It's time we Mothball Gregoire!

I can't tell you how angry I am getting over how our state and incompetent governor are treating our state park system. It's not enough that Gregoire asked the State Parks Department to prepare for a $10 million reduction in their budget for the next two years and get rid of 13 state parks in the process. Now our bought by the tribes and WEA governor is asking the parks to prepare for a $23 million dollar deduction and think about getting rid of even more parks! This is insane! These are tough times for sure, but we don't need to do something so drastic and so short sighted in the short term and pay for it dearly in the long term.

I see several choices Christine that are far better than your commission's idiotic plan to liquidate our cultural and natural heritage because of your reckless spending-

1. Bring back a day use fee- make it temporary until we get out of this economic mess.

2. Consider privatization of certain concessions (like camping for instance) at some of our parks to reduce government expenditures and to bring in revenue.

3. Consider a lottery to help pay for parks- Your Tribal buddies owe you one.

4. Sell bonds like New Jersey is doing to keep their parks open

5. Temporarily moth ball some parks until they can fully be operated again when the economy turns around.

BUT DO NOT- ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LIQUIDATE OUR PARKS!
I find it absurd that we are getting ready to celebrate our park's centennial in 4 years and this is how we'll show it by closing and liquidating our parks!
And I find it absolutely absurd that we are going to spend money (my money) on sending illegal immigrants to college and paying their health care, silly cap and trade initiatives and other dubious forms of my hard-earned tax dollars and not fund MY and every other 6,500,000 Washingtonian's state parks.

Its time that we mothball you Governor Gregoire before you get us into even more of a mess--and take Lisa Brown with you! I am absolutely fed up with your (and the legislatures of the past 20 plus years) lack of commitment to our state parks. What would Evans do? Maybe you need to consult him right now-and perhaps call on Governor Corzine of New Jersey and Governor Fitzpatrick of Illinois and see how they are saving (thanks to public outcry) their parks.

And to my fellow hard working citizens-call and write your governor and demand that our parks not be casualties due to their reckless spending and lack of caring for our natural and cultural heritage.

(Photo- Lake Sylvia, one of the nicest state parks in the system is on Gregoire's chopping block. Hey Christine, do you think that maybe you can actually head over to Montesano and take a walk here and explain to the hard-pressed residents of Grays Harbor County why this park should go?)