In the attempt to educate the unwashed masses about the issues facing them this election, we cherry picked some things that you should know about so that you don’t come off like a complete idiot on Nov. 2.
One of the more important, yet least talked about, is Proposition 21, which “establishes [an] $18 annual vehicle license surcharge to help fund state parks and wildlife programs. [As well as grant] surcharged vehicles free admission to all state parks.”
This seems pretty straightforward, but seeing as how some of you will be voting for the first time — yes I mean you 23-28-year-olds — let’s go ahead and break this down so you can get both sides. Or you could flip a coin, whatever works.
Trees are people too
Aside from you tree-huggin’ hippies out there, not everyone cares about the environment. Sorry but shrubs just aren’t as camera sexy as they once were. So by voting in favor of the $18 nature fee you are doing something to help out: (a) the environment and (b) your state.
Right now the state parks and beaches are not in a fantastic place when it comes to care and maintenance. Don’t believe me? Go down to Bolsa Chica in Huntington Beach and count all the cigarette butts in the sand. By charging the once a year $18 fee to California’s 28 million drivers, the state parks and beaches would receive more than $500 million to put some makeup on Mother Nature.
Now this is California, we don’t do a damn thing for free, so included in this proposition is the condition that if this proposition passes, then we all get to use the state parks and beaches for free. A summer in Yosemite you say? Free beach parking on those hot days, why not? And for those of you, who think beyond the next episode of Dancing with the Stars, just think of your unborn children. You can’t drop them off in the state parks if there are no woods left to abandon them in.
Park the park issue
On the flip side of this proposition, the California government wants to tax us on something we need just to get around. I know $18 isn’t that much, but between buying the damn thing, insurance, which is way too high, gas, which is way too high, and other maintenance, if you’re a cheapskate this isn’t high, it becomes one more thing to pay for.
Beyond that, our state parks are fully state funded right now. If the lawmakers and politicians have a problem with how little they’re allocating to the parks and beach, let them direct funds from somewhere else. Perhaps they could all take a pay cut like the professors in the Cal State University system did when times got tough. You know, because we realize how much they care about the parks, it makes for a good photo opportunity.
One last thing, like most students, I work and go to school full time. I don’t have time to drive 10 hours to Yosemite, get bitten all to hell by mosquitoes and drive back. And God help me if I go camping alone and wind up running from Jason and the rest of Camp Crystal Lake as they try to harpoon me. It could happen. If we’re being honest with ourselves, the marijuana thing is going to pass and the state will rack up several billion dollars within the first few hours of marijuana becoming legal, thereby making additional funding unnecessary.
Trees vs. fees
When it comes right down to it, you should vote yes on Prop 21. This is most likely the cheapest tax we are likely to see in our lives. For the price of two movie tickets a year ,we are effectively maintaining some of the last remnants of the once mighty unspoiled American west.
There are places everyone should see before they die, and at the rate we’re going this is another 12 years. The vastness of Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Death Valley are there for your discovery.
And let’s face it; in the next year you’re going to spend way more money on things that are going to be completely useless and far more disappointing. Do your damn research and vote wisely.
David Cowan is a senior journalism major and the features editor for the Daily 49er.
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