Washington Set To Close 13 State Parks
December 27, 2008
Washington state will be forced to close 13 state parks under a new budget proposal set forth by Governor Chris Gregoire. The new budget will be focusing on saving the state $3.5 billion and allow them to not raise any new taxes in the coming year. The state park cuts come on the heels of a similar measure in Illinois that recently sent shock-waves through the outdoors community. Governor Gregoire claims that the state park cuts will save the state an annual $5.2 million dollars if the parks are closed. Washington will also be taking away $35.8 million in Natural Resources funding.
Click through the jump to read the details and see a list of what Washington state parks are set to close.
Kopachuck State Park is well utilized by the community and I camp there every summer with family and friends. I’m sure this is true of many people for many of these parks: they enjoy the nature surrounding them. I don’t think the answer to saving our state money is closing down one of the most important things to the common resident. We could organize volunteer workers so that costly maintenance is not necessary. And worse, Kopachuck may “get the axe”! If that was not even preserved as a natural domain, we are further destroying our environment. We need to act as a community in order to save these wonderful parks so that residents and newcomers can continue making use of our state parks.