Budget Battle Rages On
Kinzua Bridge, Elk, Bendigo, Ole Bull and Clear Creek state parks are among those on the list that the Rendell Administration says would have to close under the Senate Republican budget plan.
They all fall within the 25th Senate District but Joe Scarnati, who represents the district, says he doesn't believe any state parks will close.
The adminisration says the senate plan would close 35 state parks.
"Nothing could be further from the truth," Scarnati says, adding that Rendell's budget could be interpreted as closing up to 30 state parks.
"So he put out a press release saying we're closing 35."
"I think this diminishes the ability to get a budget done. It raises very false expectations of what's going on," he says.
Two other parks – including Cook Forest – fall within the District of Senator Mary Jo White, who chairs the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, and has been critical of DCNR.
DCNR spokeswoman Christina Novak says the agency complied the list based on a number of criteria including yearly attendance, income generation and proximity to other parks.
In a letter sent to DCNR and DEP today, White says while senators are accused of imperiling public health by cutting funding for the West Nile Virus program – the Senate Republican budget and Rendell's budget allocate the same amount of money for the program.
The letter also says that while the administration is bemoaning a $1.4 million funding reduction for flood control projects, $90 million of the money allocated for last year hasn't even been spent.
You can read White's letter HERE PDF
They all fall within the 25th Senate District but Joe Scarnati, who represents the district, says he doesn't believe any state parks will close.
The adminisration says the senate plan would close 35 state parks.
"Nothing could be further from the truth," Scarnati says, adding that Rendell's budget could be interpreted as closing up to 30 state parks.
"So he put out a press release saying we're closing 35."
"I think this diminishes the ability to get a budget done. It raises very false expectations of what's going on," he says.
Two other parks – including Cook Forest – fall within the District of Senator Mary Jo White, who chairs the Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, and has been critical of DCNR.
DCNR spokeswoman Christina Novak says the agency complied the list based on a number of criteria including yearly attendance, income generation and proximity to other parks.
In a letter sent to DCNR and DEP today, White says while senators are accused of imperiling public health by cutting funding for the West Nile Virus program – the Senate Republican budget and Rendell's budget allocate the same amount of money for the program.
The letter also says that while the administration is bemoaning a $1.4 million funding reduction for flood control projects, $90 million of the money allocated for last year hasn't even been spent.
You can read White's letter HERE PDF
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