NYS Projected park closures

[Has Been]

Read this morn in paper all the PROPOSED closures will save a grand total of 6.2 million bucks. Happy days are here again.Now if you are a local legislator that has one of these parks in your district , you have to kiss a**& make deals to not get it closed. Buisness as usual .These guys have thier heads up their a**es so far I think there is no hope for them.

[larryg]

Closing the Oak Orchard State Marine Park is estimated to save NYS $7,000 of the $33M proposed cuts. They are not going to put up barriers to keep people out, just no docks, restrooms or maint. at the launch.

Yes, it hurts as 1 of the 41 park closings by the OPRHP across the state but wait until you see the impact of the DEC budget cuts. With $5M transfering from the Environmential Protection Fund to OPRHP right from the start the DEC has to cut even deeper. Everything is on the cutting block at the DEC including hatcheries, the Academy, campsites, fishing accesses and boat launches. Region 8 had a gimme to close a fishing access when RG&E closed Russell Station.

April 1 is the target date for proposals to be submitted. Bend over people here it comes!

[walleyemagic]

I still say start with cutting the state gov, You do not need 8 trucks 14 people to fix a bolt on a guard rail, or to fix a pot hole. I see so much wasted money in the dot that it makes you sick. Why not come to some agreement and let the drilling begin for gas and being self sufficient and bring jobs to the area and pay royalties out to local gov and land owners. Would nyseg or local gas comp have anything to do with holding this up because they would not be able charge supply charges like they do?. The gas business in my opinion IF Done Correctly could turn this area around fast if Done Properly with respect to people and natural resources.

Get the bum out of NY and keep him out. MY personal opinion.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

It is just so exasperating to watch these decisions and actions. We are WAY overdue to conduct the DEC, and the state, as a business. In difficult times, you dig in and sometimes you need to spend MORE in the areas that win for you. As I stated at a recent "Town" meeting to one of our long time politicians from Niagara Falls, we cannot "starve" the engine that makes the whole thing go. We are killing the "Golden goose".

I asked at 2 different "state of the lake" meetings last year, whose job or responsibility was it educate the rent-a-governer. No one had an answer to me. It is damaging, even if all you care about is that sickening free lodging for prisoners guests, to increase fees and make cuts, WHEN DOING JUST THE OPPOSITE IS PART OF THE SOLUTION!!!!!!

We must fight to not let any more of this fishery and tourism in general to become sacrificial lambs, AND FOR CRYING OUT LOUD WILL SOME DEMOCRAT WHO HAS HIS EAR GIVE THIS GUY "A CLUE"!!!!!!!!

[walleyemagic]

whose job or responsibility was it educate the rent-a-governer

I like your question and think it should be made as a public comment.

Thanks Capt

[Gill-T]

More excess. Stop all immigration....period. We have 10% unemployment and we keep allowing people to immigrate to our nation. I see these families at a clinic I work at. They all are instantly given medacaid, medicare, food stamps and access to public housing. Why?.......because the idiots in Washington believe the answer to the underfunded social security is add more people to the system to generate more tax revenue. I know..... lets keep adding people until there is no green space anywhere.....pave it all, we need more traffic! Starting salaries for a State Trooper is $70,000. When policemen are getting ready to retire, they jack up their overtime because their pension is based on the final years of earned income. There are too many retired police officers making six figures. Don't get me started on teachers. Teachers' unions are fighting the consolidation into one health insurance which would save millions. Do we really need all the duplication of services? We have State workers, county workers, town workers, village workers and all the government and taxes that each garner. Seems to me we could consolidate and get rid of all town and village forms of government and roll them into the counties jurisdiction. Lets finally dissolve the thruway authority!!!!!!! Honestly, if they see the slightest bump in the I-90, they tear it up and repave it to keep their jobs going. There are plenty of bridges that need rebuilding with that money. Ok, that is my rant. I still don't feel better however. If the state wants to find their 8 billion dollars I would start with finding solutions to these problems.

[spoonfed-1]

Capt. Vinny

Does the LOCBA have anyway to combat this stupidity?

We need to get together and let our voices be heard.

In your opinion what is the best way, realistically, to unite the people?

I ask these questions because I'm aware of your time and involvement in these types of issues.

Far as I'm concerned enough is enough and the best way to battle these a-holes is to get the people together and make noise.

Thats the only way.

Glen

[windburn]

OK, here ya go....Here's their plan....let the Asian carp in, reduce fisherman/boater access, then they will be able to place as many freakin' windmills as they want. Am I a conspiracy theorist or what!

