I saw this in today's Courier Post.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS01/80401014
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS01/80401014
Article about NJ parks closing due to budget cuts
- Thread starter piker56
- Start date
Ben,
I am not really sure if you're playing devil's advocate here?
Can you broaden your statement?
Part of me says cuts should be across the board, but...
g.
Every department was asked to make cuts. This is what the DEP is cutting.
It's also hardly as bad as people make it out to be. For example, they want to close the bathrooms and visitors center at Monmouth Battlefield State Park.
It's also hardly as bad as people make it out to be. For example, they want to close the bathrooms and visitors center at Monmouth Battlefield State Park.
So people will still be able to visit the parks? I think it's silly to close parks and bar the public from hiking there. It costs very little for people to hike in parks. And even if they do "close" the parks, people will find a way in for hiking.
Nobody is closing the land to public access.
This is a better article: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS/80401016&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
This is a better article: http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS/80401016&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
Thanks for posting these clarifications. I went back and re-read the article, and you know what, I think the CP deserves a big raspberry for the way they headlined that. If you look at the list of facilities in the right-hand column it is headlined:
Nine New Jersey state parks that would close under Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposed budget
The article itself is headlined:
9 state parks likely to close if budget OK'd
But reading it closely what you find is a facilities reduction as Ben noted. I guess in the nine they mentioned they consider them to be "closed" because the facilities will close. And even that, I'm willing to bet, is basically raising the political stakes to put some heat on Trenton. It's like local schoolboards threatening to cut music and athletics before every vote on a property tax or bond issue.
Nine New Jersey state parks that would close under Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposed budget
The article itself is headlined:
9 state parks likely to close if budget OK'd
But reading it closely what you find is a facilities reduction as Ben noted. I guess in the nine they mentioned they consider them to be "closed" because the facilities will close. And even that, I'm willing to bet, is basically raising the political stakes to put some heat on Trenton. It's like local schoolboards threatening to cut music and athletics before every vote on a property tax or bond issue.
I thought it was just the facilities closing and not access to the parks. It's still a shame if the facilities close, though. Our summer vacation for many years was a 9 or 10 day camping trip at Belleplain. I hate to think of the families like us that planned their summer vacations at state parks having to change, or maybe not go.
What would it mean to close a state forest like Brendan T. Byrne? Would you still have access to it? After I read the article it seems like the park police would not lose their jobs but park rangers might? Not to bring up ATV's again but it always seems to be a hot button. Would the forest not be patrolled as much? That may lead to an increase in ATV activity in that area.
I understand that Corzine asked for cuts across the board and I guess it is only fair that the DEP has to make cuts as well. It's just ashame it has to happen. Someone in the article stated that this was the first time ever in New Jersey's history that cuts have been made to the parks. If that is true that means it really is that bad out there and/or Corzine is out of bounds when it comes to this.
The state really is in bad shape and something has to be done. Things have to be cut and whenever that happens it affects people.
I understand that Corzine asked for cuts across the board and I guess it is only fair that the DEP has to make cuts as well. It's just ashame it has to happen. Someone in the article stated that this was the first time ever in New Jersey's history that cuts have been made to the parks. If that is true that means it really is that bad out there and/or Corzine is out of bounds when it comes to this.
The state really is in bad shape and something has to be done. Things have to be cut and whenever that happens it affects people.
I just found out that nothing is final yet, there is a meeting today at 2 p.m. within the DEP to address this issue, remember this is a newpaper article, not a press release from the State or DEP, so nothing is concrete yet, but looks to be heading in this direction.
Also the 6/1/08 date is, from what I heard inaccurate, the proper date would be 7/1/08 when the new fiscal year starts.
Also the 6/1/08 date is, from what I heard inaccurate, the proper date would be 7/1/08 when the new fiscal year starts.
