California State Parks Closing

[1953 Flying]

Well it looks like the California budget is not big enough to keep open 70 State Parks that we already help support. Here is the list as of today at noon will be closed till further notice.

70 State Parks To Close Due To Budget Cuts « CBS Sacramento

Below is a list of California State Parks to be closed:
Anderson Marsh SHP
Annadel SP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Austin Creek SRA
Bale Grist Mill SHP
Benbow Lake SRA
Benicia Capitol SHP
Benicia SRA
Bidwell Mansion SHP
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Brannan Island SRA
California Mining & Mineral Museum
Candlestick Point SRA
Castle Crags SP
Castle Rock SP
China Camp SP
Colusa-Sacramento River SRA
Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Fort Humboldt SHP
Fort Tejon SHP
Garrapata SP
George J. Hatfield SRA
Governor’s Mansion SHP
Gray Whale Cove SB
Greenwood SB
Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
Hendy Woods SP
Henry W. Coe SP
Jack London SHP
Jug Handle SNR
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Limekiln SP
Los Encinos SHP
Malakoff Diggins SHP
Manchester SP
McConnell SRA
McGrath SB
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Morro Strand SB
Moss Landing SB
Olompali SHP
Palomar Mountain SP
Petaluma Adobe SHP
Picacho SRA
Pio Pico SHP
Plumas-Eureka SP
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Portola Redwoods SP
Providence Mountains SRA
Railtown 1897 SHP
Russian Gulch SP
Saddleback Butte SP
Salton Sea SRA
Samuel P. Taylor SP
San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
Santa Cruz Mission SHP
Santa Susana Pass SHP
Shasta SHP
South Yuba River SP
Standish-Hickey SRA
Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Tomales Bay SP
Tule Elk SNR
Turlock Lake SRA
Twin Lakes SB
Weaverville Joss House SHP
Westport-Union Landing SB
William B. Ide Adobe SHP
Woodson Bridge SRA
Zmudowski SB

[OB Bambi]

I guess we just don't pay enough taxes.

Sorry to see this.

Thanks for the info.

Randy Bowman

[Johnco]

I don't understand some of these, they are parks that get quite a bit of traffic and should be self sustaining, others, not so much. I guess it it has to happen...feel bad for the folks who are local to those locals and rely on them for hiking and day visits.

[Melody Ranch]

But, look at the other things California Govt. "think" is so important to spend on. And the "social programs" it is wrapped up with. I can't even mention the population demographics here. What a shame.

[OB Bambi]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f224...ose-76270.html

Here's the explaination regarding McGrath State Beach. It gets a lot of use but apparently the State of California doesn't have enough money to fix the toilets.

Randy

[SoCalStreamr]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

But, look at the other things California Govt. "think" is so important to spend on. And the "social programs" it is wrapped up with. I can't even mention the population demographics here. What a shame.

I hope you are not trying to suggest that minorities have caused park closures because thats reDONKulous.

The state is out of money but this is an incredibly shortsighted move because many of the parks cannot be closed and will be continued to be used. Fees will not be collected, rangers, crew and volunteers will not be on the land and they will not be cleaned, supported and will not be safe or maintained.

Nevermind the fact that the State Parks are one of the few services that everyone likes.

[barts]

It's not the "social program" or the (do you hear a dogwhistle?) "demographics"; it is pretty simple: the biggest part of the budget is education, and the primary funding source is income taxes. Ever since Prop 13 slashed property taxes (ostensibly to keep Grandma in her house, but the real windfall went to company-owned real estate...), the state rather than local governments have paid for most of the education costs.

Anyway, it's too bad; many of these are beautiful parks.

- Bart

[Globie64]

Its true, the closing the parks is dumb because they are actually revenue generators. Also it has a huge impact on the small towns nearby; most of the parks on highway one in Sonoma county have been padlocked for months. Local shops are cutting hours or closing altogether. And, as SoCalStreamer mentioned, the parks are used anyway; there are lines of cars on the highway belonging to people who hop the gates and continue to use the unmaintained and unsupervised parks. Its having a huge effect in our area.

[NevadaGeo]

I've never understood why it takes so much government support to keep a place open, the folks using the place can keep it going them selves. What costs so much that the use fees don't keep them going? Do the private parks depend on government support, or do the park owners keep open on the usage fees from the users?

[Mexray]

I think part of it is the 'pot hole syndrome'...."Let's rile up the public by letting the roads go to pot, or close a bunch of visible State Recreational areas...This way we'll show em' we need more tax revenue to get things running again!"

Hogwash! Have you read where some of the lifeguards in So-Cal that have been around for awhile are being paid OVER $200K!!! As with many State employees, they will be paid over 80% of their last year's salary (including any OT they've loaded up on) as their 'retirement' wage!!!...

State Parks & Rec appear to be like all to many other Calif. State agencies that have overpaid personnel as one of the leading causes of the State's LARGE budget deficits...

I wonder why a private RV park located in the same 'neighborhood' as a State Park can operate at a profit (including paying property taxes and conforming to Govt Regs) with fees from their paying guests - BUT - the State Park needs additional State funds to operate?

The State's answer is ALWAYS raising taxes! California's private citizens are suffering as well, and when our revenue goes down, we cut back our personal spending - Calif's politicians just don't get it!

Calif's lawmakers (that's an oxymoron) are beholden to so many special interests (IE employee unions) they don't have the guts to do what's right to get rid of or cut back on the huge number of duplicated agencies and programs that waste so many Millions or Billions of $'s each year...

"Yeah - lets close a bunch of State Rec areas, then we'll have enough money to fund our big FAT pensions for maybe another WEEK!"

