In Governor Paterson’s state budget, he proposes to close down many of our state parks as a way to save the state from fiscal Armageddon. Closing down and limiting park access would be a vital mistake and would not put our state on the road to fiscal recovery. Since I am adamantly opposed to any park closures or limiting access to parks, I have been thinking of resourceful and practical ways in which New York can bridge the growing $9.05 billion deficit.

State parks and historic sites contribute billions of dollars to the state economy, returning nearly five dollars for every dollar of investment. In today’s economy, parks are important to everyone in the state. When it comes down to closing one of the only resources that all taxpayers can enjoy, it really hits close to home, especially with those who have lost their jobs or who are struggling to make ends meet. In addition, state parks and historic sites attract out-of-state visitors who contribute to the economic stability of our state. As the economic situation for our families becomes more stressful, families are staying closer to home and visiting cost-friendly recreational opportunities.

Allegany State Park in Cattaraugus County is an important economic and recreational resource for local residents and visitors. Encompassing 65,000 acres and attracting nearly 1.5 million visitors annually, it is the largest state park in New York. Allegany State Park is facing elimination of winter trail maintenance, reduction of Quaker area cabin rentals, elimination of swimming at Quaker Lake beach and elimination of interpretive and educational programming for visitors. The anticipated cost savings realized by eliminating these services is estimated at roughly $171,000.

There are many other budget alternatives the state could adopt which would allow state parks to remain open and also work to close the deficit. Some of the ideas include, but are not limited to, more consolidations or eliminations of state agencies, state authorities and commissions, and reforming the state’s broken Medicaid system by rooting out fraud, waste and abuse.

The Governor’s attempt to decrease the deficit by closing down a major tourism hub in Western New York is short-sighted. Not only will this bring more bad news to the state’s economy, it will effectively reduce outdoor recreation and tourism spending with no clear plan for when or how these parks will be reopened. There are other practical ways to go about bridging this budget deficit; closing down our state parks is not the way to go about doing it.