VIDEO: 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler’s 2024 Session Week 3 update
Tag Archives: Washington state parks
One popular state park – Steptoe Butte – in eastern Washington’s 9th Legislative District is about to have a very basic service eliminated. Another state park in the district – Lyons Ferry – continues to see long delays with the reopening of its campsites. Both situations don’t sit well with 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler.
Schoesler recently learned that Washington State Parks will close the restrooms at the top of the Steptoe Butte State Park Heritage Site in Whitman County.
“While I’m happy Washington State Parks is going to repave the road to the top of Steptoe Butte, I strongly oppose the decision to end a very basic service by closing the restrooms atop the butte,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “The top of the butte is very isolated. Anyone having a picnic there will be forced to travel five miles down to the park entrance for a restroom. In what other state park would that be OK? Park lovers in our region – and I am one of them – deserve better.
“Seeing how Steptoe Butte State Park is in my district, the State Parks administration should have notified me and Representatives Schmick and Dye about the restroom closures. Instead, I found out from reading the Whitman County Gazette,” added Schoesler. “While I commend the Gazette for its reporting, you wonder why the State Parks people kept it quiet from me.”
When he inquired, Schoesler said, State Parks officials said the restrooms are being closed as part of a deal with local tribes.
“I understand that the tribes consider Steptoe Butte to be sacred ground. It is a special place for all of us. But I think this move will ruin what would otherwise be a great experience for many visitors who travel to the summit,” said Schoesler.
The Ritzville senator said Lyons Ferry State Park, located at the confluence of the Snake and Palouse rivers south of Washtucna, was reopened about 10 years ago. After the state park reopened, Schoesler said, many people in the area asked why the campsites at Lyons Ferry remain closed.
“There were public meetings with State Parks officials at Dayton and Washtucna several years ago about the campsites at Lyons Ferry and Palouse Falls state parks,” said Schoesler. “The plan was to close some campsites at Palouse Falls and reopen some of the campsites at Lyons Ferry. But the campsites at Lyons Ferry still have not reopened, and they won’t for several more years. When I pressed State Parks officials about it, they blamed the Army Corps of Engineers and claimed it will take another six years to restore water, sewer and electrical service available – and who knows how much longer to reopen the campsites after that. This is unacceptable.”
Schoesler pointed out that Lyons Ferry State Park is popular for fishing, water skiing, boating, picnicking and other recreational opportunities.
“Many hard-working taxpayers bring their boats to Lyons Ferry to enjoy a day on the water. It’s too bad that the campsites there are not open so visitors could stay overnight,” said Schoesler.
Schoesler criticized State Parks officials for not trying harder to find solutions to the issues at the Steptoe Butte and Lyons Ferry parks and for not being proactive in communicating with state legislators in the region or with local citizens about the status of the two parks.
“You’d expect a state agency would be able to work with tribal governments and the Corps and find solutions that allow these two parks to be fully used and enjoyed. Instead, it seems like the State Parks officials just threw up their hands and moved on to something else instead of finding solutions that are acceptable across the board.”
State Sen. Mark Schoesler, the Senate Republican leader on the capital budget, issued this statement after the Legislature passed a new state capital budget for 2023-25. It funds the construction and maintenance of state buildings, public-school matching grants, higher-education facilities, public lands, parks, water infrastructure and other assets.
“This is a win for the people of Washington. It is truly a statewide budget that lives within our means and funds the priorities of government.
“This capital budget responds to needs all throughout our state and provides funding for important projects in a wide variety of categories, from affordable housing to K-12 and higher education, from water supply and water quality needs to salmon recovery, state parks and outdoor recreation.
“I’m pleased by the support for the many projects that will help our colleges and universities, and especially glad to see money for school seismic-safety grants, since Washington is in earthquake country. The funding for water-supply projects, which benefits agriculture and other water users, is a big plus as well.
“Our capital budget takes a statewide approach, as it should. It will benefit many communities throughout Washington.”
Overall, the state capital budget (Senate Bill 5200) appropriates a total of $9 billion in spending, including nearly $694 million for affordable-housing projects; $872 million for K-12 education projects; $1.5 billion in total funding for higher education; $884 million to address behavioral-health needs; and $2.4 billion for natural-resource projects that address water quality and supply, salmon recovery, outdoor recreation and conservation, state parks, state trust lands and more.
The Senate passed the capital budget 48-0 today after the House approved it 96-0 on Friday. It now goes to Gov. Jay Inslee for his consideration.
Schoesler, R-Ritzville, serves the 9th Legislative District.
The 2023 legislative session is scheduled to end tomorrow.
Until nearly a decade ago, people could visit Washington’s state parks for free. Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler hopes to make access to state parks free again for Washingtonians and others.
Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has prefiled legislation, Senate Bill 6174, that would eliminate the need for people to purchase a Discover Pass if they wish to enter a state park with a vehicle.
The Legislature authorized the creation of the Discover Pass in 2011 as a way to help fund Washington’s state parks following the Great Recession, said Schoesler. The pass is required for vehicle access to state parks and recreation lands managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. An annual pass is $30 and a one-day pass costs $10.
“At that time, the state faced a severe budget crisis, so those who used our state parks were asked by Governor Gregoire and the Legislature to pay a user fee in the form of the Discover Pass,” said Schoesler. “The recession has been over for many years, but nobody has done anything to help taxpayers who like our state parks. In fact, state park attendance has gone down dramatically. I think our state parks are a treasure to enjoy, not a revenue source. It’s time we give something back to those hard-working taxpayers who want to use our state parks.”
Schoesler said the state can afford to eliminate the Discover Pass, pointing out the state is expecting to receive an additional $850 million in revenue since the current two-year state operating budget was passed last April.
“Meanwhile, the Legislature has raised taxes or fees many times in recent years. But nothing has really been done to lower people’s taxes, even at a time when state revenue is coming in like gangbusters. Let’s give outdoor lovers, families and our seniors something they can enjoy for their tax dollars, without requiring them to buy a Discover Pass to enjoy it.”
Schoesler said there has been a decline of about 7 million visits per year to Washington’s state parks and state-owned recreation lands compared to the visitation rates in the two years before a Discover Pass was required. He points to the Discover Pass as a reason why many people, especially low-income residents, choose not to visit a state park.
“Our state parks offer great recreational and camping opportunities, and they allow visitors a chance to see some of Washington’s great scenery,” said Schoesler. “The beauty of our state parks is for everybody. Removing the requirement of a Discover Pass to visit our state parks should result in more people enjoying them.”
Schoesler said eliminating the Discover Pass to visit a state park also would be a boost for tourism.
“Whether you’re visiting Palouse Falls in my district or some of the great state parks along our coast, the Puget Sound region or other parts of Washington, the routes to our parks take tourists and in-state visitors through towns that offer their own reasons to stop, which helps the local economy.”
The 2020 legislative session begins Jan. 13 and is scheduled to last 60 days.
Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District, which includes all or part of Adams, Asotin, Franklin, Garfield, Spokane and Whitman counties.