**OHV Sticker Funds at Risk! **

[YJgirl]

Just got this from the Chairman of COHVCO, in short State parks wants to raid 2.3 Million dollars from OUR OHV funds to pay for state parks portion of the general fund.

This is money ONLY OHV pays for, we cannot ride in the parks, we reap no direct benefit from them (from an OHV standpoint). So we end up paying. Not the hikers, bikers, equestrians....we do.

[QUOTE]Colorado State Parks has proposed to the Joint Budget Committee that they will sacrifice about 2.3 million dollars of OHV registration funds to help satisfy the the Parks portion of the General Fund shortfall. The decision will be made tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon when the JBC meets. We have until about 1:00 P.M. to get the attention of the JBC.

I have attached a document containing the names and individual phone numbers of the members of the JBC. Any phone messages will go to their voice mail, so it is OK to call tonight, or anytime up until about 1:00 Tuesday afternoon. Call every member of the committee.

There will be not time for testimony, and the message needs to be short and pointed. Jerry says to call and leave the message that "Parks should not steal our registration money, and that they should look somewhere else to find the money to fund their state parks operations, for which we receive no benefit.

We need to get the word out as far and as fast as possible.


You should call and leave a message to each member of the Joint Budget Committee. Tell them you DO NOT want them to raid the OHV funds to pay for the State Parks budget shortfall! (Unless they want to give us 2.3 million dollars of OHV trails in the state parks!)

Senator Moe Keller
District 20- Jefferson County
303-866-2585

Senator Abel Tapia
District 31- Pueblo County
303-866-2581

Senator Al White
District 8- Eagle, Garfield, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt Counties
303-866-2586

Representative Jack Pommer
District 11- Boulder County
303-866-2780

Representative Mark Ferrandino
District 2- Denver County
303-866-2911

Representative Don Marostica
District 51 - Larimer County
303-866-2947

[bsaunder]

I'm not in any of their direct districts, but I still called Mrs. Keller as she is the chair - I actually talked to a real person as well, though not mrs keller. I emailed the rest.

This seems to be happening outside of the bill process, as there are no current pending bills I could find with anything like this in it.

If you are in one of the above's districts make sure to give them your full information so they can verify it. Opinion from someone in their district carries much more weight than someone out of it.

[Badbuggy]

It seems like one thing after another lately. And this very thing was just brought up in the sticker thread. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be on the phone.

[ColoradoXJ]

Whether or not you decide to register your 4x4, you need to help with this... OHV funds are used for 4x4 projects. There was 3.1million in the pot this year, taking 2.3million out would DEVESTATE the grant program.

Colorado State Forest is the only park with real riding areas, and the Park goes through the grant application process for funding OHV projects.

PLEASE GET INVOLVED...!!! 6 phone calls = less than 10 minutes of your time!!!

[Steve]

I'll make the calls, but I've gotta say I'm not in the least little bit surprised by this.

[ColoradoXJ]

Originally Posted by Badbuggy

It seems like one thing after another lately. And this very thing was just brought up in the sticker thread. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be on the phone.

Guess it makes it hard for me to promote voluntary registration then...

[Badbuggy]

Made the calls, way less than 10 minutes. Each one has a machine that is on and able to take your calls.

[Badbuggy]

Originally Posted by ColoradoXJ

Guess it makes it hard for me to promote voluntary registration then...

I may have to ask for a refund.

[OrangeCrush]

it probably wont even make the news

[Brutus]

I made 4 of 6 calls... two mailboxes were full. Will try again tomorrow.

[Big Dave]

Emails sent, will make some calls in the morning too after they clean out their voicemail!

[Badbuggy]

Originally Posted by Brutus

two mailboxes were full. .

Way to go guys!

[fireLt.]

What a bunch of s*&t. Called.

[newracer]

I'll call and email the Larimer Rep

[Greg@RME]

Phone In Boxes are full, so let's fill up their email In boxes!!


moe@moekeller.com

abel.tapia.senate@state.co.us

al.white.senate@state.co.us

jack.pommer.house@state.co.us

mferrandino@yahoo.com

don@donmarostica.com


My email, sent to each of the addresses above-

NO! to OHV Funds being used for State Parks!!


Greetings,

I'm a concerned CO resident who would like to strongly urge you to DENY the request to use the $2.3 million from OHV Funds for the State Parks General Shortfall Fund. I think this is robbery, plain and simple. I have paid my own money into the OHV fund and I am against using MY money for the State Park Fund. The purpose of the OHV Fund and MY MONEY reads as follows, from the CO State Parks Webpage-


Where the money goes: Benefits of the OHV Registration Program

The Colorado OHV Registration Program fees fund trail maintenance, construction, trailheads, parking areas, trail signs, maps, and land acquisition. It also enables law enforcement personnel to identify and return stolen vehicles, encourages safe and responsible OHV use, and promotes respect for public lands.
Many different groups benefit from OHV registration, including:

* OHV owners and operators;
* Towns and counties that want to attract OHV recreators to enhance their local economies; and
* The general public; educated OHV enthusiasts are more conscientious and better stewards of the land.

