Thread: Ohio Parks funding cut out of state budget.

Parks funding cut out of state budget


Thursday, July 30, 2009 10:36 AM CDT
Dayton, Ohio (AP)


Dayton, Ohio (AP) - The state budget provided little help to the agency that runs Ohio's parks and wildlife programs, currently facing a half-billion-dollar maintenance backlog.

About the best news for the Ohio DNR was that parks remain open and free to the public.

Many states now charge fees to enter parks.

The budget signed July 17 by Gov. Ted Strickland eliminated state funding for the agency division that oversees 89 unique prairies, gorges, lakes, woods, waterfalls and marshes.

The budget also cut funding for the Geological Survey, a science research service.

The agency is trying to figure out how to fund those two divisions in the future, said Natural Resources Department Director Sean Logan.

"We have to find creative ways to maintain the mission," Logan said.

He said layoffs are still possible, noting that state funding will be at $56 million this year and $51 million in 2010, down from $87 million two years ago.

The agency lost its attempt to place an 8-cent fee per ton on coal mining to raise money to finance the coal industry, including safety inspections and permitting.

The final budget also removed a fee increase for disposing of construction and demolition debris to provide more money for the agency's Soil and Water Conservation program.

Almost 45 percent of Natural Resources' operating budget now goes to debt payments on previous construction projects, meaning less money for other programs.

Environmentalists were happy about one aspect of the budget: the removal of a proposal that would have allowed gas and oil wells in state parks.

They were also happy that the Scenic Rivers program, which conserves 4,000 acres of river corridor land, survived the budget process.

"But lost in the debate is the sad fact that funding for Ohio's last bits of wilderness - state nature preserves - has been completely zeroed out for the last year of the budget," said Jack Shaner, deputy director of the Ohio Environmental Council.


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So what will that mean for the parks? Not real clear. Does that mean increased patrols to write life jacket or alcohol tickets? Even more waterboys in the the wake zones? It wouldn't bother me to have a fee to use the ramps like Indiana does. Where you can buy a day or a whole year at a time. It wouldn't solve all their budget problems, but it would help to maintain roads and ramps if nothing else. I'm not sure why these guys don't think about simple stuff like that? Then they get the money from the passes, and the tickets that they write for people who use them without.

they were going to try that a few years ago and everyone had a fit.

If they're going to have a fee, it should be for everyone. Not just people using the ramps.
(this is why everyone was arguing)

no fees!!!!! i all ready pay to fish, why charge me to get to the lake now? kinda double dippin huh? maybe the government needs to start spending within their means instead of just raising fees and taxes all the time.

Indiana has had the launch passes and "pay-to-enter" park sites for many years now, and they are still broke. The prices on licenses, the cost of park passes as well as other things has gone up, yet they maintain less property than they used to(i mow more grass than the state does now).
The only real plus ive seen was when they hired 2 new, young C/O's last year. Those boys have been on a holy tare, been more people busted for wildlife violations in the last 2 years than i can ever remember hearing.

You dont want launch fee's, just more money for you to spend, to get the exact same results as now.

HB

yea just look at the upgraded boat ramps at eastfork..what a joke and a waste of money..need a sportsman making decisions instead of a stuffy stiff silver spoon non working pencil neck!!!!!GOD BLESS AMERICA..I MEAN CHINA!!!

Originally Posted by Tbone72

yea just look at the upgraded boat ramps at eastfork..what a joke and a waste of money..need a sportsman making decisions instead of a stuffy stiff silver spoon non working pencil neck!!!!!GOD BLESS AMERICA..I MEAN CHINA!!!

So true!!

I went to Rocky Fork this past weekend and even those boat ramps are falling apart.

[QUOTE=Tbone72;860715]yea just look at the upgraded boat ramps at eastfork..what a joke and a waste of money..need a sportsman making decisions instead of a stuffy stiff silver spoon non working pencil neck!!!!!GOD BLESS AMERICA..I MEAN CHINA!!![/QUOTE

perfect point, they can do anything with what they have why give em more

Originally Posted by Tbone72

yea just look at the upgraded boat ramps at eastfork..what a joke and a waste of money..need a sportsman making decisions instead of a stuffy stiff silver spoon non working pencil neck!!!!!GOD BLESS AMERICA..I MEAN CHINA!!!

Couldn't agree more. I guess as long as a politician is spending the money, it won't matter how they raise it. I think I was living in a dream world there for a minute, where the money gets spent on what it is meant for and not wasted. Sorry. It won't happen again. BUT, if that world existed, it wouldn't bother me to pay a ramp fee.:D

Originally Posted by Tbone72

pencil neck!!!!!GOD BLESS CHINA!!!

now we know why you are so short...