California parks feeling burden of funding cuts
By Marjie Lundstrom and Matt Weiser, Sacramento Bee
They were left to the people of California, gifts of natural beauty and magnificence to be passed through the generations.
For California’s 278 state parks, that heritage is becoming an iffy proposition.
Amid a sagging economy and chronic state budget deficit, California’s parks – like other state park systems across the nation – are at a critical financial crossroads.
Grover Hot Springs in Markleeville is part of the State Parks system. Photo/Kathryn Reed
Years of budget cuts have produced a $1 billion backlog of crumbling buildings and eroding trails, according to a five-month examination by McClatchy newspapers in California. The vacancy rate among California park rangers stands at 30 percent. Reported crimes in state parks tripled over the past decade as the state added more parks – but not park rangers – a data analysis shows.
“We’re on the wrong end of a 30-year downward trend,” said California State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.
It’s a shame the state of California neglects its parks so. If properly maintained and promoted they can bring in millions of visitors along with their tourist dollars to nearby towns and businesses. Almost all of our travel is to parks either in this state or in others, but usually others now, because California’s are not so inviting in their states of disrepair and lack of staffing. Seems very short-sighted to me to cut something that could be so profitable.
VOTE YES ON PROP. 21
I plan to vote for it, with misgivings. I’m afraid that, politicians being politicians, that once they have those dedicated funds coming in, they will simply take away whatever moneys are currently allocated for the parks and we’ll still end up short. Our legislators are a slippery and untrustworthy bunch.
State parks should be fully funded by existing tax priorities, as they were many years ago. Don’t reward inept legislators and politicians for their mismanagement and wasteful programs with yet another tax increase as they surreptitiously dangle an emotional issue like state parks in front of voters. Don’t fall for their bluff. Vote NO on Prop. 21.
Facebook has a neat feature where when you have nothing else to add to a statement, you can simply click on the ‘like’ icon. Steve YOU SAID IT better than I could!!
(If available, I would’ve just clicked the like icon on your statement!)
face book the root of all evil,you can easily read others messages,and find more info on any person without any problems…
I’m not kidding!!
Should beware this.