[LongLine]

No HB, The state is not broke! They have plenty of money to pay politicians and their fat staffs for doing absolutely nothing, plenty of money to give them cars, free lunches & travel/living subsidies; plenty of money to keep paying NYC cops & firemen exhorbitantly, expecially allowing them to retire after 20 yrs on full pensions that are 75% of active earnings; they have plenty of money to spend on totally ridiculous feasibility studies; they have plenty of money to give to some development corp so it can expand a big mall in Syracuse; they have plenty of money to give another corp a lot of help cleaning up a site on the river so they can build condos & make more money; They have plenty of money to throw into wind turbine companies which will take the money overseas. Note, not one of these payments has been delayed even one day!

Yes HB, the state has plenty of money to waste! As the rest of my post says - they spend it on stuff that has no pay-back. And those things which do have a payback, they either raise fees so fewer people will use them or shut them down.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Has Been]

They are spending a lot of borrowed money. The state does not take in enough to cover what is going out. That to me that makes us broke. But for some reason that evades me, for the gov ,Broke is not broke. If I ran my 2 buisnesses like that I would be living in a carboard box( But be eligeble for health ,food , housing benifits & free cash) We have made retirement& other promises we can't keep to keep union members happy for their votes.And thats just scratching the surface. It's time to pay the fiddler for the good time our moron legislature had on our dime. I have been doing my tax stuff today for the last 6 hours & have more to do. Can someone tell me why I still work? The only reason I can figure is my stupid pride. The enemy is us cause we( a general term) voted these clowns in. November is closer every day. Time to flush the toilet.

[LongLine]

They are spending a lot of borrowed money.

Which they keep borrowing to spend on things with no pay back.

Don't forget schedule M.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[LOC Derby]

Somebody give me some duct tape before my head explodes. These proposed launch ramp and park closures cater to fishermen that were planning on using these facilities less than 60 days from now. Never mind the businesses and tourism departments that depend on these facilities and are currently promoting them in their advertising in an attempts to draw tourism dollars to the state and the south shore of Lake Ontario in particular.

Now they could be closed?!! As I write this Bill Hilts from Niagara County and Mike Waterhouse from Orleans County are in London England promoting the exact same areas slated for closure.

These proposed closures are going to take more meetings and unknown amounts of letters, calls etc to local and state representatives to stave off. The insanity of this proposal could only be dreamt up an ignorant state politician or employee. You have tourism and promotions trying to bring people into the area while another part of the government has proposed to close them.

Vince is right about actually running this like a business, I think he has been suggesting it since Bruce Shupp was in charge but it’s never going to happen. Understand that politicians think you are stupid and they will do what they want because they know better than you. They only listen to people and organizations with real money and/or members and currently we have no organization that meets these criteria dedicated to the Lake Ontario Fishery.

I initially heard about budget cuts last month but they were included with a write up with the sale of Canadice and Hemlock lakes. No details were given as to what the actual cuts were would be...

The DEC is buying Canadice and Hemlock lakes from the City of Rochester, for a price they won't disclose with money from the Environmental Protection Fund. Anybody here go to any public meeting about this sale or purchase? How do we know the city residents got a fair price? Does anyone know the amount that will be paid to the five or six communities from the PILOT fund? When I inquired as to the “closed negotiations†I learned this is how it’s usually done.

The fiduciary responsibility of the Mayor of Rochester is to do what’s best for the city. Was that accomplished? What happened to the governor’s moratorium on land purchases because of the budget? Now I find out this purchase is exempt. An additional 1,100-acre parcel owned by the Nature Conservancy adjoining Rochester’s watershed lands is to be offered to the state, eventually creating an 8,200-acre wilderness area. But that parcel may take longer to negotiate because it doesn't fall into the previously mentioned exemption. I’m fully aware of the difference between the different funding sources, but this is lunacy.

We are being told we can’t afford important assets to the fishery and other public parks yet we somehow can make additional acquisitions? Cutting services that actually benefit the community, tourism and tax revenues was stated by Governor Paterson as “only fair†if cuts had to be made to social services. I disagree. Just because Paterson doesn’t realize that some expenditures have a “return on investment†lumping them with expenditures that are just a drain on the economy is poor thinking. And like Vince said, poor business.

Dave Chilson

[LongLine]

You want to know why the state is “broke?†Look at this: in Fiscal 2009-2010, for example) The Thruway Authority spent 38.5 BILLION of which 1.4 Billion was on capital construction (road repair) They spent 282 Million on “supplies & materialsâ€; They spent 30.7 Million on employee travel (mileage, meals, lodging – for crips sake, they drive the thruway for free)

http://wwe1.osc.state.ny.us/transparenc ... endCat.cfm

Pick an agency from the pulldown list then hit search & you’ll see what the comptroller says each state agency has spent in fiscal 2009-2010.

http://wwe1.osc.state.ny.us/transparenc ... psMain.cfm

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[johnbrownt]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: FW: What the hell happened?????

Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:25:16 -0500

I saw this before but I read it again…. You should too even if you did already… J

What the hell happened -

545 people vs. 300 million people

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be - read it!!

The article below is completely neutral ...not anti republican or democrat.

Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel has hit the nail

directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must

assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day.

It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000

EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST HAS SCRIPTED IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.

Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.

545 PEOPLE--By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them..

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits..... The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ, it's because they want them in IRAQ

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power..

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it......... Is up to you.

This might be funny if it weren't so darned true.

Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,

Tax his bed,

Tax the table,

At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,

Tax his mule,

Teach him taxes

Are the rule.

Tax his work,

Tax his pay,

He works for peanuts

Anyway!

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirt,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if he

Tries to think..

Tax his cigars,

Tax his beers,

If he cries

Tax his tears.

Tax his car,

Tax his gas,

Find other ways

To tax his ass.

Tax all he has

Then let him know

That you won't be done

Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;

Then tax him some more,

Tax him till

He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in

Which he's laid...

Put these words

Upon his tomb,

Taxes drove me

to my doom...'

When he's gone,

Do not relax,

Its time to apply

The inheritance tax..

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL license Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Excise Taxes

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)

Gross Receipts Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Personal Property Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service Charge Tax

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Sales Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the hell happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD - - - BE AN AMERICAN!!!

ps If you do the right thing and pass this on -which is entirely up to you - please do the right thing and highlight and delete any addresses you receive with it. Thanks

Or you can copy and paste to a new e-mail.

the problem is these 545 people do not understand is, all our jobs are moving out of the US. They must do away with all free trade agreements and bring jobs back home. they are loosing their tax base.

[kliph]

Time to contact your state representative.

Remind them that we pay taxes. Too much taxes.

Forget the Governor, he's clueless.

This time next year we will have an other Governor.

And he will be from down state.

All the state leaders are from down state.

No concern for up state.

http://www.state.ny.us/

[711skwerlz]

This is a sad situation. We all need to do what we can to stop it. They will force us off the water and out of the woods if they have a choice. Another reason for New York to be divided into two states. Downstate can keep paterson. Chowder should run for upstate govenor. Is it time for a new revolution?

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson

[Shade]

Enough complaining its time to act. I know that there has to be someone on this site that can start an electronic pettition that we can all sign and that can be sent to our Congreesmen, State and Federal Senators and to the Governor as well and where ever else it needs to been seen. I would also like to see a web site where our families, friends, sports clubs or any other orginization we belong to, who are not LOU members, can log onto a sign as well. We all know people who have computors and are willing to help stop these closures.

Lets do this NOW.

Shade

[RUNNIN REBEL]

WE need an airplane.

Sorry but it is getting to that point.

FORGET about the government-on any level- being run like a private business.

You cannot have a fiscally responsible "business" IF:

A: That business is overstaffed with union employees that collect pensions forever after 10-20 years service(see New Jersey state pension plan outlook). That cannot be laid off or prevailing government wage cannot be lowered.

B: That business never needs to make a profit.

C: That business has unlimited funds/debt it CAN CONTROLL.

D: That business has No competition and is TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH with the real world/customers needs and practices US.

JERRY

RUNNIN REBEL

VINCEvvvvvv Nice post response for being AFTER MIDNIGHT in PITTSBURGH !!!! vvvvvvVINCEvvvvvvvvvv

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Well, I grow more impressed with the caliber of people on this site every day. I agree with everything I have read here. This is how change begins, with unrest. We don't have to be sheep paraded to slaughter, or as the great Ted Nugent would say, "sheeple".

Some of you may not be aware, but cormorant control only came about after some deeply concerned sportsmen grew frustrated with the inaction of the state and federal governments, and committed some serious crimes. They took it upon themselves to do SOMETHING. Although they brought trouble to themselves, it got attention, and soon after cormorant control began.

Spoonfed, the problem is NY is Democrat controlled. They just simply always favor "Big Government", and big taxes. With the natural resources NY has, there should be a blizzard of "New money" flowing in from all over. As I informed that assemblywoman at the "town meeting", just that ONE Pro-Am held in Niagara County last June, had contestants and their money from 6+ states and 3 countries. How can they be so unaware?

Dave is right, its time to organize and expose people, because a politician would have to be corrupt or mentally deficient to cut the legs out from under the ONLY economic engines this state has.

