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What's the Latest on the Threat to State Parks?
The behind doors budget deficit talks have been quite hush-hush leaving a big question mark on the latest for the survival of California's state parks. "There's not a lot of information coming out now about the parks issue," said Traci Verardo-Torres of the California State Parks Foundation who said environmental issues are rumored to be the subject of discussions today in the private budget meetings. What Verado-Torres does know is that 60,000 people have sent 128,000 letters to the Governor and legislators through their online advocacy system. Word on the street is that an additional 12,000 letters have been sent via other organizations to the Governor's office, too. Also, around 41,000 people have signed a the foundation's petition to keep the parks open. Since 80% of state parks were threatened to be closed, the foundation's Facebook page has ballooned from only a few hundred to over 40,000 fans.
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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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