Eric Hammerling from CFPA is working right now on an Op-Ed piece which will encourage prudence with regard to State Parks and Forests in this latest round of budget cuts. The overall percentage of cuts to the DEP by Governor Malloy is proposed to be 16%. There are no specifics to share today with regard to exact personnel and operations cuts, but we do anticipate that closures of state parks will be on the table.
In the initial Plan B put forth in May, 100% of the funds for seasonals were slated to be eliminated. (That would be a great big heads up for what might be in store for us in Plan B+) In all probability the youngest of our full time field staff with little seniority will be very vulnerable. As we have only a meager 88 full time staff (including our 20 Park Supervisors) in the field now, a 16% reduction would likely necessitate the closure of many parks. Obviously inland parks (of all sizes), particularly those not collecting at the gates, will be on the hit list.
Many legislators do not realize that our parks host close to 8 million visitors annually and that they are twelve month operations, not summer attractions. There are many people in government who mistakenly believe that if parks and forests are closed after Labor Day little harm will result to the public and local economies. It is necessary for us to quickly counter this misconception so that the September Ist deadline for lay-offs does not leave the Park System largely closed and without adequate staff.
We believe that one of the best ways to defend our parks and forests will be to emphasize their year round importance to local and regional businesses as well as underline their critical support to the tourism market.
We need your help ASAP! Eric would like some compelling examples from everyone of local businesses which are bolstered by their proximity to your park. I certainly could reel off any number of restaurants, grocery stores, movie houses, drug stores, sports shops etc. etc.etc.etc. that benefit from Hammonasett Park near me (can we say Lenny & Joe's?). We need to know about those kind ofj businesses in every corner of the state. In many remote locations, particularly, a state park or forest is the dominant focus of community activity.
Eric's e-mail address is ehammerling@ctwoodlands.org. Could you send him your examples pronto? He will try to place his op-ed immediately after incorporating the most compelling examples into his piece.
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