70 State Parks To Close Due To Budget Cuts

May 13, 2011 12:12 PM

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Budget cuts are forcing the closure of up to 70 California State parks.

The California State Parks department announced the closure at noon on Friday. The department is closing up to 70 of the its 278 parks to make $33 million in cuts for the next two budget years.

“We regret closing any park,” said Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks, “but with the proposed budget reductions over the next two years, we can no longer afford to operate all parks within the system.”

The department used three criteria when choosing which parks would close: (1) protect the most significant natural and cultural resources, (2) maintain public access and revenue generation to the greatest extent possible and (3) protect closed parks so that they remain attractive and usable for potential partners.

The department claims that despite the closure 94% of the current revenue made from parks will be maintained.

“With this announcement, we can begin to seek additional partnership agreements to keep open as many parks as possible,” added Coleman. “We already have 32 operating agreements with our partners – cities, counties and non-profits – to operate state parks, and will be working statewide to expand that successful template.”

Below is a list of California State Parks to be closed:

Anderson Marsh SHP
Annadel SP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Austin Creek SRA
Bale Grist Mill SHP
Benbow Lake SRA
Benicia Capitol SHP
Benicia SRA
Bidwell Mansion SHP
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Brannan Island SRA
California Mining & Mineral Museum
Candlestick Point SRA
Castle Crags SP
Castle Rock SP
China Camp SP
Colusa-Sacramento River SRA
Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Fort Humboldt SHP
Fort Tejon SHP
Garrapata SP
George J. Hatfield SRA
Governor’s Mansion SHP
Gray Whale Cove SB
Greenwood SB
Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
Hendy Woods SP
Henry W. Coe SP
Jack London SHP
Jug Handle SNR
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Limekiln SP
Los Encinos SHP
Malakoff Diggins SHP
Manchester SP
McConnell SRA
McGrath SB
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Morro Strand SB
Moss Landing SB
Olompali SHP
Palomar Mountain SP
Petaluma Adobe SHP
Picacho SRA
Pio Pico SHP
Plumas-Eureka SP
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Portola Redwoods SP
Providence Mountains SRA
Railtown 1897 SHP
Russian Gulch SP
Saddleback Butte SP
Salton Sea SRA
Samuel P. Taylor SP
San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
Santa Cruz Mission SHP
Santa Susana Pass SHP
Shasta SHP
South Yuba River SP
Standish-Hickey SRA
Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Tomales Bay SP
Tule Elk SNR
Turlock Lake SRA
Twin Lakes SB
Weaverville Joss House SHP
Westport-Union Landing SB
William B. Ide Adobe SHP
Woodson Bridge SRA
Zmudowski SB

70 State Parks To Close Due To Budget Cuts

Ken Z

Crooked politicans, crooked laywers, crooked bankers!
When are the real leaders going to show up???
We need help GOD!
Sam E Bone

Wow, it makes me REALLY SAD at how bad the State of California has it right now. What’s next?
Curious George

Hmmm … seems like a large majority (like all) of these closures are in Northern California … was that one of the criteria they forgot to mention?
Miss Heather

Maybe if we weren’t supporting every illegal & their 5 kids so they can send the money back to Mexico, we could actually afford to educate our own AMERICANS! I’m sick of turning the other way to these people that have zero regards for the values of our nation. The politicians need to cut their own salaries & benefits too! Plus we need to stop giving the freaking unions so much power, that is a joke!

Ron

Great point Miss Heather

California ( Taxpayers) Spend around 10 billion annually on these illegal Criminals, and their Anchor tuurds. Our Schools and Parks are closing, and we reward people for mass breeding?

Marty

California as one state has no future. If we want to fix California, the state needs to be split in two. It’s the only way. We’ve been wanting to do it for years. And for some trivial reason we never did.

The Unions need less power than they have, but large corporations have even more power. And the little guy ends up getting shafted.

Fed Up!

I agree, the state should be split. Then, Northern California can sell the water to Southern California. That would be a step in the right direction!

Marty

Considering they have all the money, they should pay up. Of course, they’ll want something in return. Actually, I just remembered there were 12 countries in the extreme Northern California and 7 southern Oregon counties that want to be their own state.

Another thing we need to do is end the Indian casinos monopoly make them pay back their share to the state. There are ways to fix the state, but the corporate interests running the state/country have way too much power and aren’t willing to give up their ill-gotten gains.

Old School

Do the math, if 25% of the parks are only making 6% of the revenue then they should be closed. The problem is attendance too low or costs too high. If the same ratio was applied to the private sector the stores/services would be closed.

How about transferring them to a conservatory group interested in the location, or leased to a private concession. It works else where, it will work here. This way the parks can still be enjoyed and no burden on the state.

Its easy to complain, come up with real solutions!

Just a Number

The Problem is, nobody listens to the people. If it isn’t what they want, it gets swept under the rug.

I have emailed, called, written letters to our ELECTED officials. Do you want to hazard a guess as to what happened?

Old School

VOTE them out!

Keep voting them out until they get the message “We the people….”

daniel brown

close them all…..I have never heard of any of these parks….and cant see any state park I would miss if it closes……any congressmen who votes to close them all….Has many votes for governor…awesome job politicians….

llewis

Bet you know all the cable channels! If you have never heard of these parks than you are missing out on the history, geology and beauty of this state. If you want to sit home and watch to tube….fine. Most of us enjoys parks.

