State salvages some summer 'staycation' spots; keeps parks open

    Just in time for the summer season, Gov. David Paterson and Albany lawmakers reached a tentative agreement to keep a number of state parks open and maintain park services throughout the state and across Long Island.
    The $6 million deal will reopen 41 state parks and 14 historic sites that shut down earlier this year as a result of the budget deadlock. The money will come from the Real Estate Transfer Tax, part of a $74 million reduction in revenues that were supposed to go to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.
    “We hope the reports are true that the governor and Democrat leaders have reached an agreement to open the state parks,” said Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). “Senate Republicans were outspoken in opposing the closure of New York’s parks and offered an amendment to keep them open while the governor and Democrat leaders tried unsuccessfully to pass a real budget.”
    The Senate was expected to approve the deal, which would keep parks open from Memorial Day through the end of the year.
    This is the second time Paterson has proposed the use of funds from the EPF for the parks. In the budget he proposed in January, he suggested that $5 million from the fund be used for personnel expenses associated with capital project for parks and historic sites.
    Environmental advocates and others have criticized Paterson’s decision to use EPF funds to reopen the parks. Alison Jenkins, director of the Environmental Advocates of NY State Fiscal Policy Program, said the governor was playing a game of “political chicken” and “picking the Environmental Protection Fund’s pocket to keep the parks open.”