It's not an idle threat, or a golden goose ruse, or a rumor. It is a very real threat, and it's serious and likely, according to Washington state parks representatives. Your time to act expires Wednesday, as in TOMORROW, because the commission meets Thursday to consider our input.
1. The Hatchery on the formal hit list. 2. It earns not one red cent, but its operating cost for just half a season is $24,000. That's not a good ratio of cost to benefit. (Don't ask; I don't know, especially when we clean and weed it ourselves and the Columbia Gorge Wiindsurfing Association pays for the Porta Pootes.) 3. Its lone ranger transferred or retired or got laid off or quit or went sailin' or something; he's gone ... and replacing him would be a big red budget flag. I was told yesterday at a public hearing that the Hatch is thus very high on the closure priority list.
Maryhill is also high on the list because its net cost savings would be the third highest of the 23 parks on the hit list.
For more detail on budget cuts at State Parks, visit the web site at
www.parks.wa.gov and click on 'State Parks budget cuts.' For those who cannot attend a public forum, comment also may be made in the following ways:
By voice-message, to (360) 902-8518
Write. Call. ACT! And remember ... the parks people are on our side, and their jobs are at stake. They need rationale, not whining. They need dollars and cents reasons, not just complaints. They need credible threats to take your money and run to Maui or the Caribbean or elsewhere.
Mike m/