Native of NorCal

What a nerd! REally???? Self-centeredness to the max! Haven’t heard of the Governor’s Mansion???? Really???? What state are you from??? These parks, at least the ones I have been to, are beautiful! I went to them as a kid and I took my kids to them….it’s a rotten shame that its come down to this… and it’s a rotten shame that people like you are heartless and think only of themselves…..it’s people like you that have gotten us into this mess…..go home.

A Sad Day To live In California

California will lose there Visitors & Residents !

It will only make people even more disconnected with nature .

What a trule loss in faith of our Prosta-tions !
Banjo

Do what the smart people are doing. Leave California. I did. Never been happier.
woodgrain

I like the idea of getting welfare recipients to chip in on the maintenance of the parks. Why not get some convicts to do it too? They run away shoot them. Old school ways would save us lots of money and make it better for us successful law bidding citizens that earn our way to having parks available.
Robert Don la Salle

stop having people that r not from ca. or the usa used up are $$$$$$$$$
james

I’m sure glad they didn’t cut funding to illegal Aliens, That would be wrong.
Dave

potential partners

selling out to corporations or other countries?
John Shue

They can spend 10 million to save the Kings and yet when it comes to schools, police and parks they turn a deaf ear.

John Shue

I can see it now- Death Valley sponsored by Nike- Just Do It

exposed

Retired early after 20 years with CA. Dept. Parks & Rec.with Maintenance Dept. The last 10 years iI reached the opinion, the taxpayers of Calif. and Park visitors were financing a ship without a rudder. District Managers were more concerned with their own agendas for personal gain. All the while the Regional and Sacramento personel could not see what was going on, as they too were consumed with their own agenda.
And Park operations personell were left to do as they please. Often their own personal agenda, ie: trying to beat the Park Maintenance garbage truck to the trash cans, in order to retrieve the soda cans to collect the CA redemption value for their own use.. While visitor experiance and safety take a back seat. In times as these, we can’t afford such waste.
Judy

Next will be a list of the schools they are closing. Then they should print a list of how much money they are each making and the benefits they are receiving. You know, the ones who are closing everything. Our elected officials. How about electing a different group next time.
Appreciates the Wilderness

The real problem here is that the California State Parks make money, think visitors and the various fees they pay, however the money the parks raise goes into the general fund where it can be spent the way our legislators and the governor see fit to spend it. Money should go first to the State parks to keep them open and to make repairs and expand facilities where appropriate with the end result being ensuring visitors have a quality experience and want to come back to our parks, therefore adding money to the State park budget. Second a portion of the money, after the reinvestment into the parks could then be given to the general fund. The State parks could be self-sustaining but the State government wants all the money first to spend how they want and where they want it on their little pet projects with very little reinvested in the parks. The way they are doing it now the parks are deteriorating before our very eyes with buildings and facilities needing repair or rebuilding, and graffiti and vandalism evident throughout the parks.
Tourism from California residents and out-of-state visitors is one of our biggest money generators in this state. The governor and the legislator shouldn’t be allowed to close these parks without taking it to the voters with the full facts being presented. Instead, the governor and legislators want to shut down and close these State parks, to use the money the parks would and should get back to keep running, as a way to fund their special interests and a few programs at the expense of the State parks and the tourist dollar. Again the money generated by the State parks should be used first to fund the State parks then the remaining extra money could go to the general fund for other programs. At this rate the State parks and the money they generated will be a thing of the past. No parks – no visitors – no revenues! What a shame! Man needs the wild places to rejuvenate his spirit and appreciate life.
Jim VSA

Keep the parks open using citizen volunteers. One State Park employee could visit and supervise the volunteers in a dozen parks. What is the problem?
The State could also CONTRACT out park operations to private companies just like the Federal parks contract out concessions to park business operators. Closing the people’s parks is IDIOTIC and UNACCEPTABLE!

Tom

NOW HERE THIS ! perfect idea lets put these people on welfare to work they are already getting paid get them to clean the bathrooms pick up trash do windows sweep the streets WOW! rocket science to figure that one out . Think of the billions of tax dollars we would save doing this cause all the people on welfare would leave if they had to work for a change and the crime would go with them LOL

Nate

This makes me sick. Sorry kids, we can’t go camping anymore, how about a Playstation instead. This is another step in the wrong direction.
Kirk B

Another set back to the “Quality of life” in California. I just can’t help but think of all the money we spend paying for law enforcement, auto theft task force’s, drug enforcement, prisons and staff, health care for prisioners, Gang task force,Children of famalies that just show up in our country /state and they have not paid 10 cents into the system and boom 5 kids are enrolled in school, gettign a free lunch etc. If we really want to address our states financial demise in all areas.. We all need to stand at the border and say NO MORE!! We can not handle it.

Tom

HERE ! HERE ! remember 28.1 BILLION DOLLARS just this year to give services to these ILLEGAL criminals and they are not just from south of the border CHINA 5 to 1 RUSSIA 2 to 1 compaired to Mexico .But you are right to the fact that the people from China and Russia are entering through are border with Mexico .All because are great presadent think these people are the back bone of America ( MY A$$ ) we need to close all are borders it should be a prvalidge to come to America not a right in these new times Americans can not support the free ride anymore ANYBODY AGREE

LarryK

You are witnessing our state being turned over to a bunch of illiterate invaders from another country!
This is what electing White-hating liberal Democrats gets you.
We have money to give food stamps to the kids of illegals–and put all state welfare forms and literature in 40 languages, but we are closing the parks that were built by our parents and grandparents and great grandparents–Parks to improve our quality of life and to show that we knew how to create a desireable society.
If this keeps up, there is going to be a civil war!