April 20, 2009

Armstrong says park opt-out fee takes
advantage of unsuspecting citizens
House approves measure to change opt-in park fee to opt-out on license tabs

Rep. Mike Armstrong says a measure that would require people to opt-out of paying a $5 fee for state parks on their vehicle license tabs is deceptive and would take advantage of unsuspecting people, especially senior citizens. The House of Representatives voted Monday night, 56-42, to approve House Bill 2339.

Currently, an opt-in box allows citizens to choose whether to pay an additional $5 fee to support state parks when they renew their vehicle license tabs. HB 2339 would change that to an "opt-out" box, requiring the additional $5 fee to be paid unless the person renewing the vehicle license tabs checks that box.

Armstrong said many senior citizens will end up paying the fee without realizing they can opt out.

"Are there provisions in this bill to give Grandma and Grandpa back their $5? When they want their money back, who is going to give it to them? What do we do when they say, 'Nobody explained this to me. I'm on a fixed income and I can't afford to pay any more. Who's going to pay it back?" asked Armstrong, R-Wenatchee.

Armstrong also questioned why the state is spending millions of dollars to purchase new lands for state parks when it cannot afford to keep existing parks open.

"Why are you buying more lands to put more parks on, when you can't take care of 40 parks you want to close now? That's a fair question and I don't know how to answer it," said Armstrong. "I guess the answer is that we're going to get Grandma and Grandpa to pay for it without them knowing it."

House Republicans offered an amendment to transfer $25 million from the Washington
Wildlife and Recreation (WWR) accounts for the maintenance and operation of state parks. The WWR account is used, among other things, to purchase new lands. Majority Democrats rejected the amendment.

Armstrong said he supported the original opt-in method of funding of state parks, which allowed people to consciously choose whether or not they would like to pay an additional $5. He added, however, this latest proposal is a sneaky way of taking money from people.

"I'm a no on this bill and it breaks my heart, because I love state parks. My wife and I raised our kids with fond memories of going to state parks. However, it is not fair to the citizens of Washington to deceive them and make them pay for state parks when they don't know they're doing it," concluded Armstrong.

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