Newsom’s Budget Proposal Raises Concerns Over State Parks Funding
Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2025–2026 state budget, released on January 10, includes $2.7 billion in funding authorized by Proposition 4, the $10 billion bond measure approved by voters in November to support conservation, climate resilience, and state parks. However, the California State Parks Foundation has raised concerns that the budget reallocates existing funds rather than adding new resources for parks, undermining the intent of the measure.
The budget proposal shifts $68 million in previously approved General Fund appropriations for wildfire prevention and forest resilience projects in state parks to Proposition 4 funds. While the total funding for these initiatives remains unchanged, the foundation argues that this move effectively puts these projects on the state’s “credit card,” requiring repayment with interest. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has estimated that borrowing costs for Proposition 4 will add about 10% to the overall cost of the measure.
Another concern is the allocation of $84 million for deferred maintenance in state parks, which includes $14 million in previously allocated General Fund dollars that have been swapped for Proposition 4 funding. The foundation contends that this reduces the overall resources available to address the state’s estimated $1.2 billion backlog in park maintenance.
“Proposition 4 investments were always meant to be additive—provided over and above what the state was already doing,” the California State Parks Foundation stated. “Unfortunately, this proposal falls well short of fulfilling the will of the voters, who rightly expected they were adding resources to the state’s existing efforts.”
On a positive note, the budget includes continued funding for the California State Library Parks Pass, which allows residents to check out day-use passes for state parks at public libraries. The program, which faced uncertainty in previous budget cycles, is now funded through December 31, 2026.
