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Go Outside & Play In Traffic, State Parks May Close This Week
Photo by calvinfleming via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
California's budget crisis is no day in the park. Literally. State parks are bracing for the bad news as the parks department may release list of properties to close as early as this week, reports ABC Local. Gov. Jerry Brown has ordered $22 million cut from the state's operating budget and that means parks and beaches are in danger of shutting down.
A report released by the The California State Parks Foundation aims to "refocus park operating priorities," with an emphasis on teaching people how to use parks, bringing more activities to the parks, better integration with schools and also suggests finding new ways to make money in the parks, like creating overnight accommodations.
The foundation tried proposing an $18 annual fee on vehicle registration to fund park operations, but voters said no to the proposition in November. Says ABC Local, "If the state parks do close, it would be the first total closure in more than 150 years."
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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