Sport Today

I admit that I don't have enough background on this to know whether
this is appropriate for this newsgroup, but I do respect Linda Newland's
opinion and she seems to think it's an important issue.  So here are
snippets from two emails I received this morning.  Sounds like voters
from Quentin Kopp's district would have the most impact.

Apologies if this has already gone around in rec.boats (I'm only reading
rec.boats.cruising these days).
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From Lynette Harter (former commodore of IYC) to Linda Newland:
Got your message regarding Quenton Kopp's key committee vote regarding the
demolition of Boating and Waterways dept.  Understood that his voting area
includes San Mateo County to Foster City and San Mateo, West to the Coast
and up to parts of SanFrancisco.

From Linda Newland (IYC's Director at Large) to Lynette Harter:
Thanks for the blitzkrieg help.  I agree that we all should leave messages
on his 415/952-5666 number as well.  I'm faxing the following letter and
separate cover to your work fax.  This is just for your information:

May ____, 1996

The Honorable Quentin Kopp
Senate Budget Subcommittee #2, Chairman
State Senate
State Capitol, Room 2057
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Senator Kopp,

Please help this state's recreational boaters by opposing Governor Wilson's
proposal to eliminate the Department of Boating and Waterways.  

The elimination of the Department of Boating and Waterways would abdicate the
state's role in providing a safe and enjoyable boating environment now and in
the future.  These critical programs include:

        enforcement of boat operation requirements,
        administration of boater education programs,
        licensing and regulation of yacht and ship brokers,
        financing the construction of boating facilities, and
        oversight of boating law enforcement.

These activities provide for safe waterways, an increasingly educated boating
public, the protection of boaters as consumers, access to California's many
unique boating areas, and consistent enforcement by local authorities.
 Eliminating the department would end these important boater benefits,
without achieving your stated goals of repealing burdensome, duplicative or
out-of-date regulations.

The abolition of the Department of Boating and Waterways would eliminate the
essential representative within state government for over three million
boating enthusiasts.  Boaters need an entity within state government which
has a leadership role in the important decisions affecting boaters, our
activities and our funding, developing programs which benefit boaters, and in
implementing the provisions of the state Harbors and Navigation Code and the
many regulations adopted under those statutes.

Thank you for helping boaters and the boating department.

Sincerely,

_____________________________           _____________________
Name                                                           Telephone
number
_____________________________    
Address

________________________________________________________

Thanks for the help.  I met Dave Johnson today at the Brewer bill
hearing in Sacramento. He's from DBW and told Jerry, Jr. and I that quite
literally next week it would be over unless RBOC could pull it out of the
hat. The folks at Dept. of Parks and Rec. have already divvied the new jobs
and made up the lists of who will be leaving when DBW is disbanded (probably
counting the boater's money as well).
****************************************************************************
Linda Hill
Nakia
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S/V NAKIA, Hans Christian 33        |                   SF Bay Area, CA