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View Full Version : Florida State Parks at risk of closing



floridahikes
12-24-2008, 12:37
Hey, gang,
I heard back in early November that there was a "cut list" for certain Florida State Parks due to planned 2009 budget cuts by the Florida legislature. I attended some meetings in November and it sounded like it wouldn't be an issue until March. Then the legislature decided it will meet in special session on January 5 to start cutting programs. So...

I've written about all 22 of the Florida State Parks at risk of closing and posted details about them at http://www.floridahikes.com ... you can access from the interactive map on the front of the site. I've also set up a blog at http://floridahikes.com/stateparkissues for folks to share their concerns and comments. If you live near one of the affected state parks and can add details, photos, video ... please get in touch with me ASAP and I'll set up a userid for you to join the blog. I'll be contacting key Tallahassee folks again to get them to keep up with the blog.

Thanks for caring and enjoy your holidays!
Cheers, Navigator

wahoo
12-24-2008, 16:06
This is really sad news. All of these parks are vital. They provide historical, educational, and recreational resources to the entire state, and closing these parks will only save less than two million dollars in a 66 billion dollar budget.

superman
12-24-2008, 17:46
Wait until you see the up coming budgets all across the country. You can probably forget about all the programs that were on your want list. The depth and breath of everything that has been stolen or paid in bail out will get your attention in 2009, etc etc.:-?

puddingboy
12-24-2008, 18:17
This is pathetic, the government should be giving more money to these things instead of giving wall street 700 billion dollars.

Dogwood
12-24-2008, 18:51
This is the kind of BS that makes me shake my head and question my state and federal goverenment's priorities and motives. Our very wealthy nation can afford spending the money they take from you and me and provide multi billion dollar no accountabilty as to where the money is going bailout packages(they are now talking about a 1 trillion dollar stimulus package, I think the public is just now beginning to realize they have been pick pocketed to the tune of 700 billion dollars from the last package) to private industrial sectors and yet state and national parks, national wildlife areas, historical sites, etc. are at risk. It tells me, that the powers that be are discounting the unified voice of people like you and me, who cherish our wilderness areas. All it takes for evil to prevail is to have good people do nothing. Wasn't it Teddy Roosevelt, the President who is credited with creating the first National Park and more National Parks than any other President, who said something to the effect, "wilderness needs to be preserved for future generations as a national legacy to be handed down to our children, grandchildren and great children. For if it not, it will be destroyed by the hands of greedy men." (paraphrased)

buckwheat
12-24-2008, 19:19
Isn't Dudley Farm a private family-owned business? Or did the state buy it? It's a state park, but I understand it's a private business.

superman
12-24-2008, 19:38
This is the kind of BS that makes me shake my head and question my state and federal goverenment's priorities and motives. Our very wealthy nation can afford spending the money they take from you and me and provide multi billion dollar no accountabilty as to where the money is going bailout packages(they are now talking about a 1 trillion dollar stimulus package, I think the public is just now beginning to realize they have been pick pocketed to the tune of 700 billion dollars from the last package) to private industrial sectors and yet state and national parks, national wildlife areas, historical sites, etc. are at risk. It tells me, that the powers that be are discounting the unified voice of people like you and me, who cherish our wilderness areas. All it takes for evil to prevail is to have good people do nothing. Wasn't it Teddy Roosevelt, the President who is credited with creating the first National Park and more National Parks than any other President, who said something to the effect, "wilderness needs to be preserved for future generations as a national legacy to be handed down to our children, grandchildren and great children. For if it not, it will be destroyed by the hands of greedy men." (paraphrased)

Big Brother has his hands so deep in our pockets yet they missed all that gangster stuff going on? The bigger the lie the easier to make people believe it. I feel like they've blown so much smoke up my butt I feel like a damn wind tunnel. Is there a point when the American people will get pissed off? We'll be lucky if they don't clear cut the national forests and sell the animals for meat to raise bucks for the bail out. It's coming like a slow round house punch...or maybe I'm kidding.:D

floridahikes
12-25-2008, 00:53
Isn't Dudley Farm a private family-owned business? Or did the state buy it? It's a state park, but I understand it's a private business.

No, Dudley has been a state park for years. It does have a very strong citizen support organization and friends group, and mostly does educational programs.

