Just when you thought we might be done with Washington State legislative nonsense for the year another bill issue has popped up. :think:
Many of you did so good at woopin' down the noise legislation, now its time to dish out another woopin' :p
The Washington State House of Representative’s Appropriations Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee are creating the State budget for the next two years. As they currently stand, House bill H1128 and Senate bill SB5140 both allocate $4.3 million dollars of Offroad Vehicle Account funds to the Department of Natural Resources.
Historically the DNR has not been able to account for the millions of dollars of Offroad Vehicle Account funds they have received in the past. For years the Northwest Motorcycle Association has requested that the DNR disclose how this money is spend, but the DNR has never complied with that request in a meaningfully way.
Currently neither of the budget bills before the Legislature place any constraints on what the DNR will do with this $4.3 million. It is common for budget bills to include language that places conditions on how funds allocated are used. Considering the DNR’s lack of accountability it would be appropriate that they be required to only spend Offroad Vehicle Account funds on things related to offroad vehicle recreation.
Please contact your Senator and both House of Representatives members and let them know that this needs to be addressed.
Find them at www.leg.wa.gov
example email:
Dear XXXXX,
I am very concerned about Section 308 of budget bills HB1128 and SB5140. The Department of Natural Resources is to receive $4,312,000 from the Offroad Vehicle Account. Unfortunately, I did not see any conditions placed on the use of those funds. Considering the DNR’s ongoing inability to account for how Offroad Vehicle Account monies are spent it would seem prudent to put some constraints in place. I would strongly recommend that as a condition for receiving this funding that it only be used for offroad vehicle related spending as noted in the Governor’s proposed budget.
Additionally, the Governor’s proposed budget includes specific funding for Sustainable Public Access. This is intended to include funds for the DNR to develop recreational access to its land at Reiter in Snohomish County and at Ahtanum State Forest near Yakima. Please also include this as a condition.
Please let me know if it would be possible to add such conditions to the bill language.
Respectfully,
XXXXXXX
Many of you did so good at woopin' down the noise legislation, now its time to dish out another woopin' :p
The Washington State House of Representative’s Appropriations Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee are creating the State budget for the next two years. As they currently stand, House bill H1128 and Senate bill SB5140 both allocate $4.3 million dollars of Offroad Vehicle Account funds to the Department of Natural Resources.
Historically the DNR has not been able to account for the millions of dollars of Offroad Vehicle Account funds they have received in the past. For years the Northwest Motorcycle Association has requested that the DNR disclose how this money is spend, but the DNR has never complied with that request in a meaningfully way.
Currently neither of the budget bills before the Legislature place any constraints on what the DNR will do with this $4.3 million. It is common for budget bills to include language that places conditions on how funds allocated are used. Considering the DNR’s lack of accountability it would be appropriate that they be required to only spend Offroad Vehicle Account funds on things related to offroad vehicle recreation.
Please contact your Senator and both House of Representatives members and let them know that this needs to be addressed.
Find them at www.leg.wa.gov
example email:
Dear XXXXX,
I am very concerned about Section 308 of budget bills HB1128 and SB5140. The Department of Natural Resources is to receive $4,312,000 from the Offroad Vehicle Account. Unfortunately, I did not see any conditions placed on the use of those funds. Considering the DNR’s ongoing inability to account for how Offroad Vehicle Account monies are spent it would seem prudent to put some constraints in place. I would strongly recommend that as a condition for receiving this funding that it only be used for offroad vehicle related spending as noted in the Governor’s proposed budget.
Additionally, the Governor’s proposed budget includes specific funding for Sustainable Public Access. This is intended to include funds for the DNR to develop recreational access to its land at Reiter in Snohomish County and at Ahtanum State Forest near Yakima. Please also include this as a condition.
Please let me know if it would be possible to add such conditions to the bill language.
Respectfully,
XXXXXXX