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Brown kills Blakeslee parks bill

October 5, 2011

A proposal by Sen. Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) to allow cities or counties to operate state parks threatened with closure was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown Tuesday.

Brown then inked into law a Democratic plan allowing nonprofit organizations to assist in limited park operations.

Blakeslee’s bill, which had solid Republican backing, was an attempt to offset a $33 million budget slash to the parks department. The governor also axed another GOP plan to require the parks department to post a 30-day advance notice of a proposed closure, and to entertain inquiries from parties interested in operating the park in the state’s absence.

Brown said Blakeslee’s bill was unnecessary because state parks department officials already have signed contracts with cities and counties willing to operate state parks within their jurisdictions. The senator said he was “disappointed” by the veto.


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So, the Parks Dept. lost a few million. Not to worry! The park is still there.


But does this mean those park employees that get paid to go to the Sunday swapmeet in San Luis Obispo in their shiny new white 4-wheel drive SUVs, and confiscate all those abalone shells the natives have had for decades, will now have to pay the gas out of their own pockets!?


WWHHAAAAAA!


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I understand the desire to handle the parks locally; however, what Mr. Blakeslee fails to remember is that this is a new economic world in which we live and hard choices have to be made. In addition, pushing the responsibility doesn’t eliminate the cost to the public… it just switches jurisdiction. The last thing we want is our crazy city administrations doubling or tripling our residential costs so that a few may enjoy the parks.


Right now, Mr. Blakeslee, most people are more interested in what you can do for the economy.


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Agreed. Focus on the economy, not on special interests.


The main problem with California legislators, especially the democrats, is that they go to Sacramento to get special benefits for their constituency. We need everyone to stop the self-serving legislation and concentrate on what’s best for California.


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Both Brown and Blakeslee are smart and experience.

Brown is more political and has an agenda.

Blakeslee is more virtuous.


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Sadly politician and virtuous are self-contradicting.


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Oops…believe


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Brown did the Right thing…

I don’t beleive it was political at all…just my opinion…


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So let me get this straight. The Dems are constantly haranging the Rebs. for not doing enough (and being mean spirited) to parks etc. Now they put out a pretty good deal to help parks and it gets vetoed? Boy if that doesn’t sound partisan (probably because a Dem didn’t bring it up) I don’t know what is.


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I don’t feel it was a good deal. Do I want to leave control to a 5 member city council,,heck no. In some cases they might be very good competent people, then you have cities such as Pismo that give open space to developers on a silver platter, they’ll be putting a hotel on Dinosaur Caves Park if they have their way. Who would run Montana De Oro and Oceano SVP, Hill, Patterson, the Oceano CSD? Do you trust them? It’s a shame because there probably are counties and cities that could run our state parks but unfortunately we can’t bank on that and all it would take is one election to destroy a state park.


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I like your response but have to disagree. You make a good point on the running but here is the rub. Blakeslee proposed operating them. I see that as manning the kiosk’s, taking fees and pickup and cleaning. I don’t see nor get the impression that city’s would have any more power or say than that, i.e. being able to sell or change anything outside the scope of upkeep.


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Well, you are probably right about that but at this point I don’t even trust our local govt. to operate a toll booth without finding a way to dip their finger in the till or just botch something up from incompetence. How long would it take Hill to hire one of his girlfriends to run the toll booths and the local PD would need all new cars to drive around to look cool around the parks. I’m just really down on our local govt. right now.


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I think you have a valid opinion of government in general as the powers that be really do not give a hoot about their constituency but are more concerned with their retirement packages and their legacies.


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Yea good point back on how our local Gov. run things and spend money.


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