February 27, 1999

The Honorable Manny M. Aragon and

Members of the Senate

Executive-Legislative Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503

Honorable President and Members of the Senate:

I have this day VETOED and am returning SENATE BILL 237, as amended, passed by the Forty-Fourth Legislature, First Session, 1999.

This legislation would roll back park fees, which were established in 1998 to their previous level. It would also remove from the state parks division the ability to change their fees to keep state parks as nearly self-supporting as possible.

State law allows state park fees to be increased so that state parks are nearly self-supporting as possible. Beginning January 1, 1999, camping entrance and other fees at our state parks were increased. This was the first fee increase in nearly ten years. It is apparent, however, when comparing the old fee schedule with the new, that the vast majority of fees were increased only to keep pace with inflation which over the ten-year period is 31.1 per cent. Additionally, prior to the fee increase, state park fees accounted for only about 23 per cent of the cost to keep up the state parks.

Even after the fee changes, the fees charged at our state parks are still lower than the camping rates in Texas, Arizona, Utah and Colorado. In other words, our parks are very affordable. Moreover, New Mexico is one of three states that still has an annual camping pass issued by their state parks. Each of our neighbors has eliminated their annual pass and campers pay the daily rate whenever they visit a state park.

In sum, this bill is an improper intrusion on the executive branch as it attempts to micro-manage and second guess the state parks division’s implementation of existing law.

Sincerely,

Gary E. Johnson

Governor