JANUARY 26, 2006 STATEMENT

OF

JOHNNY FINCH, PRESIDENT

VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION FOR PARKS

TO THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

ON

DELEGATE MORGAN’S BUDGET AMENDMENT (C359, 5h)

FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE STATE PARK SYSTEM

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE, MR. VAN LENTEN:

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOHNNY FINCH AND I AM PRESIDENT OF THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION FOR PARKS (VAFP).

VAFP IS THE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR THE RESPECTIVE CITIZEN SUPPORT GROUPS, PERHAPS BETTER KNOWN AS FRIENDS GROUPS, AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTING THE 34 STATE PARKS, THE STATE NATURAL AREAS, AND THE 22 NATIONAL PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND HISTORIC SITES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING TO EXPRESS TO YOU VAFP’S TOTAL AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT.

VIRGINIA’S STATE PARKS ARE THE MOST FRUGALLY FUNDED IN THE NATION. EVEN SO, THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC RETURN THE SYSTEM PROVIDES TO THE COMMONWEALTH AND SURROUNDEING PARK LOCALITIES IS STAGGERING.

FOR EXAMPLE, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, VIRGINIA HAS SEEN STATE PARK VISITATION HOVER AROUND 7 MILLION VISITORS PER YEAR. THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT GENERATED BY THESE VISITORS ON THE STATE AND LOCAL ECONOMY IS IN EXCESS OF $150 MILLION. IN ADDITION, THE PARK SYSTEM GENERATES ABOUT $7 MILLION ANNUALLY FROM PARK FEES, ENTERPRISE OPERATIONS, AND OTHER SERVICES.

IN CONTRAST TO THE REVENUES GENERATED BY THE SYSTEM, THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORT FOR THE PARKS HAS ONLY BEEN IN THE $10 TO $14 MILLION RANGE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

THUS, GIVEN THE $140 TO $145 MILLION ANNUAL NET RETURN, THE PARK SYSTEM IS CLEARLY A GOOD ECONOMIC INVESTMENT FOR THE COMMONWEALTH, IN ADDITION TO THE VALUABLE ROLE THE SYSTEM PLAYS IN PROMOTING CONSERVATION AND SERVING AS A THERAPEUTIC TONIC FOR THE MIN, BODY, AND SPIRIT OF OUR CITIZENS.

MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS VAFP’S SUPPORT FOR THE SUBJECT AMENDMENT.