Tight Budgets Pinch State Park Funds

(CBS)  Lindsay Bourkoff and her twins are regulars at this state park in Los Angeles.

"This is the last place where I have to take my children on a Sunday, or during the week, and have them explore," Bourkoff said.

But in this budget crisis there is a limit on how much fresh air and open space California can afford. A $26 billion shortfall forced the state to make drastic cuts - which could include closing 100 parks - more than a third of the state's 279 parks, reports CBS News correspondent John Blackstone.

"It's an awful feeling, but we have no choice," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in June.

Some 78 million Californians and tourists from around the world go to California's state parks each year. In one park enormous trees grow. Another provides visitors a rare close-up view of elephant seals. Another park gives polo players a place to compete.

"These are very significant places and closure is going to damage them no matter how long or short it is," said Elizabeth Goldstein, with the California State Parks Foundation.

Hundreds of concerned park visitors sent in photos of their favorite parks as part of a campaign to save them from closure, from busy beaches to remote historic sites.

And in Will Rogers State Park, a Hollywood style protest, picnickers gathered in costumes from another era. Their message: parks are a link between the past and the future - and that should be preserved.

"All the work people have done over the decades saving, preserving and developing these parks for future generations and it's just going to get thrown away because it's inconvenient for the current budget situation," said Walter Nelson, a park advocate.

Advocates say parks are needed most right now when so many are on a tight budget.

"More people are going camping in the state parks than ever before," Goldstein said. "People are flocking to the state parks because it is affordable, accessible recreation."

"To come to a place like this park and have my kids run around for two hours, find sticks, pick up rocks, scratch sap off trees - it's priceless," Bourkoff said.

But in this economy, Californians are realizing even their invaluable treasures come with a price.

[Astrogeek95020]

The closure of some state parks goes well beyond 'fresh air and open spaces'. The planned closure of Fremont Peak State Park will also force the closure of the amateur-run astronomical observatory there, and bankrupt the managing Fremont Peak Observatory Association http://www.fpoa.net Since 1986 FPOA has presented hundreds of public programs to tens of thousands of people at zero cost, in addition to hundreds of special programs presented for school, church, and social groups. The loss of this treasure will be stunning to local education that depends on it for science enrichment.

[steve54z]

Republicans in the Pennsylvania State House are attempting to gut funds for state parks and other ecological concerns from the state budget. They think that removing current spending will give their proposal a frugal look. Barack Obama should tell Joe Scarnati and his Friends to accept fewer federal tax dollars. The Administration must only support a caucus with real environment interest.

[sjc_1]

California has some great state parks, from beaches to deserts to mountains. Prop 13 has destroyed schools, parks and California itself. The greedy wealthy land owners got their way in 1979 by convincing home owners to be greedy and selfish too.

[ubrew12]

In california, the typical citizen pays 12% in state taxes, while the wealthiest 1% pay 8% in state taxes. This is because, due to prop 13, older, larger landowners pay peanuts in property taxes compared to younger, poorer landowners. This is, of course, both class warfare and generational warfare, but California doesn't seem to want to change it.

Also in California, you need a 2/3rds state legislature majority to raise taxes or pass a budget. This means, essentially, that on the subject of taxes, one Republican vote is worth TWO Democratic votes. So, the REAL problem with California is that its not a Democracy.

Personally, I'm glad CA is closing one-third of its state parks. Due to decades of lack of public funding, they sucked anyway.