Greetings WSSA Membership!
****Remove the Gas Tax Cap**** Contact your legislators to approve House Bill 1405 & Senate Bill 5023
WSSA members went to Olympia January 29 and handed out packets to each legislator. Now it is up to the WSSA membership to contact their elected official. Likely the most controversial and difficult, these bills modify the fuel tax rate used to determine fuel tax distributions to fund non-highway expenditures. Basically, they lift the gas tax cap (which currently tops out at 23 cents in 2011) applied to snowmobile generated revenue and will allow the full amount of collected tax to be applied to the State's snowmobile program.
We have found out this week that some areas are totally out of funds to plow Sno-Parks. Many more will soon be out of funds. This is an excellent time for the snowmobilers to contact their legislators telling them of their dilemma. Especially the ones in the urban areas, who would rather use the money on their roads, because they are not hearing from their constituents (YOU) in their district. We have a situation that is bad that allows snowmobilers to speak from their heart with passion so we need YOU to contact your elected officials this week!
WSSA has put their eggs in this basket to get more funds for the State's snowmobile program. We must act immediately to get these bills through Olympia. We need to get activated. Membership (YOU) needs to contact officials, because we have nothing else to raise more funds. Roughly lifting the gas tax cap 10 cents amounts to $13.50 per snowmobile. For 35,000 snowmobiles, it amounts to $472,500. This is an amount that will make a difference short term and into the future if we can keep the cap removed. We can't do it alone.
Grooming costs continue to go up as contracts are renewed. We can't let this session slip away. This is the only way we can get more funding for the Winter Recreation Program, i.e., grooming and plowing. The WSSA Board cannot make this happen alone, we need constituents in every corner of Washington State contacting the legislator this week. It's important if we want funding in the future. Do you need help contacting your legislator or need a sample letter to cut and paste in an email, go to
http://www.wssa.us/legislatorletter.htm.
Ride the West, Ride the Best in Cle Elum, Washington -- ONLY 11 DAYS LEFT
Everyone is welcome! Join fellow snowmobilers and the Washington State Snowmobile Association for a fun-filled weekend in Cle Elum complete with guided rides, a Sno-Rodeo, Master Hypnotist Jerry Harris, Roslyn Brewery, Silent Auction to benefit the LEGAL ACTION FUND, lots of prizes and more! This event is put on for you by WSSA in appreciation for your membership. All you need to do is register, make reservations at a hotel, and SHOW UP. You won't regret coming. Bring a friend with you. Help us meet the goal of 130 attendees!