Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger restored $13.3 million in funding to California State Parks in his revised budget proposal released Wednesday. Contra Costa Times report says that the governor’s proposal calls for an $11.8 million infusion to California State Parks from the state’s general fund in the 2008-2009 fiscal year. It also requires the parks department to raise $1.5 million in annual visitor and concessionaire fees, and Schwarzenegger proposed raising entrance fees by $1 to $2 at certain parks to help reach that goal.

LAT has a quote from State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.

“We’re really grateful to the governor,” state parks Director Ruth Coleman said. “We’ll probably raise some day-use fees no more than a dollar or two at select parks … we’re still trying to figure out which ones.” Coleman said she was “pleasantly surprised” when she received word on Tuesday of the fiscal turnabout. “Times are tough for a lot of people,” Coleman said. “This reflects the governor’s understanding that state parks are going to be really important to California this year… They’re a good, affordable vacation. - Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, Daily Travel & Deal Blog, May 15, 2008

In January, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had proposed shuttering 48 of California’s 279 State Parks, mostly in Orange and San Diego Counties, due to budget shortfalls which were at that projected at about $14 billion. That amount has now gone up to $17 billion in the revised budget. More details and background about the state park closure proposal  here.

The California State Parks Foundation released a statement which says that “Finally, the Governor woke up to what tens of thousands of Californians throughout the state have been saying for months– that our precious state park resources are not to be taken for granted and it’s essential to keep the doors to our state parks open and keep lifeguards on our state beaches.  It’s clear that the May Revise is responding to the overwhelming statewide outcry opposing the closure of state parks.”

The torrential outpouring of support for keeping the state parks open proves that nature enthusiasts don’t have that many things to do in San Diego , and other places where state parks were slated for closure, other than to poke around inside the parks. Let’s just say that its environmental protection gone wild, where a place is instantly designated as a state park if it’s inhabited by humans. Can you name one place in California, which has not been designated as a state park area, and where you can enjoy the outdoors and nature unspoilt by man? Don’t take too long to think about it, cause by the time you find a place, they’ll probably have slapped a state park sticker on it too.

For the record, Arnold isn’t alone in this boat. The same thing is going on in New Jersey, where Gov Corzine’s 2009 budget will result in the full closure of 9 state parks and their historic sites, as well as a reduction of services at other parks.

Posted on May 16th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: California, Parks