NJ Government Shutdown - State Parks and Forests, etc. closed

[4eyedbuzzard]

NJ shut down the state gov. Parks, Forests etc are closed as of this Sat morning. Trails / campgrounds, etc through Stokes, Worthington, Waywaywanda, etc. all closed. This affects a lot of the AT in NJ. No news as to how thoroughly this is being enforced regarding thru-hikers and others.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...e_state_g.html

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...art_river_home

[Slo-go'en]

I don't see how this would affect the AT, since there is no place you have to check in. You just won't be able to use the lavatory at the High Point park office. Car campers will be the only ones affected.

[Offshore]

I don't see how this would affect the AT, since there is no place you have to check in. You just won't be able to use the lavatory at the High Point park office. Car campers will be the only ones affected.

This closure affects High Point State Park, Waywayanda State Park, and the numerous state forests, and since the AT runs largely through these in NJ, the AT in these areas as well. The state park police are turning people away at the park entrances and have cleared out the group and individual camp sites at 10 am today, cancelled camping and function reservations, and the closed the swimming beaches. Technically, if the park or state forest is closed, you're not allowed to be in it. I really don't think the regulations consider a thru hiker any differently from a day user. Realistically, the limited police resources are probably concentrated on staffing the park entrances to keep people out and patrolling the swimming beaches. If I were on trail, I'd avoid the really visible areas like the High Point office and crossing at Route 23 and the Wayanda Park office.

On a side note, this is not without its irony. The governor (15% approval rating, lowest of all US governors in history) shut the government down (hence, the parks) from the governor's summer mansion located in Island Beach State Park (No doubt enjoying 7 miles of undeveloped coastline and the best ocean beaches in the state).

[Sarcasm the elf]

On a side note, this is not without its irony. The governor (15% approval rating, lowest of all US governors in history) shut the government down (hence, the parks) from the governor's summer mansion located in Island Beach State Park (No doubt enjoying 7 miles of undeveloped coastline and the best ocean beaches in the state).

I came across this artist's rendition:
IMG_9429.JPG

[Dogwood]

Told this forum yrs ago when thsee state and Fed budget issues occurred if we don't come together collectivEly raising our opposition to such shut downs the powers that be will be coming back again. They were only testing the opposition last time. Unless voters like us oppose this behavior it will happen again and again possibly permanently on a larger scale. This kind of stuff, devaluing the outdoors and the environment, has been occurring since the nation began. It will continue no matter what they say.

[rocketsocks]

I came across this artist's rendition:
IMG_9429.JPG

would be 50% more cooler if that horse was a jackass.

[Traveler]

Told this forum yrs ago when thsee state and Fed budget issues occurred if we don't come together collectivEly raising our opposition to such shut downs the powers that be will be coming back again. They were only testing the opposition last time. Unless voters like us oppose this behavior it will happen again and again possibly permanently on a larger scale. This kind of stuff, devaluing the outdoors and the environment, has been occurring since the nation began. It will continue no matter what they say.

There is likely some level of hue and cry about State park closure during one of the big three popular weekends of summer. However, Governors use this tactic in turning public anger from them towards the legislative body, be it for budgetary woes or to deflect anger of incompetence. That said, I don't think comments from those who are not residents of NJ have any weight with State officials and are easily dismissed.

[Dogwood]

Still have my NJ ID. It was a good picture.

[Offshore]

There is likely some level of hue and cry about State park closure during one of the big three popular weekends of summer. However, Governors use this tactic in turning public anger from them towards the legislative body, be it for budgetary woes or to deflect anger of incompetence. That said, I don't think comments from those who are not residents of NJ have any weight with State officials and are easily dismissed.

Speaking of weight, the governor here in NJ doesn't care what NJ residents think or how the shut down affects us. In addition to his immediate family, his 24 year old son is partying with his former college bros at the summer mansion in Island Beach State Park - goes a long way to explain his lowest approval ratings ever measured for a governor in the US.

[Offshore]

I came across this artist's rendition:
IMG_9429.JPG

Obviously a fake (or animal abuse). This would clearly need to be a Clydesdale...

