2 more Arizona state parks closed; 8 in jeopardy

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Tonto Natural Bridge State Park: This geological formation near Payson attracted 87,930 visitors in 2008. It is one of two additional state parks that will close immediately to allow for repairs necessary for visitors' safety, officials said.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (Photo: David Wallace, Arizona Republic)

[Source: Casey Newton, Arizona Republic] — Two state parks will close indefinitely and eight more will remain on the chopping block as part of budget cuts approved Friday by the Arizona State Parks Board.  Tonto Natural Bridge State Park and Jerome State Historic Park will close immediately to allow for repairs necessary for visitors’ safety, officials said.  McFarland State Park closed earlier this month for the same reason. Combined with layoffs, the suspension of grants for capital projects and other measures, the park closures will help the parks board pay a $27 million bill to the state due next Saturday.  That figure represents the funds taken by the Legislature last month as part of a $1.6 billion budget fix for fiscal 2009.

Even after the Friday cuts, which were approved on a 3-1 vote, the parks board still must find an additional $3 million in savings by June 30.  That leaves the fate of eight more state parks up in the air: Homolovi Ruins, Oracle, Yuma Quartermaster Depot, Tubac Presidio, Fort Verde, Lyman Lake, Riordan Mansion, and Red Rock.  Whether those parks remain open depends largely on whether the Legislature makes further cuts to state parks as part of the fiscal 2010 budget.  Arizona faces an estimated $3 billion budget shortfall.

Board members were pessimistic about the prospect of keeping all or even most of the eight parks open.  “Don’t leave here today thinking we’re not going to close more parks,” board member Bill Scalzo said after more than five hours of meetings. “We probably will.”  [Note: To read the full article, click here.  Additional news coverage at Arizona Daily Sun, Cronkite News Service, KNXV Phoenix, KSWT Yuma, KTAR Radio Phoenix, Payson Roundup, Sierra Vista Herald, Tucson Citizen.]

Tucson couple starts website to save state parks & cultural sites

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die080.aiHusband-and-wife team Alan Sorkowitz and Michele Rappoport have created a new website, seeitbeforeitcloses.com. Alan, a retired book publishing executive, and Michele, a retired marketing communications writer, moved to Tucson in 2006 and began learning about and appreciating the natural beauty and rich cultural, historical, and archaeological heritage of Arizona.

Alan enjoys hiking in the Sonoran desert and volunteering on archaeological digs.  He is a member of numerous state and local cultural organizations and serves as archivist for the Tubac/Santa Cruz chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society. Michele designs and creates jewelry, much of which reflects the heritage of her new home state.

They created seeitbeforeitcloses.com in outrage over the threatened cuts to the Arizona state park system and to cultural sites — ancient Indian ruins, historic properties, arts centers, and others — being reported throughout the state.  “We didn’t move to Arizona to watch helplessly as its beauty and distinctiveness are lost to shortsighted budget cuts that threaten both Arizona’s tourism economy and the quality of life for its citizens,” says Alan. Michele underscores this point, saying, “Arizona’s parks are America’s parks. People come here to witness the majesty of a place they can experience nowhere else in the country.”

The goal for the website is to raise awareness and provide information as well as to raise funds that can be used to maintain Arizona parks and cultural sites and organizations.

3 Arizona state parks to be closed & more staff cuts made due to budget cuts

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Jerome State Historic Park

[Source: Casey Newton, Arizona Republic] — The State Parks Board on Friday voted to shut down three of the 11 state parks up for closure due to state budget cuts — Jerome State Historic Park, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, and McFarland State Historic Park in Florence.  The board also plans to cut grants, lay off about 20 employees, and furlough about 10 more.

The state Parks Department is grappling with nearly $35 million that was cut from the agency’s budget in fiscal 2009, including $27 million in cuts approved by legislators and Gov. Jan Brewer late last month.  The funding was taken as part of a budget deal that closed a $1.6 billion state shortfall for fiscal 2009.  Now, potentially even larger cuts loom for 2010.  The department has already laid off about 60 seasonal and other workers.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, near Payson, and Jerome State Historic Park in Jerome have lodges and other buildings in dire disrepair, and are awaiting capital renovations.  The Parks Department manages 27 state parks that account for 2.3 million annual visitors.

Viewpoint: Good ideas, responsible cuts needed at Arizona State Parks

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Red Rock State Park Sedona Arizona
Red Rock State Park, Sedona

[Source: Camp Verde Bugle] — The Arizona State Parks Board meets again today to discuss shutting down or providing limited use of several parks.  With Parks Director Ken Travous’ latest suggestions for the closure list, there is a sense of machination or at least gamesmanship.  There has been enough waving of red flags.

The formula for shifting Red Rock State Park into the top five parks listed for closure (by considering only the percentage of visitors who are Arizona residents) is highly questionable.  The Sedona area is what it is — a very popular tourist destination for people all over the world.  It naturally follows that RRSP will be pulling in a majority of out-of-state visitors.  To wave the threat of closure at Red Rock is a great way to get Sedonans riled up and protesting the stinginess of the state Legislature.  It is certainly not responsible.  There are eight other state parks on the list that are harder on the State Parks budget than Red Rock is.

The suggested closure of Jerome State Historic Park and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is only a good idea if it is temporary during repair work.  If “repair” closure is just a step toward permanent closure, that will only start a firestorm.

At its previous meeting, the State Parks Board had asked Travous to come up with more ideas other than shutting down parks.  If simply adding three more to the possible-closures list is all the director’s office came up with, the board needs to look in another direction.

Most residents of Arizona understand the current constraints on the state budget and the likelihood of more deficits and more cutting in the future.  State Parks will not avoid this.  Completely closing down some parks — especially those that are expensive to run and receive few visitors — is an understandable option if it is done responsibly.  Today, we hope the State Parks administration can look through the politicking and red flags and provide ideas of its own.