[Snedwid]

Quote: "I think part of it is the 'pot hole syndrome'...."Let's rile up the public by letting the roads go to pot, or close a bunch of visible State Recreational areas...This way we'll show em' we need more tax revenue to get things running again!"

Nail on the head!

[kennyp315]

Close all the state parks and turn them over to the pot growing narco gangs from Mexico. You think we have problems now, just wait. This is a pathetic game our politicans play. It's time to throw them all out of office. Then maybe we can get their attention. We live in a welfare state, where the middle class pays for everything. I wish Theodore Roosevelt was still president.

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by Mexray

I think part of it is the 'pot hole syndrome'...."Let's rile up the public by letting the roads go to pot, or close a bunch of visible State Recreational areas...This way we'll show em' we need more tax revenue to get things running again!"

Hogwash! Have you read where some of the lifeguards in So-Cal that have been around for awhile are being paid OVER $200K!!! As with many State employees, they will be paid over 80% of their last year's salary (including any OT they've loaded up on) as their 'retirement' wage!!!...

State Parks & Rec appear to be like all to many other Calif. State agencies that have overpaid personnel as one of the leading causes of the State's LARGE budget deficits...

I wonder why a private RV park located in the same 'neighborhood' as a State Park can operate at a profit (including paying property taxes and conforming to Govt Regs) with fees from their paying guests - BUT - the State Park needs additional State funds to operate?

The State's answer is ALWAYS raising taxes! California's private citizens are suffering as well, and when our revenue goes down, we cut back our personal spending - Calif's politicians just don't get it!

Calif's lawmakers (that's an oxymoron) are beholden to so many special interests (IE employee unions) they don't have the guts to do what's right to get rid of or cut back on the huge number of duplicated agencies and programs that waste so many Millions or Billions of $'s each year...

"Yeah - lets close a bunch of State Rec areas, then we'll have enough money to fund our big FAT pensions for maybe another WEEK!"

Right on, Right on, Right on!

With the exception that California politicians do get it.

They just want to continue to to have Californians pay the highest taxes in the land, so that they can buy votes, with their failed social programs, and from "special interest" groups.

We must take the money away from these Robin Hoods. After all, Robin Hood was a common thief. How he ever became a hero, I'll never understand.

[Chipster]

MEX-RAY
I agree with you 100% ! Spending is out of control, but govt has blind eyes and deaf ears.
Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody want to die.

[Wsmith]

Originally Posted by [LEFT

Chipster[/LEFT];1006912]MEX-RAY
I agree with you 100% ! Spending is out of control, but govt has blind eyes and deaf ears.
Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody want to die.

Published: June 16, 2011
Updated: June 18, 2011 9:54 a.m.
60 more firms move jobs, work out of California

By JAN NORMAN
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

I feel you all of you. It may be too late to recover as your manufacturing base is fleeing.

Carl Jr. is building like crazy here in Texas. I believe they are considering moving their Headquarters here.

Wes

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by 1953 Flying

Well it looks like the California budget is not big enough to keep open 70 State Parks that we already help support. Here is the list as of today at noon will be closed till further notice.

70 State Parks To Close Due To Budget Cuts « CBS Sacramento

Below is a list of California State Parks to be closed:
Anderson Marsh SHP
Annadel SP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Austin Creek SRA
Bale Grist Mill SHP
Benbow Lake SRA
Benicia Capitol SHP
Benicia SRA
Bidwell Mansion SHP
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Brannan Island SRA
California Mining & Mineral Museum
Candlestick Point SRA
Castle Crags SP
Castle Rock SP
China Camp SP
Colusa-Sacramento River SRA
Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Fort Humboldt SHP
Fort Tejon SHP
Garrapata SP
George J. Hatfield SRA
Governor’s Mansion SHP
Gray Whale Cove SB
Greenwood SB
Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
Hendy Woods SP
Henry W. Coe SP
Jack London SHP
Jug Handle SNR
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Limekiln SP
Los Encinos SHP
Malakoff Diggins SHP
Manchester SP
McConnell SRA
McGrath SB
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Morro Strand SB
Moss Landing SB
Olompali SHP
Palomar Mountain SP
Petaluma Adobe SHP
Picacho SRA
Pio Pico SHP
Plumas-Eureka SP
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Portola Redwoods SP
Providence Mountains SRA
Railtown 1897 SHP
Russian Gulch SP
Saddleback Butte SP
Salton Sea SRA
Samuel P. Taylor SP
San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
Santa Cruz Mission SHP
Santa Susana Pass SHP
Shasta SHP
South Yuba River SP
Standish-Hickey SRA
Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Tomales Bay SP
Tule Elk SNR
Turlock Lake SRA
Twin Lakes SB
Weaverville Joss House SHP
Westport-Union Landing SB
William B. Ide Adobe SHP
Woodson Bridge SRA
Zmudowski SB

It's been a while since the closings. I wonder if any of those on the list have reopened? Is there a new updated list?

[Reay]

Found this on the California State Parks web site:

Through AB 1478, the parks that were on the original list for closure receive priority for matching funds. Director Jackson noted the plan to close the 70 parks is in the past, saying: “If a future budget situation should require a reduction plan, I assure all that we will develop a new plan in an open and transparent fashion. The 70 park closure plan is not our plan for
moving forward.”

Also, I know MB Strand is still open as well as Limekiln.

Besides a "temporary" sales tax increase, State Parks disclosed that they had several $ million stashed away in accounts only they knew about.

Tom

[kscherzi]

I think money was found to keep all parks open.

[AWCHIEF]

Yep, money found. From a so called "secret" fund.

[Bluto]

Great, that is the kind of news I like to here!