WNED-AM 970 NEWS
(2010-03-03)
Allegany is one State Park that could see cuts under the governor's proposed plan.
sites for budgetary reasons this year is meeting stiff opposition. A noontime rally outside the State Capitol in which hundreds attended drove home that point.
Paterson's recommendation form a small part of the governor's strategy for closing a Fiscal 2010-2011 budget shortfall exceeding $9 billion.
State Parks advocates say Paterson's proposal makes no sense, given the revenue that state park and historic site revenues generate.
"State parks are receiving more than their fair share of pain. Their operating budget is going to be cut by about 20 percent," says Shawn McConnell, a spokesman for the group Parks & Trails New York.
The State Parks Office has said it will close 41 parks, reduce services at 23 others and shut down 14 historic sites because of the state's budget crisis.
Two downstate state lawmakers say restoring $11.3 million of the $20 million in proposed budget cuts to the state parks system will prevent the Paterson administration from closing dozens of state parks and historic sites.
State Senator Jose Serrano says cutting parks is the wrong approach. Serrano says parks provide more than 20,000 jobs to New Yorkers and generate a 5-to-1 return in tourism dollars.
"Now, during a recession, is the worst time to cut in an area that actually can help pull us out of this recession...it has been proven time and time again that the parks are an economic engine for the State of New York," said Serrano in Albany.
Earlier this week, parks officials said they had canceled hundreds of campsite reservations at parks that could be closed this year.
A "Save Our Parks" rally will be held at Woodlawn Beach State Park this Saturday at 11 am.
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