Budget Topic at Marine Board Gold Beach Meeting
A budget package that includes significant program cuts and a proposed boating fee increase will be on the docket at the next Oregon State Marine Board meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, June 25, in Gold Beach. The meeting will be held at Jots Resort and will begin promptly at 9 a.m.
The 2003-05 proposed base budget cuts $1.3 million in services from Marine Board current service levels. "These cuts are the result of several years of flat boat registrations and motorboat gas tax revenues coupled with inflation and rising costs," said Marine Board Director Paul Donheffner. "We receive no general fund – we are entirely dependant on user fees. We face the difficult task of continuing to cut services or increasing our fees so we can provide adequate law enforcement, education, boating access and other services to Oregon's boaters."
The Board will have several options for cuts to balance the budget: "If cuts come entirely from the law enforcement budget, the worst-case loss would equal 43,000 patrol hours," said Donheffner. "A combination of cuts in patrol hours and facilities development is another option, but our Facilities Program – the program that helps pay for boat ramps, docks and bathrooms – has taken more than $2 million in cuts just since 1997. A third option is an across-the-board cut that eliminates many of our publications and curtails our education efforts and still hits facilities and law enforcement hard."
The Board must adopt a balanced budget that includes cuts, but the Board is also considering a range of fee increases. One proposal that would help maintain current service levels includes an increase in titles and registration sticker replacement fees. Another proposal would simplify the fee structure to a flat-rate $3 per foot every two years – this proposal would allow the Marine Board to improve law enforcement programs, address the backlog of maintenance, repair and upgrades at boating access facilities, and initiate a campaign to promote safe and sustainable boating.
Fee increases would become effective in January 2004. The last boating fee increase was a $2 across-the-board registration increase in 1997.
"A fee increase is a last resort before cutting services," said Donheffner. "These are services that directly benefit boaters – they make boating more convenient, enjoyable and safer. Oregon has the lowest boat fees in the western states. We hope people understand that as we go through this process."
Once adopted, the budget package will be sent to the Governor's office for inclusion in the Governor's budget package, which will in turn go to the 2003 Oregon State Legislature for action.
Numerous other items are on the agenda, also:
- Director’s report on registration, legislative proposals and other agency matters.
- Consideration of temporary rule for construction zone on the Rogue River at the Hwy 101 bridge construction site at Gold Beach.
- Consideration and approval of 2003-05 Agency Budget Request.
- Proposed rules amendment – proposal to change definition of boat operation to include moorage, storage on waters of this state.
- Facility program report.
- Consideration of facility grant request.
- Education/Information program report.
- Law Enforcement program report.
The meeting facility is accessible for persons with disabilities. Persons needing some form of assistance to participate in this meeting due to a disability should contact Jill Andrick at (503) 373-1405, ext. 243, by Thursday, June 20. Persons wishing to address the Board on non-agenda items may do so during a designated period at the start of the meeting.
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