While it might just be a political ploy (and considering how little of the state budget the parks cost, it probably is), but Governor Schwarzenegger is threatening to eliminate all funding for California State Parks beginning July 1st.
From the LA Times Outposts blog, “California state parks said to face biggest threat in 150-year history”
Now, facing a projected $24.3-billion budget shortfall, his back is against the wall and he has again aimed his bazookas at those vast parcels of wilderness that afford such a treasured refuge for millions of citizens seeking to escape the chaos of civilization, if only briefly, to rejuvenate body and mind.
Beginning July 1, the governor plans to cut core funding for 279 parks in half (by $70 million), and during the next fiscal year he intends to cut all funding. If the cuts are approved by the Legislature, more than 200 parks could be forced to close.
With the budgetary threats to education, health care, welfare, infrastructure, and everything else, this state is in real trouble. And not the kind of trouble that’ll work itself out at the end of a two-hour action movie, either. It’s just depressing as hell.

