Tuesday, March 15, 2011 • Community can help fair by writing letters to legislators

Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, March 15, 2011 issue of the Lassen County Times.

California’s legislature went with Governor Jerry Brown’s recommendation to cut 100 percent of fair funding, a decision affecting 76 fairs and festivals across the state.

In response, the Lassen County Fair is holding a special meeting with FFA and 4-H members at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22 at Jensen Hall. Fair manager Jim Wolcott said the community is also invited to attend and information will be provided on how people can contact their legislators and let them know the importance of fairs and fair funding.

Out of the $32 million given to fairs statewide, Lassen County Fair receives a base of $172,500.

Wolcott said the fair has a reserve of $192,000 and it will depend on how much money the 2011 fair brings in before reserves have to be used.

Other funding sources include the Holiday Craft Fair, Quarter Horse show, races, Susanville Bluegrass Festival and the fair marquee sign seen from Main Street Susanville, near the fairgrounds entrance

On Tuesday, Feb. 8, the Lassen County Fair Advisory Board held its regular meeting where Wolcott said it looked at ways to stretch the reserves and brainstormed ideas to cut and save money.

However, he said, “Everything for fair this year will remain the same.”

Wolcott said he has also been meeting with the board of supervisors and the board is happy with the results from the last six years and will also try to find money for the fair.

According to the California Fairs Alliance, 29 fairs, including Lassen County, would be most at-risk for temporary or permanent closure.

Lassen County is part of the Cascade Division, which incorporates the Modoc District Fair, Plumas-Sierra County Fair, Shasta, Tehama District Fair, Trinity County Fair and the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair and Siskiyou County.

Wolcott said all of the fairs in the division, except Siskiyou County, fall into the list. He said Siskiyou has a healthy reserve right now.

Fairs tell legislators events bring in state money
During the month of February, fair officials attempted to persuade legislators to keep fair funding in the state budgets, but despite their attempts, the legislators cut funding by 100 percent.

Since the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the state has given $32 million to a network of 76 fairs and festivals statewide.

On Monday, Feb. 7, Lassen County Fair Manager Jim Wolcott said 50 fair managers, staff and Western Fair Association Director Stephen Chambers and lobbyist Louie Brown attended an assembly subcommittee budget meeting to tell told legislators that fairs make money for the state.

“We’re telling them we make money for you,” Wolcott said.

According to Chambers, the fair network generates more than $126 million in direct tax income for the state every year.

“That represents nearly a four to one return on the state’s overall $32 million investment. In this light, the budget plan actually dries up an income stream that flows to the state from California fairs,” he said.

Wolcott also pointed out the state makes money through business and personal income tax as well as taxes from carnival providers.

On Thursday, Feb. 10, the senate subcommittee met and elected to leave the item open for discussion. However, the following week, Wolcott said a full senate budget committee met to discuss only fair funding and then took Brown’s recommendation to cut funding by 100 percent.

But, when the assembly voted to cut $30 million out of the $32 million budget, Wolcott said fair officials believed they were given a window.

He explained when the senate and assembly disagree on part of the budget, it allows people or organizations to come in and provide more information and discussion to find a budget solution.

However, the day after the assembly voted to cut $30 million, it held an emergency funding meeting and amended its vote to match the Senate’s decision.

“So there was no way to get in and show them our proposal,” Wolcott said.

For Lassen County, Wolcott said, “That’s kind of where we sitting right now. We don’t have any funding.”

Lassen County has money for the 2011 fair and Wolcott said the fair will remain the same but the cuts will affect the 2012 fair.