Idaho’s parks could seek sponsorships

BOISE – Idaho state parks can seek corporate sponsorships to help make up for sharply reduced state funding under legislation approved Wednesday.

No state parks would be renamed under the plan, promised Rep. Elaine Smith, D-Pocatello, the bill’s House sponsor. Instead, the state parks board would seek sponsors for interpretive programs, directional signs, picnic shelters and the like.

Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, drew laughter from the House when she asked, “Who needs Niagra Falls when Idaho has Viagra Falls?”

She added the real issue is that Idaho “should be funding this core government function.

“I just think we’re in a really sad state, that the Department of Parks and Rec had to come to us with this,” Rubel said. “I just think it’s a shame that we’ve cut them to the point that they have to go groveling for corporate sponsorships.”

State funding for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation is $3.5 million this year, compared with $16.1 million in 2009.

Under the bill, the state parks board would write administrative rules governing corporate sponsorships; lawmakers could approve or veto those rules next year.

“We’re not going to have the golden arches,” said House Transportation Chairman Joe Palmer, R-Meridian. “We can limit this down to small … advertising that nobody has to look at if they’re offended by it.”

Rep. Brandon Hixon, R-Caldwell, said, “I don’t want to be bombarded by advertising when I take my kids out to the lake. I get enough of that.”

But Rep. John McCrostie, D-Boise, said, “This bill is not going to result in Craters of the Moon being sponsored by Clearasil. There are good backstops in place.”

The bill was amended slightly in the House, so it now goes back to the Senate before it can head to Gov. Butch Otter’s desk.

Lawmakers have been pushing to end this year’s Idaho legislative session, but acknowledged on Wednesday that it will run at least into next week.