Registration funds also enable local, state and federal land managers to better manage our natural resources.
Annually, this direct benefit to enthusiasts funds $1.5 million in trail opportunities and improvements.



Using my OHV funds for State Parks will NOT benefit me as it is supposed to, but will instead take $2.3 million from the $3.1 million that is there, taking almost all the money out of the OHV Fund. How is the OHV Fund supposed to operate on $800k?? It simply CANNOT. Please turn down this proposal!!

- Greg Gardner

[jeeplvr79]

emails sent... thanks for the email addys Greg!

[ToyRunner1]

Emails sent.

[Oscar]

done

[ColoradoXJ]

emails sent.


what a load of

[Clint]

emails sent. trying to call, will have Mrs clint do that and send emails as well since Ill be gone all day.

[Alpine Spirit]

Still cant get through on the phones... so email it is.

[4x4ford]

Emails sent. Thanks for the info.

[Alpine Spirit]

WOW!!! I already got 2 responses via email thanking me for my input.

CALL EM... EMAIL EM!! Whatever!

[YJgirl]

Please call and/or all of the JBC! Even if you are not in their district the JBC decides where funds are allocated Statewide. Its not just for their congressional district, it is for the State budget. Hence why it is important to contact all of them.

It took me 10 minutes to call and leave messages. Using Greg's formatted email below it would talk less than one minute of your time to help keep OHV money where it should be, in the grant fund to help maintain and build OHV trails.

[Steve]

Since their voicemail boxes are full I sent emails.


I predict that they steal the $$$ from the OHV fund regardless of what we do.


And where the f*** is COHVCO right now and what are they doing???

[scottycards]

Emailed all.

[Loki]

Originally Posted by scottycards

Emailed all.

x2

[Psychoneurosis]

email sent

Thought that it was kind of funny that AIG execs get a bonus becaus they have a contract and we should honor it based on trust and the rule of law........ then it is ok to take the contract for the use of the OHV money and just toss that to the side when it suits the politicians whims......

[JeepDiva]

Emails sent

[J Kimmel]

emailed all. unbelievable, more closures soon to follow due to "lack of funds," or perhaps an increase in annual fees.

[XJRick]

Originally Posted by Steve

And where the f*** is COHVCO right now and what are they doing???

x2. Just saw this as I have actually been working today. Emails sent. W,JW. We are gonna end up with nothing by the time this is all over with....... Thanks for the heads up though, maybe someone will actually realize that they actually work for us?

[bigblackrubicon]

call made...initially it said that Moe Kelly (Jefferson County) voicemail box was full and could not accept any more messages. So, I pressed *1 to get to the covering voice mail. A lady answered and said that the phones have been off the hook all day and they are resorting to a tally method at this point...she asked me..."are you for or against" and I replied "against" and then she said thank you and hung up.

It looks like our calls are working...keep it up...call often!

[jph3]

Emails sent... and have a blast sent out to all Eagle Cty 4x4 members

[tjangler]

6 emails sent. 6 phone call made (3 full mailboxes, 2 messages left, 1 live person).

The aide for Sen. Keller told me that they have been flooded with people in opposition. Stay on them for another hour or two and hope it works. If not, be on them until the next election.

I also called the Senator and Representative for my district and asked each of them to contact their colleagues on the JBC and tell them that their constituents do not support this action. Couldn't hurt to get the other Senators and Reps involved.

[Leon Phelps]

E-mailed.

[GM4X4LOVER]

e-mailed

[YJgirl]

Originally Posted by Steve

Since their voicemail boxes are full I sent emails.


I predict that they steal the $$$ from the OHV fund regardless of what we do.


And where the f*** is COHVCO right now and what are they doing???

Originally Posted by XJRick

x2. Just saw this as I have actually been working today. Emails sent. W,JW. We are gonna end up with nothing by the time this is all over with....... Thanks for the heads up though, maybe someone will actually realize that they actually work for us?

COHVCO has had their ED at the state capital since the session started in January. The deficit issue and using the OHV funds had been brought up but shot down several times. Litterally it was brought up yesterday by State Parks that they were going to the JBC with the idea to move forward.
Jerry Abboud is at the capital lobbying to hope for the best that the JBC does not use the OHV funds.

[JR4X]

emails sent

[YJgirl]

UPDATE:
The JBC did not get to vote on the OHV registration fee usage. They have until tomorrow before 1 PM to vote on it.

Jerry Abboud, COHVCO's Exec Director, has been down at the state capital all day lobbying for the OHV community. He said that we have the enviro's to thank for this mess as they hired a lobbiest to lobby state parks and the Department of Natural Resources to use the OHV registration funds to make up the shortfall specifically because they know if there is no OHV registration money, no OHV projects for trail maintenance and no new trails, plus no Stay The Trail program.

With that said, keep up the good work and continue to email and call the representatives. LUCKILY there are a couple of people on the JBC that knew what the OHV registration money went towards and that is the only reason the JBC did not vote on it yesterday and postponed it to today.

Our efforts were felt in full force! Keep emailing and calling to let the JBC members know that we want our money to use on our trails the way it was set up to be allocated, not go into the general funds.

[cheepin]

Done!