[ray koziatek]

as i mentioned before my best friends dad owns 200 acres wqith gas royalties fron nearby well he pays in approx 350,000.00 a year in taxes up from 1800.00 before well,,and each well payes out approx 600 acres you do the math on 100 wells for the last 7 years,and ill bet their is a tad more than 100.. if some one had a lick of sence this money could of been invested in a intrest collecting fund and be used for a real disaster ,improvments, or NEEDED emergencys.................seems like just yesterday NY was ready to shell out 200 mill a year to offer protection for a TERRORIST to get a free trial in our state,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,boy if i didnt like{love} hunting and fishing sooo much id dumb down and run for guvener,,,,

[Misty IV]

This is rediculous. Closing areas of the state which draw in so much tourism and outside revenue. Makes no sense to me why they would close a historic site, like Fort Ontario. A HISTORIC SITE!!! So, what are they going to do? Let it fall apart, not maintain it, forget it exists? Then one day, come to the realization that you cannot fix it and keep the historical background it once had? And, Selkirk Shores. They're closing the beach? All summer long, as I troll along, there are hundreds of people enjoying that beach. Ugh!!

While I am not a state resident, I do own property along Mexico Bay. I know the economy is in a bad place right now, but proposing these closures and changes is not the way to keep revenue coming into the state. Someone above mentioned putting signs up at the state lines, telling us that the state is closed.

Seems our politicians need to re-evaluate everything and see where THEY themselves can cut back on THEIR spending. Stop letting YOUR mistakes flow downhill and affect the residents and tourists of that great state, and take actions at the top first with YOUR own mistakes!!! Attention: Politicians, are you listening??

[BP Swing]

Where the world will we be able to launch on the oak with parking if they close the west ramps? How much money are they saving closing the beach at Hamlin 3 days a week?

Also I hate to see them close anything at the 1,000 islands. Cedar Island, Canoe Pt. This is rediculous. Patterson is a dope.

[mostlymuskies]

Long Point State Park is where 14+ Bass,Walleye & Muskie Tournaments go out of every year on Chautauqua Lake.Along with the Tourneys a good number of Tourists & Locals launch boats,have a picnic or swim at the beach.Closing Long Point would ruin the Tourisom to Chautauqua Lake,not to mention the stress there will be on the remaining small boat launches.

I know Chautauqua County Tourisom Officials & Politicians were meeting friday & saturday to try to reverse the states thinking.

As the Vice Pres. of Eastern Lake Erie Charter Boat Assoc. I will get each captian in our assoc. to either write a letter or email thier congressman about how these closings will put a good number of us out of business.It was bad enough that NY State went to $70 for a Non-Resident Fishing License,now eliminate Tournaments and take away places to launch thier boats,how many fishermen will travel to NY in 2010?

Capt. Larry D. Jones

Vice Pres. E.L.E.C.B.A.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Thanks for noticing Jerry. Before I run out here I have to point out that the Town of Newfane boat launch, cleaning tables, marina, and fishing access areas are successful and profitable. Why? because the local government is Republican and realizes the power of the economics of fishing and tourism. HELLO?

Closing places like Fort Niagara and Selkirk shores? Time to privatize all of these locations and facilities. For years I have pointed out the Fort with pride to visiting anglers, and they always went to visit after fishing. Now it will be an embarassment. I have said for years we have a world class fishery, IN SPITE of the state.

Pardon me, now I have to go be positive to hordes of people who are looking for an "escape" from this type of crap when they spend their hard-earned tourism dollar. I feel like Dave Chilson, gonna need duct tape for my exploding head!

Run for governor, Ray. We have never met but I will back you because if you hunt and fish and love your family you are REAL.

[Tim Bromund]

As much as I agree that this is a Democrat problem to a large extent, I think it is just as much an upstate vs downstate problem. Downstate, where the people are packed in like rats in a dumpster full of rotting meat, not a lot of them hunt/fish and they hold those of us out here in the hinterlands that do in contempt as backwards, semi-human barbarians and rednecks/rubes, not enlightened, urbane, classy city folk like them.

As such, in their supreme arrogance, they decide that since these things aren't important to the big city, they aren't important and are best done away with.

The problem in New York is that since those rats ARE packed into the dumpster of rotting meat that is Westchester County on out (downstate) that they have more than half the State's population and therfore, control State Government and can actually enact their myopic, provincial, elitist nonsense. In keeping with the original premise, since the downstate population is overwhelmingling liberal/democrat, I'm not sure this State's problem's are fixable short of somehow separating the 95% of the land mass that makes up the rest of NY State from the downstate SE Corner.

Tim