlie Sheen has a better chance of being appointed St. Sebastian’s Girls School choir chaperone on a field trip to Vegas than the GOP proposal has of surviving a presidential veto. Nevertheless, conservatives are cementing their ideological bona fides by rounding up the usual suspects and painting bud- getary crosshairs on the faces of their mortal enemies: the EPA, AmeriCorps, Public Broadcast- ing, and Amtrak. The ugly little secret being -- spending at the Pentagon will rise and no one need talk about Social Security or Medicare until experts have analyzed the polls on this pre- sent skirmish at least a gazil- liondy times. As expected, folks have taken to each other’s plan like a pod of giant squid to hot-air ballooning. Obama continues his tap dance down the middle. The Right whines he hasn’t cut deep enough and The Left pouts he’s gone too far. He compares the GOP strategy to a dieter who vows to lose 30 pounds, and does so by cutting off a leg. And the Repubs fire back he’s a girly man scared to make the tough decisions, who could provide better leadership by curling into a fetal position behind the couch licking the cat’s butt. Congress has to pass a spending bill before March 4, or the entire government shuts down, which wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for that whole roads and hospitals and customs and air-traffic con- trollers thing. Everyone agrees the gulf between the two com- batants is wide but a new fiscal reality is here to stay and will affect education, security and agriculture, meaning more stu- dents per class, fewer cops on the streets and larger pieces of Will Durst Raging Moderate pig hoof in your wiener. While the adversaries bristle and posture in public like male porcupines in pre-mating heat, Barack remains confi- dent he can find com- mon ground with the GOP leadership in pri- vate. Good Luck. Con- sidering the smug intransigence of the Boehner Clan, that sounds like the politi- cal equivalent of pin- ning your hopes to escape a burning build- ing on tying together the sleeves of a vest. Will Durst is a political comedian who has performed around the world. He is a familiar pundit on television and radio. E- mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com. Check out willandwillie.com for the latest podcast.Will Durst’s book, "The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing," is available from Amazon and better bookstores all over this great land of ours.