State OHV Division Should Handle Public Dollars as Carefully as Off-Roaders Handle Public Lands
First in a series by California State Senator Bill Morrow (R – Oceanside)
Long before I decided to become active in public service, I had already developed a deep love for the outdoors.
To me, the essence of the American spirit, and certainly the vigor which reflects California, is an appreciation for the recreational opportunities offered in our remarkably diverse state. The isolated, pristine lands and beautiful waters are not meant to be admired from great distances or brought into our lives only through paintings; they are a direct part of the human experience.
Obviously, I respect conservation and restoration of wilderness areas, wherever appropriate. However, I subscribe equally to the notion that operations and management deserve equal priority in budgeting – and also the same accountability that comes when any tax dollar is spent. Public moneys raised to facilitate reasonable access to our natural resources must be spent for the purposes for which they have been earmarked by law.
I am committed to maintaining the full array of outdoor experiences for my fellow Californians. As fellow outdoor enthusiasts, you and I know that the challenges we meet when experiencing rugged, natural environments energize us. I feel more fully alive when climbing a hill or when riding on the sand or snow. I know I am not alone in this feeling, or in believing that off-highway vehicle recreation is a family activity that needs to be protected for future generations. This idea did not originate with me; it’s part of the mission statement of the OHV Division of California Department of State Parks and Recreation.
Nearly 34 years ago, Governor Ronald Reagan signed into law the Chappie-Z’Berg Off-Highway Motor Vehicle law. The Reagan legislation included the following, “There has been a tremendous growth in the number of off-highway vehicles used as a source of recreation. Legislation is urgently needed to satisfy the demand for adequate recreation facilities for such off-highway vehicles and to provide the restraints, which are necessary to ensure recreational compatibility on public lands between the various user groups. Thus, it is necessary that this act, which is sponsored by the off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, go into effect immediately.â€
As in so many other areas, Ronald Reagan understood that the best way to prepare for the future is to have a reliable, accountable system in place to secure that future.
I cannot help but think that Ronald Reagan would be disappointed in how the off-highway vehicle motor program has been forced to deal with so much undue bias from radical environmental groups pushing an agenda of eco-totalitarianism. As a result, land-use issues have been unnecessarily over-politicized as the radicals seek to drastically limit or even end motorized recreation entirely. Indeed, we are witnessing a steady, heavy-handed approach from demagogues who believe their opposition to OHV is ennobling enough to let them use the Division and its resources as their own regulatory slush fund.
Of course, every responsible OHV enthusiast knows that OHVers must recreate responsibly. And nearly all do. No one is advocating an undisciplined assault on open lands. At the same time, however, the money set aside through statute and regulatory action to adequately support recreational areas and provide for environmental and law enforcement concerns, must be handled with integrity.
This past year I took legislative action to force an audit of the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program. The audit was not only one of the most comprehensive ever performed by the State Auditor, but it also turned out to be one of the most damning.
The report clearly demonstrates that the OHV Program has been mismanaged, perhaps to the point of malfeasance or theft. The private contracting for goods and services has been a disaster. It’s hard to tell whether it’s due to bureaucratic bungling or a taxpayer dollar feeding frenzy for contractors who provides services unrelated to OHV programs or goals. I was furious to see large expenditures for non-OHV pet projects of bureaucrats who can manipulate State Parks and Recreation for their own selfish interests.
The release of the audit was enough to prompt a State Parks spokesperson to admit that systemic problems within OHV did exist and were the source of poor management. The admission was followed-up with the promise that new protocols were being put in place.
The Schwarzenegger Administration inherited these OHV mismanagement problems from its predecessor. I have confidence that our reform-minded Governor and his well-intentioned Resources Agency Secretary will address these issues that had been buried deep in the Department of Parks and Recreation.
To help the Administration, over the next several months my office will work to schedule public legislative hearings that will shine a strong light on the dysfunctional Division. I am not interested in picking on anyone individually, but I insist that the problems delineated in the audit be addressed in a manner that guarantees they will not be repeated.
I will need your help in educating my fellow legislators on who constitutes the OHV recreational community and the value and joy of family time in the outdoors. They need to know that voters and taxpayers from all over the state love OHV. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Contact: Trudy K. Thomas – District Representative for Senator Bill Morrow
760.434.7930
Trudy.Thomas@sen.ca.gov
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Arrived in his 4X4 too. 
