The warning centers around a federal program known as the Land and Water Conservation Fund enacted by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 using funds from offshore oil drilling that uses the money to buy land for national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges.
The leading source of parks funding in the United States, the fund also issues grants to state and local parks to pay for everything from land acquisition to building new trails, visitor centers and restrooms.
Since 1965, California has received $287.3 million from the fund. Written into the law is a requirement that any parks that receive the funds are required to remain open to the public. If states close parks that received the funding, the law does not require them to pay the money back, but it does require states to provide new park land of equal appraised value in a nearby location.
Also, the National Park Service could declare California ineligible for future federal parks grants if it closes parks that were purchased with land and water act funding.
Sounds like someone's hollow threat went down without some knowledge of his existing stipulations. You lose buddy. Better figure out another way to shave costs. Being California, I'd bet almost 90% of Americans in other states could give you the clue you need. Who are you feeding and educating? Taxpayers? Just saying.....
ReplyDeleteWe are so glad to hear this!
ReplyDeleteOur country needs to get its priorities straight.
'Greed is the knife, and the scar runs deep.'
Perhaps the Feds could step in & take over those parks...
ReplyDelete