Thanks for your comments....Merry Christmas to everyone!
Navigator

JojoSmiley
12-25-2008, 09:52
Wait until you see the up coming budgets all across the country. You can probably forget about all the programs that were on your want list. The depth and breath of everything that has been stolen or paid in bail out will get your attention in 2009, etc etc.:-?

I think Superman has hit the nail on the head. States budgets are going to go thru monumental cuts that will affect everyone. For too long folks have spending beyond their means and now when its time to pay the piper they all say its not my fault. I don't agree with the bailout but its beyond my control. All I can do is control myself and spend my money wisely. I didn't vote for Obama but am waiting to see how he handles it all given the many ideas he spoke about during his campaign. His administration can't bail everyone out so states will probably be tightening fund spending all over. Folks who want these parks to stay open need to keep in mind that maybe the amount is not large compared to the $$ spent elsewhere but as ounces add up to pounds in a pack so do millions add up to billions and trillions. Budget cutting has to start somewhere and the usual answer is not in my department/backyard. Well, get ready for decreased services all over. Maybe we can have a civilian volunteer corp for performing the services no longer being able to be funded?
Just a thought.

floridahikes
12-25-2008, 10:03
Jojo,
Volunteers in Florida State Parks in 2007 provided 1.2 million hours of service, a value to the state of $22.5 million dollars.

All they need to do is raise entrance fees by $1 statewide. That would cover their $2 million shortfall and more. It sure beats closing parks.

Merry Christmas to all...
Navigator

Jeff
12-25-2008, 12:19
Thanks to all the volunteers maintaining the AT, the govt cannot take their services away from the trail. There is something to be said for self sufficiency.

wahoo
12-25-2008, 16:27
Jojo,
Volunteers in Florida State Parks in 2007 provided 1.2 million hours of service, a value to the state of $22.5 million dollars.

All they need to do is raise entrance fees by $1 statewide. That would cover their $2 million shortfall and more. It sure beats closing parks.

Merry Christmas to all...
Navigator

I can't see why anyone would argue with that. Do you think that will that be discussed in the special legislative session?

wahoo
12-26-2008, 11:26
No, Dudley has been a state park for years. It does have a very strong citizen support organization and friends group, and mostly does educational programs.

Thanks for your comments....Merry Christmas to everyone!
Navigator

Here a YouTube video of Dudley Farm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRG-4ng3qI4

floridahikes
12-26-2008, 14:01
I do hope that comes up for discussion. I've brought it in front of quite a few folks, including Gov. Crist and the folks at DEP. Been busy past couple days - when not with family - sending out Letters to the Editor and a full op-ed article to newspapers around the state. So far, Lakeland Ledger and Jacksonville Times-Union confirmed they're picking up the story. Cedar Key News and Wakulla.com picked up my stuff too. I figure at least the little papers will, so I'm glad some of bigger ones will too.

Here's my article:
http://www.floridahikes.com/blog/2008/12/26/closing-florida-state-parks-makes-no-sense/

Kevin, thanks for the Dudley Farm video link, will add to the website.

Knocky
02-02-2009, 17:10
There will always be mixed feelings about closing access to parks. I live in the Gainesville area, and I certainly do NOT like the way the Park Service runs San Felasco and the Paines Prairie areas.
I have hiked in these locations, and others around here for better than 50 years now.
I don't think my political world view will mesh with that of some folks here, so I'll not address the reasons I think are behind this aspect of our current budget shortfalls.

Gray Blazer
02-02-2009, 17:51
There will always be mixed feelings about closing access to parks. I live in the Gainesville area, and I certainly do NOT like the way the Park Service runs San Felasco and the Paines Prairie areas.
I have hiked in these locations, and others around here for better than 50 years now.
I don't think my political world view will mesh with that of some folks here, so I'll not address the reasons I think are behind this aspect of our current budget shortfalls.

Yeah, at least here in Alachua County they take your taxes and buy land to be preserved. You just can't get access to all of it (legally). We do have the headquarters for the FT (so far).

skinewmexico
02-02-2009, 18:21
I'm sure there are a lot of stupid things they could cut in the budget to make up that 2 million. Heck, that's only 4 months of Nancy Pelosi's new government supplied jet.