BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Have you been to the zoo recently? If you have, you may have heard about CALM Zoo’s new 20-year master plan.
Madelyn Jassen is a board member for the Zoo, and she says, “We have this incredible 20-year master plan, and this is our best shot to see that come to fruition. So if you love this zoo and you love what it brings to the community, to families, and to students, this is the chance to say yes, we value this facility, we want to see it stay here for future generations, and we want to see it grow.”
CALM Zoo is now making a final push to get its funding measure on the November ballot. Organizers say they need about 3,000 more signatures from registered voters before the May 7 deadline.
The proposed measure would support a 20-year master plan to expand animal habitats, improve educational programs, and help turn CALM Zoo into a destination-level zoo for Kern County.
Meg Maitland is the Senior Director for CALM Zoo, and she says, “Essentially, that’s a 40-acre expansion for CALM, so we’re not only going to be adding updates to our legacy campus—the campus that folks in the community are familiar with, but we’re also going to be adding new habitats. New grizzly bear habitats, wolves, and expanding our condor habitat and things like that.”
If the measure is approved by voters, the plan would be funded through a one-eighth of one percent sales tax, adding just over half a penny to a five-dollar purchase.
“We understand folks are wary of another tax, we get it. This measure is written so that this money can go nowhere besides CALM Zoo and these updates and upgrades we’re going to make happen here,” Madelyn Jassen said.
Supporters say signing the petition does not mean voting yes, it simply gives voters the chance to decide in November.
If you’d like to sign the petition, you can head over to CALM Zoo to do so.
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