STACHOWSKI: "A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR ALL NEW YORKERS" 

What do WNYers think about Gov. Paterson's plan to close some state parks as a way of cutting costs and balancing the Albany budget?

Judging by a recent Save Our Parks Rally hosted by NYS Senator Bill Stachowski in Woodlawn and attended by Democratic Assemblymember Mark Schroeder and his Republican colleague, Jack Quinn, among others, the answer is: We don't like it at all.

"The proposal is plain unacceptable," said Stachowski shortly after the event. "The turnout of support we had at Woodlawn validates my opinion that we must find other revenue sources to keep the parks open. At Woodlawn Beach we had a bipartisan group of elected officials, from the local and state levels, coming together to rally against closures. This is a quality of life issue for all of New York’s residents"

Senator Stachowski seems especially troubled by the fact that the NYS Parks Dept. is already cancelling people's outings even before the Legislature has voted on the Paterson plan.

"What I really find troubling is that the Department of Parks is already canceling people's reservations," he says. "They are cancelling vacations, family reunions and camping trips, before this battle is waged. Not only is this disrupting people’s lives, but they are turning away potential revenue the state would make from all of these activities. Yet the budget process isn't even over, this isn't a done deal, the value of our state parks can not be measured in dollars and cents. How do you put a monetary value on family memories, experiences, and fun? "

In any case, the Senator believes that the ethically challenged Empire State chief executive can't legally pull off such a change in any case.

"The proposed savings can’t be achieved anyway," Senator Stachowski explains. "Why? Because the Governor enacted a no-layoff agreement with certain state unions last December."