Rep. Mary Bono (R-California) and
Rep. Lois Capps (D-California) introduced legislation (the
Forest Tax Relief Act H.R. 4447) in August to remove Forest
Service land from the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program. This legislation
will be reintroduced by Capps and Bono, with Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) signing
on, to the 106th Congress in 1999. It is crucial that people write their
Congressmen and tell them to pass this legislation when it is reintroduced.
The California Assembly unanimously passed a
resolution sponsored by Assemblyman Bret Granlund (R) in support of the Forest Tax
Relief Act. The resolution titled:
"Assembly Joint Resolution No. 77 - Relative to the Forest Tax Relief
Act" calls for an end to forest fees and elimination of the U.S. Forest
Service Adventure Pass program.
The resolution reads as follows:
"This measure would memorialize the President and the Congres of the United States to enact the 'Forest Tax Relief Act,' which would repeal legislation authorizing the United States Forest Service to implement a pilot program charging visitors of the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino national forests specified dail and yearly fees to park on national forest lands.
WHEREAS, In 1996, Congress authorized the United States Forest Service to charge visitors to the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino national forests daily and yearly fees to obtain a permit to park on forest land, and issue citations for the failure to obtain such a permit; and
WHEREAS, Citizens of California pay for the operation and maintenance of the national forests through the payment of federal income taxes, and are again charged a fee to park in those forests, which amounts to a double tax; and
WHEREAS, The imposition of parking fees at the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino national forests constitutes an unjustified tax that has the effect of deterring individuals from visiting and enjoying our national forests, and is producing only half of the revenues projected for parking fees at those national forests; now, therefore be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature respectfully memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to enact the 'Forest Tax Relief Act,' which would repeal legislation authorizing the United States Forest Service to implement a pilot program charging visitors of the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino national forests specified daily and yearly fees to park on national forest lands; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States."