DNR Budget Information

I received this email the other day regarding the DNR budget. Thought I'd pass along to those of you that might be interested in having your voice heard.

Hi Folks,
It’s that time of year. No, not the return of the Great Pumpkin. Not the autumn leaves of red and gold falling on the ground…

I’m talking about the budget.

The Department of Natural Resources has put the finishing touches on its proposed budget for the 2009-2011 biennium. Our budget, along with the other state agencies’ budgets, is now in the hands of the Office of Financial Management and will next go to the Governor for consideration. This coming January when state legislators return to Olympia, they’ll be tackling a nearly $3.2 million shortfall as they try to develop a new biennial budget.

Where does the DNR Recreation Program’s budget fit into all of this?

To help you better understand our program’s budget, I would like to put out a special issue of our e-newsletter, DNR Recreation News, to help clear up any confusion, answer any burning questions, and set the record straight on some common misunderstandings about our budget.

But first, I’d like to know what questions you have about our budget. Want to know where our funding comes from?

Want to know what we’re spending money on? Just ask!

**Send me your questions by 5 p.m., Friday, October 24,** and we’ll address them in our special budget issue of the DNR Recreation News coming out in November.

In the meantime, test your knowledge of our budget by answering TRUE or FALSE to following statements:

A portion of the fees collected from ORV license tabs goes directly to DNR’s Recreation Program.

DNR’s Recreation Program receives more than $1.5 million a year from gas taxes and tab fees.

Funding for maintenance and operations for Washington State Parks is the same amount as funding for maintenance and operations for DNR’s recreation sites.

If you answered FALSE to all of these questions, then you’re a budget-savvy
recreationist. Give yourself a pat on the back!

If you answered TRUE to any of the questions, then stay tuned for our special budget issue where you’ll learn what you didn’t know about the budget!

By the way, the following statements are TRUE:

The ORV tab fees go directly to the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). The RCO Board distributes the Nonhighway and Off-road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) Program funds in the form of competitive grants. DNR can apply for that grant funding.

DNR’s Recreation Program receives, on average, $1.4 million from gas taxes. The department does not directly receive any funding from the tab fees.

Funding for maintenance and operations for Washington State Parks is $147 million. Funding for maintenance and operations for DNR’s recreation sites is $5.5 million.

You can view DNR’s entire proposed 2009-2011 budget at:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/Budget/Pages/bdgt_data_repts_pub_and_info.aspx

For the recreation budget items look under:
Section B
· Sustainable Public Access
Programmatic
· Recreation Capital
Renovations

I look forward to hearing from you,
Mark Mauren
Assistant Division Manager, Recreation, Public Access & WCC
Asset Management and Protection Division
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 47014
Olympia, WA 98504-7014
360-902-1047
mark.mauren@dnr.wa.gov
www.dnr.wa.gov