Marine Board Takes Proposed Budget to Public
The Oregon State Marine Board is seeking public input on a proposed 2003-2005 budget that could include significant cuts to marine law enforcement, facilities development and safety outreach and education efforts.
The Marine Board is Oregon's recreational boating agency. The Board funds and manages marine law enforcement across the state, provides funding for the development, construction and maintenance of boat ramps, floats and restrooms, and provides boating safety outreach and education. The Marine Board does not receive state general fund tax dollars – all of the funds are derived from boat title and registration fees, motorboat gas tax and boating-related federal revenues.
"We are facing a $1.3 million budget deficit in the next biennium," says Director Paul Donheffner. "Boat registration and motorboat gas tax revenues have declined slightly in recent years while program costs have increased due to inflation. The boating facilities program has been especially hard hit during the past four years, with a $2 million reduction since 1997 in available state dollars for facilities development and maintenance."
The Board is considering a range of options for cutting programs. Marine law enforcement, which is provided by county sheriffs and the Oregon State Police, could be especially hard hit. "One option is to make the cuts in enforcement, which would eliminate over 43,000 patrol hours, the equivalent of 12 full time officers," said Donheffner. "Another option is to share the cuts between our facility and enforcement programs, but we still reduce patrol hours significantly and lose up to six officer positions. If all of the cuts come from the facility program, grants to develop and improve launch ramps, restrooms and docks would be nearly eliminated. A program-wide reduction wouldn't spare enforcement and would result in severe cuts to our safety and education programs."
Donheffner characterizes this year's budget process as a "serious crossroads" for the agency. "Do we continue to reduce programs and services, or do we seek an increase in user fees?" says Donheffner. "With that in mind, we want to hear what the boating public has to say. These are very difficult decisions that will shape the future of boating programs statewide. We want input from our stakeholders and customers at these meetings."
The first meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, at the Mill Creek Inn, 3125 Ryan Dr SE, Salem . Additional meetings begin at 7 p.m. at the following locations:
- May 22, North Bend City Hall
- May 23, Jackson County Parks Department, 200 Antelope Road, White City
- May 28, Deschutes County Commission Office, 1130 NW Harriman, Bend
- May 29, Hayden Island Yacht Club, 12050 N. Jantzen Dr., Portland.
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