Is it just me, does closing state parks seem like a weak consequence? (Minneapolis: RV parks, houses)

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by southernsmoke

You have to pay to go to the state parks?

Originally Posted by golfgal

Yes, you pay either a daily fee to get in or buy an annual pass.

If you are driving a vehicle. There is no additional fee to enter if you are walking or biking.

[Tmolus]

Originally Posted by cdubs3201

That's great and all, and state parks I'm sure are very nice....but you guys understand the ultimate consequence of deficit spending, right? Do you know how Keynesian economics works and how it's caused the downfall of empires like soviet russia? We're fasting increased monetary inflation and inefficient welfare programs that only tax the public even further. The system today cannot sustain itself and we're approaching its end. You guys understand the REAL problem, right? I think parks should be the last worry you have right now.

See?

I told you guys it was that lavish Soviet state park system than finally brought the communist bloc to its knees, but nooooooooo, you didn't believe me......

[slamont61]

The closed State Parks is putting a dent in the economy for many small towns across the state. The tourism dollar is very important to many of the small towns and the people who depend on it. The quicker this is done with the better for all concerned.

I could care less if there is a Miller Beer waiting for me at the taps...

[Lily0fthevalley]

Those of us who work for publicly supported parks, museums and libraries are completely accustomed to being used as the canary in the coal mine by politicians.

This is how it ALWAYS goes, both at the state and local level, in every state and city across America:

Money is tight. So:

Government bureaucrats make the budget cuts mandated by politicians. Usually every department not considered an essential service is cut by the same percentage.

Then the politicians wait and see if there is an outcry about favorite things like parks and libraries being cut. If there is, they know they have cut too deep, and funding is restored.

If there isn't an outcry, they know that the public will tolerate the budget cuts that have been made across the board.

We are often used by one political party against the other political party. "The Republicans want to close your parks!" "The Democrats want to use your hard earned money for useless stuff!"

It gets kind of funny after a while. We know that every year at budget season there will be an uproar in the newspapers and other media about the value of or lack of value of our services.

So we just keep on re-using the same file folders and other office supplies that have been used here since the 1950s, and coming in and working on our own time at our own cost - because we believe in and love what we do.

Which bothers OUR bureaucrats who say if we work for free we will never get the real funding that we need.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by cdubs3201

That's great and all, and state parks I'm sure are very nice....but you guys understand the ultimate consequence of deficit spending, right? Do you know how Keynesian economics works and how it's caused the downfall of empires like soviet russia? We're fasting increased monetary inflation and inefficient welfare programs that only tax the public even further. The system today cannot sustain itself and we're approaching its end. You guys understand the REAL problem, right? I think parks should be the last worry you have right now.

Here's some light reading for you. The economy is just little more complicated than political talking points.

Report: Minnesota Shutdown Will Cost State Millions A Day : The Two-Way : NPR

$1.25 million a day on the lottery
$1 million a week on state parks
$52 million a month in uncollected tax revenue
100 closed road construction projects - has yet to be calculated.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. [LEFT]
[/LEFT]

[cdubs3201]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Your state is in fantastic shape too:

Illinois' financial situation is worse than any other state in the country according to a study by the National Conference of State Legislatures. The state ended Fiscal Year 2010 in worse shape than any other state (the state’s general fund balance was the lowest it has ever been at negative $4.7 billion[3]) and the state's budget situation has been called "tenuous at best."[4]

Illinois state budget - Sunshine Review

Quinn said the cuts were necessary to help with the state's $11 billion budget deficit. (which is more than DOUBLE what we have in MN)

Courthouse News Service

Well I don't see Illinois as "my state", it just happens to be where I live right now because that's where the jobs are. Illinois also has more people than Minnesota, so their budget numbers will be larger in relation, but if you read my post you'd notice I mentioned that MN's problem is a reflection of the nations problem. But I know you aren't known for reading entire posts so I'm not surprised by this response.

Maybe the State of MN can point the finger at other states rather than address the problem like you're doing. Have you thought about running for state legislature?

Originally Posted by ozzie679

Here's some light reading for you. The economy is just little more complicated than political talking points.

Report: Minnesota Shutdown Will Cost State Millions A Day : The Two-Way : NPR

$1.25 million a day on the lottery
$1 million a week on state parks
$52 million a month in uncollected tax revenue
100 closed road construction projects - has yet to be calculated.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. [LEFT]
[/LEFT]

Then why don't they talk more about that? Instead they do these lavish stories about the hardships of state parks being shut down. This is my point, there are so many other issues surrounding this and they do stories about state park bathrooms being locked and vandalism to facilities. Really?

MN has never been known for it's journalism. The Star Tribune is one of the worst papers in the nation, but that's not saying much since all major media outlets in TV and paper are skewed and biased to the hilt.

[audadvnc]

Media outlets are biased because they are owned by people, who as a species have a reputation for such things. The question is, which biases do you prefer? And, by extension, how much of reality are you willing to lock out of your consciousness in order to have it conform to your biases?

And how willing are you to force other people into that smaller reality your biases create?

[knke0204]

Parks shouldnt be ran by the state anyway. It should be free enterprise. If you want to go and enjoy the park, you pay. If you don't want to, then you shouldn't pay. I don't get why part of my income goes to fund such stupid things that I'll never use. There's really only a handful of instances where citizens should have a group-pay system, like Defense, Education and Infrastructure. That's about it.

Privatize some of this BS.

[barney_rubble]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Parks shouldnt be ran by the state anyway. It should be free enterprise. If you want to go and enjoy the park, you pay. If you don't want to, then you shouldn't pay. I don't get why part of my income goes to fund such stupid things that I'll never use. There's really only a handful of instances where citizens should have a group-pay system, like Defense, Education and Infrastructure. That's about it.

Privatize some of this BS.

What's the difference between parks and infrastructure? Just wondering.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Parks shouldnt be ran by the state anyway. It should be free enterprise. If you want to go and enjoy the park, you pay. If you don't want to, then you shouldn't pay. I don't get why part of my income goes to fund such stupid things that I'll never use. There's really only a handful of instances where citizens should have a group-pay system, like Defense, Education and Infrastructure. That's about it.

Privatize some of this BS.

Disagree. The state park system is an asset of the state and it should be kept that way. Do you want to see them turned into a dirty KOA?