In Wake of Budget Announcement Environmentalists and Small Business Community Rally to Protect Parks

Environment California

SACRAMENTO- With the release of the Governor’s proposed budget for 2012, California’s State Park system still faces a devastating loss: The closure of up to a quarter of its parks, with the potential for additional closures. Park closures for budgetary reasons are unprecedented in the history of California’s State Park system, yet come July the gates will be shut on up to 70 parks across the state for the first time in history. That is unless the Governor and State Legislature can check their numbers and see why a fully-functional park system is vital to the state. And the evidence proving how valuable state parks are to Californians is mounting.

In addition to protecting endangered wildlife and offering affordable vacation opportunities, the State Park system as a whole generates over $4 billion annually in “park related expenditures” for local economies across the state, according to a Sacramento State University study. This type of economic activity returns over $300 million to the state of California in the form of sales tax revenue, effectively allowing the State Parks to pay for themselves. A 2002 study found that State Parks return $2.35 to state coffers for every $1 the state spends on parks (King 2002). And the economic implications of State Park closures go deeper.

Many rural communities rely dearly on visitation to their State Parks for economic activity. When parks like Hendy Woods in Mendocino County shut their gates the community around them could be devastated. This harsh reality is clear to many outdoor and hospitality business owners across the state and Environment California has been able to collect over 250 statements of support from small businesses urging the Governor to keep state parks open for the sake of their shop’s livelihood. The group received signatures from managers at Mike’s Bikes locations in northern California, all the way down to the owners of outdoor store Adventure 16 in San Diego.

Local elected officials know that closing State Parks will hurt their communities too and Environment California has also received statements of support from Mayors and City Councilmembers from Mendocino to Santa Cruz.

In addition, the group received over 20,000 petitions from concerned Californians, and over 400 photo petitions; some of which were used in a full page advertisement supporting State Parks in a Sacramento newspaper where it couldn’t be missed by the Governor and State Legislators.