Blagojevich Closes State Parks!!

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by j33

or did, in 1986.

You mean the 1985-1986 season .

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

You mean the 1985-1986 season .

Cha-ching.

[cubssoxfan]

If find it strange as well Cook County was able to elect someone worse than John Stroger as Cook County Board President.

The blind leading the blind to vote Democratic no matter what. I understand the demographics behind the City voting blindly Democratic to keep the patronage job machine going, but I fail to understand the North Shore continuing to vote this way while they take it up the kiester in vastly increased taxes. 2010 vote these incompetent jokers out of office. Vote Republican for all county offices and send a wake up call to those Tax-crats manipulating the system for their personal benefit. I am sick and tired of paying more sales tax and property tax and getting LESS service all while my home devalues and my income stagnates. Ya know, I can't vote myself a salary increase. Can you tell this bugs me?

[runninfiend]

Getting back to the original point of the thread, our outdoor writer had an interesting take the other day on the park closings. We rob Peter to pay Paul in the name of political gamesmanship.

From the Peoria Journal Star 10/13/08:

Habitat thievery no solution for park dilemma
October 13, 2008 at 04:44 PM
BY JEFF LAMPE

Close the parks.

If stealing is the only solution politicians can dream up to keep Illinois parks open this fall, they should lock the gates. That’s the sad conclusion I’ve reached regarding the latest no-win situation in the world of Illinois natural resources.

Most of you know the story. The budget is unbalanced. State revenues are down. The Department of Natural Resources suffered $14 million in general revenue cuts. And Gov. Blagojevich proposed closing 11 parks and several historic sites to save money.

That prompted predictably angry replies from constituents. In response legislators hastily approved pilfering $221 million from special funds to keep the sites open and to avoid cuts to various social programs. That includes $2 million from the Illinois Habitat Endowment Trust Fund, $1 million from the Illinois habitat fund, $500,000 from the state migratory waterfowl stamp fund and $250,000 from the Illinois Pheasant Fund.

The governor rubber-stamped the sweeps, though he didn’t allocate money and apparently acknowledges “problems” with some dedicated funds. Instead of solving those problems, he dumped the load on Comptroller Dan Hynes. Hynes said he has no authority in the matter.

The entire sequence illustrates Illinois government at its dysfunctional, cowardly worst. This would be funny if it wasn’t so infuriating and so potentially damaging down the road.

The next time an Illinois politician proposes creating “a dedicated fund” he or she should be laughed out of Springfield. Special funds are too ripe for picking in times of need.

Even so, I have for years willingly paid $5.50 for a state habitat stamp and $10.50 for a state waterfowl stamp — fees required of hunters above and beyond the cost of licenses and permits.

I didn’t grumble much about the extra expense. In theory the money paid for hunting ground and critter habitat. Among my favorite fall destinations are Illinois Pheasant Habitat Areas, some of which were bankrolled by habitat stamps.

So I’ve always viewed habitat stamps as necessary user fees in a state where public ground and habitat is in short supply. They’re a pay-to-play tax with very clear objectives.

Problem is, these latest uses are at complete odds with those objectives. Providing habitat does not include paying for toilet paper at state parks or personnel to run bike trails.

More importantly, habitat funds are protected by language built into federal aid programs. Put simply, if you use hunter license fees for the wrong purposes, you will not get matching federal dollars. Due
to previous questionable practices, the federal government is already withholding a $1 million grant from Illinois. This current proposal could endanger another $15 million.

Fortunately, nothing is final. Legislators meet again in November for the veto session. The governor’s office is still taking calls at (217) 782-0244.

My call will include several points.

I want the parks to stay open, but not at the expense of dedicated funds. Stealing isn’t the way to silence all those angry constituents.

Maybe a tax increase is required. Better yet, maybe it’s time to charge user fees at larger state parks. Let’s follow the example of many other states and spread the funding burden with other park users: bikers, hikers, birders and picnickers.

Just don’t expect hunters to willingly pay for habitat stamps if this latest legislative thievery is legalized.

[cubssoxfan]

Evidence of a "pretty boy" governor who doesn't give a rats *ss about the parks since he probably has never used them. "Mama don't let your babies grow up to be pretty-boys. Let them be farmers or cowboys instead." Sorry Willie Nelson, I couldn't resist.

[histo320]

The parks need to stay open.

Blago is ruining the entire state from Chicago to Carbondale. Please vote him out of office Chicago! You are our only hope!!!

[RogMar]

Being originally from downstate, and then spending more than 20 years working in Chicagoland, then fleeing the state entirely, the events in Illinois touble me more and more all the time.

Yes, Chicago did vote the Governer in. In the past, the strongest voter base was downstate, where farmers had a lot to lose with the wrong Governer in.

When Edgar was Governer, things were good, but times change.

Having been very close to the Springfield scene, I remember the outrage when Blago wanted to sell the Governer's mansion and move everything to Chicago.

I remember a *lot* of state-employed friends losing their jobs and those who remained losing benefits.

Those places he wants to close are childhood memories for many of us.

I no longer have standing in Illinois, but I hope that those of you that do make your voices heard loudly.