Total Fucking BULLSHIT! - Gov. David Paterson Announces Plan To Close 55 NY State Parks

[Lothrop]

Paterson Announces Plan To Close State Parks

FEBRUARY 19

More than one quarter of the state’s parks and historic sites in New York would close this year under a proposal from Gov. David Paterson to deal with the state’s fiscal woes.

The massive closures of 55 parks and historical sites would hit every area of the state and would be a devastating blow to the state’s cherished parks system, the oldest in the nation with 178 parks and 35 historic sites. Service reductions would be made at an additional 24 facilities.

The proposal comes after Paterson last month proposed lowering aid for state parks by $29 million, a 16 percent cut from the current fiscal year, to deal with an $8.2 billion budget gap.

In the lower Hudson Valley, Wonder Lake State Park in Putnam County and the Donald J. Trump State Park in Westchester County would close.

...

http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2010/02/19/paterson-announces-plan-to-close-state-parks/

Specific recommended closures and service reductions are detailed below:

Long Island

Brookhaven State Park Suffolk Close Park
Bethpage State Park Suffolk Eliminate Winter Sports;
Reduce picnic area and polo field
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve Suffolk Close Park
Cold Spring Harbor State Park Suffolk Close Park
Connetquot River State Park Suffolk Close Weekdays
Heckscher State Park Suffolk Close Swimming Pool
Jones Beach State Park Nassau Close West Swimming Pool;
Eliminate July 4th fireworks
Montauk Downs State Park Suffolk Close Swimming Pool
Nissequogue River State Park Suffolk Close Park
Orient Beach State Park Suffolk Close Park
Trail View State Park Suffolk Close Park

New York City Region

Bayswater Point State Park Queens Close Park
Riverbank State Park New York Reduce Operating Hours;
Close Outdoor Swimming Pool;
Eliminate Seniors Classes; and
Community/Cultural Events

Palisades Region

Fort Montgomery Historic Site Orange Close Historic Site
Harriman SP– Anthony Wayne Orange Close Park Area
Harriman SP – Group Camps Orange Reduce Maintenance
High Tor State Park Rockland Close Pool
Knox Headquarters Historic Site Orange Close Historic Site
New Windsor Cantonment SHS Orange Close Historic Site
Schunnemunk State Park Orange Close Park
Stony Point State Historic Site Orange Close Historic Site
Tallman Mountain State Park Rockland Close Pool

Taconic Region

Donald J. Trump State Park Westchester Close Park
FDR (Roosevelt) State Park Westchester Reduce Swimming Pool Season
Hudson Highlands State Park Putnam Close Arden Point Area
James Baird State Park Dutchess Reduce Golf Course Season
Mills Norrie State Park Dutchess Reduce Golf Course Season
Olana State Historic Site Columbia Close 2 Days per Week
Philipse Manor Hall Historic Site Westchester Close Historic Site
Rockefeller State Park Preserve Westchester Eliminate Interpretive Programs
Taconic Outdoor Education Center Putnam Eliminate Interpretive Programs
Taconic State Park – Rudd Pond Dutchess Close Rudd Pond Area
Wonder Lake State Park Putnam Close Park

Saratoga-Capital Region

Bennington Battlefield State Park Rensselaer Close Historic Site
Hudson River Islands State Park Rensselaer Close Park
John Boyd Thacher State Park Albany Close Park
John Brown Farm Historic Site Essex Close Historic Site
Johnson Hall State Historic Site Fulton Close Historic Site
Max V. Shaul State Park Schoharie Close Park
Schodack Island State Park Rensselaer Close Park
Schoharie Crossing Historic Site Schoharie Close Historic Site
Schuyler Mansion Historic Site Albany Close Historic Site

Central Region

Chittenango Falls State Park Madison Close Park
Clark Reservation State Park Onondaga Close Park
Fort Ontario State Historic Site Oswego Close Historic Site
Helen McNitt State Park Madison Close Park
Herkimer Home Historic Site Herkimer Close Historic Site
Hunts Pond State Park Chenango Close Park
Oquaga Creek State Park Broome Close Park
Old Erie Canal State Park Onondaga Close Park
Oriskany Battlefield/Steuben SHS Oneida Close Historic Site
Pixley Falls State Park Oneida Close Park
Robert Riddell State Park Delaware Close Park
Selkirk Shores State Park Oswego Close Public Swimming Beach

Finger Lakes Region

Beechwood State Park Wayne Close Park
Bonavista State Park Seneca Close Park
Chimney Bluffs State Park Wayne Close Park
Newtown Battlefield State Park Chemung Close Park
Springbrook Greens State Park Cayuga Close Park
Two Rivers State Park Tioga Close Park
Buttermilk Falls State Park Tompkins Close Public Swimming Area
Seneca Lake State Park Seneca Close Lake Swimming Beach
Stony Brook State Park Steuben Close Public Swimming Area

