State Parks on the cutting block

[Bob Wells]

Camp Helen, Deer Lake, and Ponce DeLeon ore on the choppoing block along with 50 other State Parks.
Florida DEP Proposes to Close 53 State Parks | Audubon of Florida News

[kurt]

They know how to get funding. I wonder if Deer Lake would go back to being a nude beach.

[Bob Wells]

They know how to get funding. I wonder if Deer Lake would go back to being a nude beach.

How? If a park is non sustaining financially, then why should it not be closed. That is what the leadership in the Legislature, Governor and the teaparty folks and many of the conservatives want to see. There were folks last time wanting to see the county take it over. Problem that I see coming down the pike, the State is going to gut the budget, the County is going to be required to pick up a large portion of those cuts and then those who led the charge here locally will bemoan the loss of a park and an increase in local taxes and wonder why we can't be like Governor Scot and his brand of leadership. We are a fickled lot, we want our cake and eat it too.

[kurt]

How? If a park is non sustaining financially, then why should it not be closed. That is what the leadership in the Legislature, Governor and the teaparty folks and many of the conservatives want to see. There were folks last time wanting to see the county take it over. Problem that I see coming down the pike, the State is going to gut the budget, the County is going to be required to pick up a large portion of those cuts and then those who led the charge here locally will bemoan the loss of a park and an increase in local taxes and wonder why we can't be like Governor Scot and his brand of leadership. We are a fickled lot, we want our cake and eat it too.

Are you asking how, as in how do they know how to get funding? They get funding by threatening to close parks and people don't want that to happen so they get behind them. It would be a sad world if every park had to pay for itself to remain open. Parks that make money pay for some that don't. But in general, paying for parks is what most of us are happy to pay taxes for.

I imagine the county could handle Deer Lake but Camp Helen is more complex with the buildings and trails, etc. Although the boardwalk at Deer Lake would cost a lot to replace one day.

[30ashopper]

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sectio...1%20ONLINE.pdf

Why do we publish wildlife brochures that could just be published on the web? Why do we publish our own wildlife magazine? Why does DEP need to spend 100 million a year on "law enforcement"? Why do we research Grasshopper Sparrows?

There's a lot of really good cuts and reductions in here, and there's some stuff they probably shouldn't cut back on. Overall though ruducing this down during the lean times gives them the opportunity to figure out which services are needed and which services are a complete waste of funds.

[Beach Runner]

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sectio...1%20ONLINE.pdf

Here's the proposal regarding state parks:

Eliminates 22 Full-Time Equivalent positions and OPS funding as a
result of proposing to close 53 "day use only" state
parks with the lowest attendance (fewer than 60,000
visitors per year) thereby reducing park system revenue
by $911,179 and park visitation by 1,099,650 based on
FY 2009-10 data. State Park Trust Fund and

Conservation & Recreation Lands Trust Fund

(savings of 6,480,644)

Deer Lake Park is the favorite park of many (including myself) who have expressed this on sowal.com. I'd like to see a breakdown of how much keeping this park open is costing. Seems like we had a thread on this topic a couple of years ago.

[beachmouse]

Why does DEP need to spend 100 million a year on "law enforcement"?

Isolated public land is often a favorite place for marijuana-growing, mobile meth labs, wildlife poaching, underage alcohol use, Cubans trying to 'dry foot' it and all kinds of other fun illegal activity. And that's even before you get to the search & rescue specialists. (I'm assuming Fish & Wildlife is lumped in with the DEP you're talking about)

Some of the most heavily armed parts of federal law enforcement can be found in in the National Parks service these days. Large state parks face similar issues.

[MRBS]

While not a resident of your fair state, I will write your legislators re deer lake and Helen. Both incredibe jewels for natural beauty and historic value. Would be huge loss for area IMHO.

[gardening1970]

Again?? We've been here before. I don't see how Deer Lake can be an expensive endeavor to operate. The $3 entry fee gets you a dirt parking lot, a potty, and a nice board walk. Nature does the rest. Looks like another letter-writing campaign is needed here.

[scooterbug44]

Entry fee, convict labor, and the Sheriff's department should make Deer Lake a cheap operation.

[miznotebook]

"Only two weeks after proposing the closure of 53 state parks in order to trim nearly $47 million off the state budget, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has announced that the parks are safe."

Amid massive budget cuts, state parks to remain open — for now | Florida Independent: News. Politics. Media

[kurt]

Just measuring the public's love of parks. Although if the DEP goes away what would happen to parks?