They want to close the Pakim Pond Camping area (no big loss, since you could just go to Atsion or Bass River to rent a cabin, or numerous spots in Wharton to camp without a cabin), the office, and cut back on trail maintenance.
You'd still have access to it -- there's no way they could keep people out considering the large number of roads leading in and out of the place. They may keep the office open as just a HQ for the rangers, or maybe they'd have the rangers work out of Wharton -- who knows.
The amount of patrols they do is laughable as it is. I doubt they could/would cut any further.
As much as I loathe Corzine, he's only been in power for a few years. Our current situation has more to do with decades of mismanagement by previous administrators. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat, a Republican, a Libertarian
, or anybody else. The career politicians in Trenton have just used the treasury to finance their own pet projects, hand out no-show jobs to friends, etc. They all stink, and nobody has ever really done anything to fix the problem.The best thing I can say about Corzine is that he's trying to fix it, however I don't agree with the way he's going about it.
What has to happen is that people who are so outraged (and read the comments on the articles on the APP article -- people are ENRAGED) need to say enough is enough and run for these offices themselves. If we know that nobody in Trenton is capable of fixing the mess, then we need to get people in that can.
In the end, the people of New Jersey are partly to blame for the mess as well.
yes they are. I heard a poll yesterday that most New Jerseyans want cuts in spending. The reality is, they want cuts as long as it doesn't affect them.
the executive branch has run amok. Governors and their appointees bring in their pals to fill positions, all fine and dandy until the end of the term. then they don't want their pals to lose their jobs so they find/create/manufacture positions for them after the transition. Each administration does it, so the exec branch gets more and more bloated. they do less with more, while telling everyone else to do more with less.
According to an opinion piece in the Newark Star Ledger, it sounds as if the parks would be closed to the public. In other words, if you were found in the park you'd be ask to leave. I guess just being in the closed park would be considered illegal; at least according to this columnist's (Paul Mulshine) interpretation.
If this is actually what is planned, it sounds a bit over the top. Especially in the case of Brendan Byrne/Lebanon.
The article -
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/120720092811340.xml&coll=1
An excerpt -
If this is actually what is planned, it sounds a bit over the top. Especially in the case of Brendan Byrne/Lebanon.
The article -
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/120720092811340.xml&coll=1
An excerpt -
So they're not going to let us in our parks, yet we're still going to pay Ranger Dick to do his thing?
I really believe this is an up-the-ante play. They're not going to close parks in a state that has been going hog wild for land preservation. If word gets around that this is serious lawmakers will be innundated with angry constituents.
This is true and it is sad to know that it is an attempt to make the thieves "let up" on the usual heavy dipping that is the typical burden on our State economy. I hope we can have another real revolution and Americans will wake up and rid our selves of the people in power right now.
I agree. I'm skeptical that they're serious about "closing" these parks. It is likely a stunt. The saddest part of all this is that the state is facing serious problems, and we wind up with this kind of confusing nonsense coming from DEP officials concerning our state parks. Threatening to not allow us to access Byrne or Monmouth Battlefield. It is silly and sad, and seems to be just another diversion from solving the real problems we face.
Question
Why would the state propose the closings of 9 existing parks when the DEP parks and forestry site is claiming the establishment of two new state parks? One in Paterson and the other in Trenton.
Doesn't quite make sense, does it?
http://www.njparksandforests.org/parks/great-falls.htm
Why would the state propose the closings of 9 existing parks when the DEP parks and forestry site is claiming the establishment of two new state parks? One in Paterson and the other in Trenton.
Doesn't quite make sense, does it? http://www.njparksandforests.org/parks/great-falls.htm
And Paul Mulshine is who? How does he know you'd be asked to leave?
I will give you a $100 bill if you can show me something where the DEP says that you will not be able to access Byrne or Monmouth Battlefield.
You won't be able to go to the visitors center at Monmouth Battlefield, and you won't be able to camp at Byrne. Where do you see that you won't have access to either of those parks? Be specific.