Thousand Islands Region

Canoe Island State Park Jefferson Close Park
Cedar Island State Park Jefferson Close Park
Eel Weir State Park St. Lawrence Close Park
Keewaydin State Park Jefferson Close Park
Macomb Reservation State Park Clinton Close Park
Mary Island State Park Jefferson Close Park
Point Au Roche State Park Clinton Close Park
Sackets Harbor State Historic Site Jefferson Close Historic Site

Genesee Region

Hamlin Beach State Park Monroe Close Swimming Beach 3 Days per Week
Oak Orchard State Marine Park Orleans Close Park
Regionwide Multiple Eliminate Camper Recreation Program

Niagara Region

Joseph Davis State Park Niagara Close Park
Knox Farm State Park Erie Close Park
Niagara Falls State Park Niagara Reduce Interpretive Programs
Wilson-Tuscarora State Park Niagara Close Park
Woodlawn Beach State Park Erie Close Park

Allegany Region

Allegany State Park Cattaraugus Close Quaker Area Swim Beach;
Close Quaker Cabins Area on December 1st;
Eliminate Winter Trails Maintenance;
Reduce Recreation Programs
Long Point State Park Chautauqua Close Park

http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/22740/paterson-ash-sorry-folks-%E2%80%94-parks-closed/

[stray cat]

1. Take up donations to keep them running?

[Renew Deal]

12. If you're going to raise donations, you might as well raise taxes

But I don't think they can raise enough anyway. This will not go over well. Particularly on LI.

[pitohui]

2. close permanently (as in sell to developers) or close this year for budget reasons?

there's a big difference between the two, in one scenario the park is still there and the wildlife can still use it (as can the quiet and surreptitious backpacker who knows how to leave a minimal trace of her visit) -- presumably what enforcement remains will be going after poachers rather than those who use the land lightly -- i just saw a note from a guy in new york state who says he was chased out of a "closed" park but he was not arrested or ticketed, he was just told to leave, and he says he simply was polite, departed, and returned the next day to finish his photo session

in the other scenario, the land passes into private hands and, at some time, during a better economy, it becomes just another ugly shopping mall and/or subdivision or tree farm and is lost forever to nature and wildlife

[FarCenter]

38. In many cases, the park isn't actually closed

Just some functions are discontinued, such as discontinuing a swimming area.

It looks like trimming staff, but not disposing of any land.

[XemaSab]

3. Boo!

California's state parks have been on the chopping block for a while. :(

[MineralMan]

How many tourist dollars will closing these parks

remove from the local economies near them? I don't know the answer. Just wondering.

[H2O Man]

5. Lots.

[MineralMan]

9. That's what I'd think.

So, the effect will be larger than simply saving the money the parks cost that aren't covered by park fees. Perhaps raising the fees would make more sense.

It seems to be an easy solution just to close things like parks. You save on employee costs, which are substantial, along with other costs. But, the cost to the surrounding communities can be much, much higher than the savings.

I notice that nobody's talking about firing the asses of unproductive state management employees. Now, there's a plan that might work.

[KharmaTrain]

4. The Budget Shortfall Has To Come From Somewhere...

Almost every state is deep in the red and tax revenues are looking bleak...thus where do you cut? In our area it was in transportation in some of the most needy areas as well as "furloghs" where certain state offices are closed one or several days a week.

While it's a shame state parks are getting the axe, it's better than cuts to care for the elderly or schools. The way to fix it is to raise taxes...which no politician in his/her right mind will do this year or somehow create thousands of jobs that will restore the tax base.

[dysfunctional press]

8. and money can only come from where the money is. tax the rich.

[Libertas1776]

11. Exactly

everybody in this freaking state pays taxes through their noses, especially on Long Island, which has some of the highest taxes in the nation that doesn't match the quality of life. When are the rich motherfuckers gonna start paying their fair share?! Where the hell are our tax dollars going?!

[leftofcool]

20. +1

[KharmaTrain]

25. Go For It...

Send that recommendation to Gov. Patterson...see how far it goes. I'm fully in favor of hikes to the rich...letting the regressive tax cuts that boooosh put in in 2003 expire next year (except for those earning $150k or less) that were the cause of many of the state budget shortfalls to start with.

Remember, this is the year of the teabagger...there's no politician with any cajones to ever propose raising taxes during this election year. Reality sucks...

[dysfunctional press]

26. i'm talking about in more general terms...

not about the ny state parks specifically.

[anonymous171]

54. LOL. From what I hear, Wall St. is completely in control of NY state government

There is no way that will happen unless the people of the state rise up against them.

[dysfunctional press]

66. wall st seems to be completely in control of u.s. government as well...

and hopefully i'll live long enough to see the people rise up against them.