[Offshore]

And here's Governor BigBoy (George W. Bush's nickname for him) enjoying the closed state park:

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...epage-featured

[Sarcasm the elf]

And here's Governor BigBoy (George W. Bush's nickname for him) enjoying the closed state park:

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...epage-featured

The sheer tone deafness of his vacation plans are jaw dropping.

I don't follow NJ politics closely so I can't add too much, but I hope that the residents and businesses in your state let your representatives hear your opinions about this. I can only imagine the financial impact it is having on businesses near the shoreline.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Back on the topic of the A.T., the ATC posted the attached update to Facebook, short story is that the A.T. itself is still open, but park services are closed.

https://m.facebook.com/ATHike/photos...pe=3&source=48

IMG_9459.PNG

[BuckeyeBill]

I think I read or heard that the last time this happened, NJ lost millions because it closed the casinos and the lottery resulting in NJ losing millions of dollars in revenue. It would seem that closing the Parks and Beaches would have the same effect, especially on a long holiday weekend?

[rocketsocks]

The sheer tone deafness of his vacation plans are jaw dropping.

I don't follow NJ politics closely so I can't add too much, but I hope that the residents and businesses in your state let your representatives hear your opinions about this. I can only imagine the financial impact it is having on businesses near the shoreline.

Christie's a swap creature.

[Venchka]

Done. Over. Until the next time.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BillyGr]

It only involved a limited amount of beach (Island Beach State Park), since most of the beaches are owned/run by the local towns and not the state. So, not much of an impact there, as there were still options not that far away that were open.

[Offshore]

It only involved a limited amount of beach (Island Beach State Park), since most of the beaches are owned/run by the local towns and not the state. So, not much of an impact there, as there were still options not that far away that were open.

True in a geographic sense, but that's only a small part of the story.

Island Beach is far nicer than the commercialized private and municipal beaches. With the exception of the two main guarded bathing areas, its 7 miles of essentially pristine coastal environment, so its just a nicer experience. Think of the backcountry of Yellowstone vs. the Old Faithful complex. Where would you rather be?

There is another major difference between Island Beach State Park (IBSP) and private/municipal beaches, though - affordability. The entrance fee for IBSP on a weekend is $10/car for state residents (This can be even less if one buys an annual state park pass for $50). Concessions are available, but you are permitted to bring your own food and they offer free changing facilities with showers, so you don't have to make the salty commute home at the end of the day. So, a family of 4 bringing their own lunch (assume $20 for groceries) can enjoy a day at the beach for $30.

Compare this to the municipally and privately owned beaches. Where parking is available (many municipalities intentionally limit parking to discourage non-residents from using the beaches), it can run up to $25 - and I've seen it as high as $30. Beach badges run about $10 for adults and slightly less for children. Whether or not you are allowed to bring food varies. In towns that have a lot of boardwalk concessions, they usually prohibit this, forcing you to pay the exorbitant boardwalk concession prices. Now if a bathhouse is available for changing, they run $4 - 5 per person. So let's add this up for a family of four - two adults and two children on a holiday weekend. Parking - $25, Beach admission - $10/adult, $7 child so $34, changing/showers - $16, boardwalk food runs - $40 (probably low) for a total of $115.

For many working families, the difference between $115 for non-state park vs. $30 for a state park is very significant. For many, $115 is prohibitive. So no, you can't just blithely say "no big deal, they can go somewhere else".

[capt. photon]

My local TV news, Albany, NY, posted a pic of the gov enjoying an empty beach and then cut to a press conference where he was asked about it. He wouldn't answer the question and just said, "move on".

[Offshore]

My local TV news, Albany, NY, posted a pic of the gov enjoying an empty beach and then cut to a press conference where he was asked about it. He wouldn't answer the question and just said, "move on".

According to the latest polls. about 85% of us in NJ can't wait until he moves on. He was also saying the governor's summer mansion isn't in the state park. Technically that may be true because even when the park is open, the public is excluded from that area - but it is in the park. Idiots like him seem to forget that facts can be checked (all one needs to do is to look at Google Earth). It was good to see that his hypocrisy and cynicism hit the national news resulting in beached whale photos all over the media.