Election:
Official Results
Yes votes:
4,190,643 (42.7%)
No votes:
5,615,595 (57.3%)
An $18 annual surcharge would be added to the amount paid when a person registers a motor vehicle. The surcharge revenues would be deposited in a trust fund to be used solely for operating, maintaining, and repairing state parks, and protecting wildlife and natural resources. Vehicles subject to the surcharge would have free admission and parking at all state parks.
For more information on this proposition, including voter resources, in-depth analysis, and endorsements, please see the California Choices web site.
Pro
Supporters say that Prop. 21 addresses the problem of deferred maintenance and repair at California’s state parks and beaches caused by chronic underfunding. Prop. 21 would establish a trust fund to keep parks open, maintained, and safe. The trust fund would be subject to an independent audit by the State Auditor and a citizens' oversight committee would be created to ensure funds are spent appropriately.
Con
Opponents say that Prop. 21 is a cynical plan to bring back the car tax. They claim that politicians in Sacramento are already scheming to divert existing park funds to other wasteful programs so overall park funding doesn’t increase but car taxes do.