[pitohui]

10. is it better than cutting care to the elderly?

when i'm old and in need of round the clock care, why can't i ask that the machines be turned off and they stop milking my tired aching body for jobs and they give the $$$ to wildlife and parks?

there is a certain amt of cruelty in our insistence on keeping elderly people alive in any circumstance -- disclosure, i have a relative who was kept alive in a state of dementia for over 20 yrs, a cruelty we would not visit on a dog

if we believe that nature is disposable and that it should go first on the chopping block, eventually (helll, pretty soon now) we won't have any nature

jesus said something about the poor will always be with us, the lesson was not to step on the poor (hell jesus was poor) but the lesson was that we can't strip every bit of beauty out of life and then still pretend that life is worth the living

parks, wildlife, nature should be preserved, or there is no point to any of the rest of it

life w.out beauty and space is worse than death

[KharmaTrain]

27. Nice Attitude...

There is a thing called a DNR...Do Not Recesitate...that is given for those who are "too far gone". I guess you haven't had to walk the final years and last miles with a loved one. I have and am going through it again. There's no amount of money that can offer these people the comfort or freedom from pain. I guess you have only compassion for animals? A shame.

It's not as though they're clearing out the parks...or destroying all the flora and fauna. If anything, keeping humans with their trash and "inquisitive" natures out of these parks could be the best thing we could do for the wildlife within.

[Fire1]

28. Yeah.....pull the plug on grandma!!

:sarcasm:

[bossy22]

55. in some cases yes-

raising taxes is the best option, but in others not so. NY is one those others. NY is toting a fine line with its taxes. If you tax too much the rich can and will flee to other states. This has been going on in NYC for the last few years in which there has been a "tax flight" of high income earners; the city is losing money now. Even Bloomberg has said this

The truth is that Gov. Paterson is in a pretty bad fix. Something has to go and frankly if its between parks or schools....i choose parks. We can always reopen parks later, but we can't do that with education of a child

[Stephanie]

6. Welcome to DU!

Closing the pool at Riverbank Park would affect the kids of Harlem, of course. That's really outrageous, of all places to choose for cuts.

[dysfunctional press]

7. rich people don't need parks.

why should they pay taxes to keep them open, just for the serfs...?

[Bitwit1234]

13. He knows he won't win re-election he is doing this for spite

and to make up for the allegations the media is throwing at him.

[virgogal]

14. No 4th of July fireworks at Jones Beach. I have a son who's family

will be very disappointed.

[Catshrink]

15. It's happening in Arizona, too.

Not that this makes it right. Well it is Right, very Right Wing.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

16. I'm in the Taconic Region... number 1, the Rockefeller Park is Gorgeous and it is a tragedy

to close that. As to the Donald Trump State Park? It's very new. I guess Donald didn't give money to keep it going. I think he created it as a perk to the state so he could build nearby condos.

It is heartbreaking that any of the NYS parks be closed.

BTW... I had made up my mind not to vote for Paterson before this travesty. He is a horrible Governor.

[FreakinDJ]

17. It's already happening in California

Spending like "Drunken Sailors" has consequences

[Karmadillo]

18. At least we still have that super keen war machine to visit on weekends.

nt

[2Design]

19. When people are unwilling to pay taxes AND government employees

have HUGE retirements and benefits - this is the result - libraries and parks are the only things left - roads too - no socialism is allowed by the teabaggers = no shared resources

[winyanstaz]

33. I believe people are willing to pay taxes..

We are just not willing to pay MORE in taxes than is already taken.
There is really not a good reason to.
All they have to do is shut down the war machine and we could pay for everything..including health care, parks and grandmas retirement.
If we are talking saving money..lets start by cutting ALL public servants wages (since they have done such a piss-poor job anyways) starting with the top and going down.
Why should the government have retirements when they have destroyed the taxpayers? If we must suffer...let it start with them.

[roamer65]

21. Very sad, but I'd rather see the essential services keep going.

Have they investigated increasing park user fees?

With all of our budget woes in Michigan, we have kept our parks going somehow.

Gov Granholm is a decent money manager.

[mod mom]

22. Why not impose a state tac on those huge Wall St bonuses?

[hedgehog]

24. That's what I don't understand. It's a measure of how out of whack

our entire economy is when pay cuts on Wall Street put the entire state budget in a bind. I'm not certain how many New Yorkers understand where the shortfall came from. I thought the one bright spot in the entire bonus imbroglio was that at least New york State's budget would be in good shape. It's not. What happened?

[frebrd]

23. I used to go to Chittenango Falls frequently.......

and used to camp at Buttermilk Falls.

It's too bad Paterson can't see the parks - he might be less inclined to close so many of them.

On second thought, he probably wouldn't be that much into nature/wildlife, anyway.

It's a damn shame. The State park system is about all NYS has; if I remember correctly there aren't any National Parks/Forests at all.

