Our Golden State

California has always seemed idyllic, cutting edge, a source of endless natural resources and opportunities. But our Golden State has been so mismanaged that it's, now, threatening to crash under its own weight. As the deadline to plug the 24 billion (yes, that's right 24 billion) dollar deficit in California passes and our renegade Governor Schwarznegger proposes deeper and deeper cuts, education including school closures and shorter semesters, health cuts to MediCal and the Childrens' Health Insurance Program, an increased gas tax (that should encourage tourism), four day work weeks (too bad if you needed the money), increased taxes, and a proposal to SHUT one of our greatest treasures, 224 of California's most beautiful and historic State Parks, including that one where the giant redwoods grow.

As a native and a conservationist, the idea that our California State Parks may not remain open past summer, has sent me off on a wild fury of exploration (not to mention a tirade at our Governor who we're sincerely glad will NOT BE BACK).

The polo matches at Will Rogers' State Park and the historic (now empty) stables have taken on new meaning, the myriad of trails and hidden pathways at Griffith Park (not to mention the caves featured in "Rebel Without a Cause") seem almost magical, the quiet oasis of Solstice Canyon Park in Malibu which is finally open again following damage in the 2007 fire seems to beckon us each week-end.

Forget that I have a plan. If I had my way, they would start to create childrens' programs in all the parks, give Suzanne Goin a restaurant concession, open a hot dog stand, sell cotton candy, for goodness sakes and take a commission, and California Parks Caps with deer and mountain lions embroidered on their rims, revitalize the stables, put in pony rides, sell souvenirs (yes, I think a snowball with a redwood and an eagle in it, could sell, especially if it was for a good cause), offer wedding services, anything to keep these extraordinary facilities open and active...but no one wants to hear a plan.

At least no one in Sacramento does, or about as much as they want to hear the one where we put in tax credits for film which was a no-brainer. I heard about a film last week that is set in Tokyo and Los Angeles and you know where they're thinking about shooting? Detroit. Because Michigan has tax credits for film.

So, I did what I could, at the door, anyway, I bought a year-long pass for parking (good at most State Parks). I visit. I take my family on hikes. I pray that someone will look up the original Will Rogers' deed and ascertain that we don't really have the right to shut that park. And I, also, find it curious that two of the parks that are on the "endangered' list are in Arnold Schwarznegger's backyard - Will Roger's State Park in Brentwood and Governor's Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. What's he planning to do - throw private parties there?

If a school or a medical facility or a State Park in your neighborhood is on the "endangered" list, we'd love to hear how you feel about it. Please comment below.

Follow Amy Ephron on Twitter: www.twitter.com/oneforthetable

Comments

[melmoid]

Some of the parks are world class geological, biological and historical treasures. Here is the letter I wrote to the terminator.
May 29, 2009

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

I travel to California every year to visit Salt Point State Park—a gem of natural beauty, geologic uniqueness and biological and ecological wonder including rare tide pool fauna. Now I understand you want to close this and other state parks. Of course I can’t come and spend my money if the park is closed. But I am more concerned about the ecological damage that will result if this park is not monitored. The tide pools could be devastated if not supervised and the geologic features and the ecological staircase could be damaged. It is really irresponsible to not care for this natural treasure in your state. This impacts all Americans.

I would be willing to pay higher entry fees to visit the park and protect it. I would also be willing to make monthly contributions to the preservation of this park if a mechanism were provided to do so. Perhaps federal stimulus money could be used to keep the park open. It is also possible that an organization like the Nature Conservancy would be interested in managing the park. There are a number of responsible options that need to be considered. Please find another solution to the closure of Salt Point State Park and the other natural areas under your care.

[usna73]

I am in Ohio, so forgive me for meddling. That is, of course, if my tax dollars don't wind up in CA coffers in a bailout.

History is a wonderful thing. It doesn't go away. It requires that you study ( or have a long memory.)

Back in the Ice Age of 1978, voters passed Prop 13. It gave the nation Pres. Reagan ( he screwed the rest of the working class after he got through in CA). Now that's what I call a "free lunch." The we are rich and we were here first crowd really sucked it up. Californians loved the slave labor of illegal immigrants (Chavez was such a party pooper) and figured that those National Parks were a God given gift only to them.

You are now witnessing how it ends. If the rich don't pay more ( reassess their homes before the coming depression makes it too late), you'll see violence in the streets. Socialism for the rich didn't work. OH, poor Nancy. She still thinks Ronnie was a saint.

[nee]

I agree with you on the ILLEGAL ALIEN statement however prop 13 was the best thing to happen to CA. By the way Chavez was against ILLEGAL immigration. The real problem in CA is that 30% of the people on welfare in this nation live in CA. We spend BILLIONS to provide health care and an education to ILLEGAL ALIENS. We pay for programs that don't work and we waste A LOT of money in governmental agencies (education for one). Our elected officials need to elimate programs and entire departments, cut costs across the board, deport all ILLEGAL ALIENS (especially those clogging up the jails),and spend the money that they are given wisely.

[research]

Privatize them all! That's the conservative solution.

[melmoid]

Nonsense.

[nee]

I am a CA native and I am sick of paying waaaayyyyyyyy too much money to the state. We need to cut back and live within our budget. We shouldn't have to give any more money to these morons. They need to make the cuts needed to balance the budget. There are too many programs out there that don't work and waste too much money. I am in education and I see the waste that goes on. We need to take the money we are given and use it wisely. We aren't doing that now. We have to stop allowing the unions and politicians to run our state into the ground.

[1849]

I don't know how I our honorable governor is going to "close" some parks in the state that are simply pull offs from the Pacific Coast Highway next to the ocean? I am thinking about Garrapata State Park in Monterey County, for example: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=579

As far as the rest of state parks are concerned,I believe they actually pay for themselves. These are some the parks on the "chopping block" in Central and Northern California.

As someone commented on the S.F. Chronicle article, I vote to close our govern down and keep the parks. It seems like there is a grass roots movement to fight the closures.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/11/SP5A1834DI.DTL

[hoosier96]

I've got an idea. Have people pay to hunt in these parks. A flat fee just to hunt and then they have to pay for every dead critter they take with them.

[JScott]

A lot of the parks are not huntable, they are in urban areas or/with no huntable species.

[larry278]

I'm from the Mid-Atlantic states; I'm worried about our states if they go bankrupt. Save the embarrasment. Get some money for your states. TryToBeFlexible & allenosuno, stop the blame & shame game before you start a national pity party. We in America don't need a pity party.

[TryToBeFlexible]

I am from Florida. I am embarassed for California.

[allenosuno]

I'm from California and I'm embarrassed for Florida. The state that threw the 2000 election to the wrong person. Florida is in no better shape than California and California doesn't have hurricanes. Our earthquakes do less damage than your hurricanes.

[hoosier96]

Being from neither place I have to say that TryToBeFlexible has a point. California did not have to be in this position. Now they are in a situation where the elected officials and their constituents can't agree on what to do.