Voters reject Prop. 21, vehicle fees for state parks

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger rode to power seven years ago pledging to cut the state’s vehicle registration fees, which he pejoratively dubbed the ‘car tax.’ Tonight, California voters rejected a measure that would have raised those fees by $18 a year to provide funding to state parks, according to early vote tallies.

California parks have been hit hard by recent budget cuts. Environmentalists have tried for years to pass a vehicle license fee hike to pay for park revenues, but those plans have been rejected by state lawmakers. This year, they went to the voters. Prop. 21 would have generated an estimated $500 million annually in increased licensing fees. The measure was expected to provide more than $250 million annually in additional revenue for state parks and wildlife conservation.

-- Anthony York

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