:(

[FarCenter]

39. Did you use the public swimming area at Buttermilk Falls -- that is the only thing being closed

[Not Me]

29. Politically it's a dumb move

It one of the few things that the middle class equates with the taxes they pay.
Further, they are going to lose the revenues that were generated from the fairly stiff parking fees they impose.

[FarCenter]

40. You always offer to cut something that is popular -- it makes the real cut go down better later

Whew! We didn't have to give up our first-born after all! Just the third son.

[winyanstaz]

30. I say...cut the salary of all public employees...starting at the top.

To close the public off from public lands is a crime.

End the damn wars! They are killing us.

We can afford billions daily for wars but cant keep the parks open?

[EmeraldCityGrl]

31. Donald J. Trump State Park? Ugh.

Ask the Donald to pay for it. It's the least he can do in order for people to put up with that name on one of their
cherished parks.

[marmar]

32. Yep. From the air the park looks like a bad toupee.

[reformist2]

41. Yeah, that one stuck out like a sore thumb.... or a bad wig.

[onenote]

45. its named for him because he donated the land

Of course, he only did that after he couldn't get government approval to develop it.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

46. What a shlub.

[arcadian]

53. No shit. That guy is a dick.

[keep_it_real]

34. Money does not grow on park trees - close em

New Yorkers must face facts like other stats that don't have money. 29 million or more to run parks is a lot of green. I applaud Gov. David Paterson for making the hard choices.

[ncteechur]

35. Patterson is as bad or worse than Mark Sanford

[kudzu22]

36. Relax

It's just a tactic to guilt people into paying more in taxes. Works every time.

[mike_c]

37. quick answer: bolt cutters and a court order....

They were going to try this in California, but it didn't fly. We HAVE cut services and raised prices, but the argument in CA was that the parks belong to the people, so the state could cease providing services and maintenance if it could not afford them, but that they don't have the legal right to close the people's parks. We had state legislators recommending that people visit the parks with bolt cutters if the state shuttered them.

[Quantess]

42. "Donald J. Trump State Park in Westchester County would close."

How embarrassing for Donald Trump. Even if the park was named after a different Donald Trump, for his own pride, he should personally rescue it.

[Faryn Balyncd]

43. k and r

[Bluebear]

44. Swimming pools. Senior Centers. Cultural events. Of course. But $$$ for war and AIG

[maryf]

48. +1,000nt

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

47. The Larry Craig's of the world will be devastated

[create.peace]

50. Most of the Interstate rest areas are closed in Arizona now...nt

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

51. imagine that, people being forced to have sex in their own homes

I have relatives who live on the edge of such a park and the perverts are an endless problem,

[maryf]

49. K&R and welcome! nt

[sendero]

52. What part of..

.. THERE IS NO MONEY do folks not understand. This is not just NY, all but a few states are collecting 20% less revenues than a couple years ago. They cannot print money like the Federal govt, they can run deficits for a while and then there HAS TO BE CUTS.

Of all the things that states fund, WHAT WOULD YOU CUT? Because there is NO CHOICE and it is going to get a LOT WORSE before it gets better.

I'd suggest you get used to it.

[progressoid]

56. Yep - there is more of this to come.

It's going to be a bumpy ride for a few years.

[Lorien]

57. What part of let's tax the Rich like it's 1955-and those rich corporate "persons"

as well-do folks (on the Hill) not understand? We wouldn't have to "get used to it" if we stopped funding wars of choice, bailing out free market institutions, and ceased the "gush up, trickle down" madness that has gripped this Nation since the Reagan era.

[sendero]

58. That ship has sailed...

... our illustrious "change agent" has chosen to fix NONE of it.

Who are you going to blame?

[Lorien]

62. "Blame" is for people who just want to sit around and whine

I'll keep writing my reps and marching, and I'll vote third party and encourage others to do the same if they refuse to listen. That ship has sailed? Hell no; that ship still sits in the port, but one one speaks of her on the Hill. It's up to all of US to change that.

[Yurovsky]

59. Sad...

55 state parks is an unbelievable loss for the people of NY.

[Confusious]

60. Well, people don't want to pay taxes

This is what happens.

[Lorien]

63. RICH people and CORPORATE people aren't paying taxes like they once did

the rest of us ARE paying our fair share.

[saltpoint]

61. Well it's about time. Close all the State Parks, I say. All they are is

a bunch of trees and shrubs and trails and so forth -- who needs them?

In my view the beauty and natural wonder of parks just distract citizens from their proper role as consumers.

[JCMach1]

64. Gotta love 'Small' Goverment

:sarcasm:

[Better Today]

65. Of all the ways to save money, this one seems very reasonable

to me. And besides the wild life in those parks will likely appreciate the break from humans trashing their environment for a while.

This is uncomfortable, but I don't see any reason to be angry.