SAVING FISH HATCHERIES, PARKS ESSENTIAL TO SAVING OUR STATE, WFSE/AFSCME TELLS LEGISLATORS

The governor's all-cuts budget hurts Washington, including our fish hatcheries and parks.

The union told lawmakers Wednesday night the hatcheries and parks are essential to this state's economy and quality of life. The union pledged to help lawmakers find other ways to avoid the governor's all-cuts budget and save our state.

Natural resource agencies got the attention Wednesday night as the House General Government Appropriations Committee looked at how to respond to the governor's all-cuts budget versus another way to save our state.

The governor proposes closing seven fish hatcheries and 13 state parks and mothballing several other parks during certain seasons.

The hatcheries generate some $203 million in activity that benefit their small surrounding communities, Federation Lobbyist Matt Zuvich told the panel.

The hatcheries have "significant impacts to those communities," he said. "One hundred fifty six (workers) will lose their jobs in these communities and the economic stimulus that they bring to these communities will also be lost."

Fishing generates $900 million in revenue for this state's economy and much of that is because of fish hatcheries, Zuvich said.

"It doesn't make sense to me to close money-makers now when we need the influx of cash the most," Zuvich said.

Closing hatcheries is also a money-losing proposition because laid off workers would have to be retrained at significant cost, he said.

"What they do produces revenue for the state and a great amount," Zuvich said. "So we would urge you to look at other ways besides closing these fish hatcheries."

The same goes for parks, Federation Lobbyist Alia Griffing told the same committee.

The governor proposes permanently closing 13 state parks and mothballing several others during certain seasons. That would cut 42 positions.

Cities and counties don't have the resources to take them over, Griffing said.

"We never seem to get them back once they're given away," she said.

And closing parks and re-opening them years later is costly in the long haul, she said.

One idea being floated is re-visiting $5 parking and/or day-use fees. The Federation hasn't taken a position on that idea.

"It would be more costly in the long run than just maintaining them now and so by saving a penny today, it'll cost you a pound tomorrow," Griffing said.

"We should make it a priority to save these parks and these jobs and the quality of the recreational opportunities that they provide and avoid economic harm to the communities they serve," she added.