Governor Revives Funds for Off-Road Vehicle Park on Otay Mesa

Left for dead just two months ago, a plan to build an off-road vehicle park on Otay Mesa was given new life this week when Gov. Pete Wilson restored money for the project in the state’s $55.7-billion budget.

Wilson saved the park by exercising his line-item veto to block a legislative attempt to transfer $8.1 million earmarked for the controversial project from the state’s “green sticker fund” for off-road vehicles to the general account--a move lawmakers said was necessary to help ease the looming $14.3-billion deficit.

The governor’s action, signed late Tuesday night and buried in the budget, delighted supporters of the park and resurrects a deal with San Diego developer Roque de la Fuente that has been questioned in the Legislature.

“It looks like it’s going to be a go,” said Robert E. Ham, a Sacramento lobbyist who represents a coalition of off-road enthusiasts and De la Fuente.

For three years, off-roaders have been trying to secure legislative approval to create a border recreational park within a few minutes drive of San Diego and its suburbs. With about 70,000 registered all-terrain vehicles, dune buggies and dirt bikes, San Diego has among the highest per capita registration of off-road machines in the state.

Supporters of the San Diego park want to pay for it out of the green sticker fund. About 65% of the fund comes from gas-tax money rebated to off-roaders for fuel they buy but don’t burn on public roadways, with the balance coming from vehicle registration fees.

Until now, however, their plans have been frustrated by budget problems and questions over the unusual leasing arrangements with De la Fuente.

The current proposal, contained in a bill by Assemblywoman Carol Bentley (R-El Cajon), would pay De la Fuente more than $6.2 million up front to lease 1,233 acres of his border land, $1.7 million for improvements and $755,000 to operate it for 20 years. At the end of the lease, the land would revert to De la Fuente.

The plan appeared doomed in May when an Assembly Ways and Means subcommittee voted to take $8.1 million from the green sticker account and shift it into the state’s general fund to ease the projected shortfall.

But Bentley said Friday that Wilson, during budget deliberations, indicated to her that he would restore the money. And, on Tuesday, Wilson vetoed the Legislature’s decision with a message that the green-sticker money was “committed for pending legislation to support an off-highway vehicle park.”

Ham said Friday that Wilson, during the gubernatorial campaign, signed a letter to the California Off-Road Vehicle Assn. promising not to divert the green-sticker funds. Off-roaders reminded Wilson of the pledge during the last few weeks in a letter-writing campaign, Ham added.

Wilson’s action now makes it possible to revive Bentley’s bill or seek authorization for the off-road recreational area in an omnibus park bill the Legislature will take up after its summer recess ends in mid-August, he said.