Originally posted by sp_nyp
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Yo Rondeau!
(Polish phrase said after every hike meaning "nice driveway" regarding the path just taken)
http://www.eastwesthike.com
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Originally posted by sp_nyp View PostActually, there has to be more money that one could fathom. With taxes as high as they are, there has to be a serious amount of $$$ being collected.
It is just a matter of where it is spent.
All this was fine as long as the taxes, fees, etc, collected was able to keep up with the interest on the loans, but the principle kept riing through more spending.
Then the economy tanked. real Estate went to hell, property values wenbt to hell, jobs were lost, so Real and property taxes took a hit. People were unable to continue to purchase the things they did before or travel as much so sales and gasoline taxes were also reduced drastically. Now the states, cities, counties, nation were caught in the same situation that most citizens and small businesses (and as we know from current events large corporations as well). Lot's of debt and reduced income.
So, no, there actually isn't any money. Not enough to pay debt or even to fund what was funded in the past. HELLO!! REALITY!!
So now the powers that be have to do something about it. Cut back on a MAJORITY of the services that used to be provided, trim the work force, take the bloat out of the economy and get lean and mean.
BUT, The same people who allowed the situation to get to where is is by deficit spending now don't have the stones to stand up and make the tough cuts across the board that need to be done. And the American public doesn't want any cuts in whatever their particular thing is, whether it's their salary or being deprived of or having to pay for or pay more for particular services.
Personally last year when everyone was up in arms over the park closures I found it interesting that there seemed to be a bigger outcry over that then there was over the cuts to education and to necessary services like fire and police. Personally, as much as I love the outdoors, I think that the funding for that should be way at the bottom of the list of priorities. Sadly, I was not surprised because it only bore out the cynicism I have for the American public.
Now, I'm wondering when the reality will set in and Americans will get their heads out of the sand. Just read that SUV sales are the largest percentage of cars sold in the past year, at the same time that everyone is complaining about the economy.
Oh Well.
"No Virginia, There is no Santa Claus"
Hawk"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson
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Originally posted by sp_nyp View PostActually, there has to be more money that one could fathom. With taxes as high as they are, there has to be a serious amount of $$$ being collected.
It is just a matter of where it is spent.
I also agree with Hawk in principle on where our priorities should lie in terms of what to spend our tax dollars on. I don't advocate closing parks, but I do believe that if we, as a society, can step up and police ourselves, clean up after ourselves, enjoy the outdoors responsibly, and if those of us with the dedication and know-how can help others to do the same, we'd find that it's possible for us to enjoy the outdoors at much less tax payer expense.
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Originally posted by backwoodsmanThe money for that was taken from a special fund wasn't it, seems like a good and solid purchase for the future.
Funding for park maintenance is a totally separate thing isn't it?
Perhaps we'll have a return to environmentally responsible accounting...
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We are in agreement... I should have explained my point better.
There is money coming into the state via taxes and fees... it isn't like the state has no source of income. It still 'has a job' , so to speak.
... the problem is twofold, as you stated...
1) We have a bloated government.
2) We have many large fiscal responsibilities.
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Originally posted by redhawk View PostActually the fact is that we are supporting rich American businesses who choose to do business in China. It's American Big Business that benefits the most.
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Originally posted by rADK View PostI suppose the next logical question is, why do these businesses choose to employ people elsewhere?
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Originally posted by stripperguy View PostNo, it's a NY state fund.
The EPF is funded primarily by the NYS Real Estate Transfer tax. At one point, the fund had almost $300 million in assets.
We have an approved state budget and a fully funded Environmental Protection Fund with $250 million, representing last years and this years appropriations.
The amount that will be available for purchasing land and open space in 2002 will be $76 million, an increase of $ 10 million over the governor's original proposal. About $ 12.5 million will be available for DEC/OPRHP land and park stewardship for FY 2002-2003. This figure is equal to the FY 2000-2001 appropriation for land stewardship and $2 million more than the governor's original proposal, so we have protected the funding level for this key source of trail maintenance and backcountry projects money. We were able to eliminate $35 million of the proposed $46 million in General Fund offloads, freeing that money for land acquisition, farmland preservation and other EPF priorities.
The budget language does authorize a $235 million dollar loan from uncommitted EPF cash balances to the state's General Fund. Legislation included with the budget authorizes repayment of the EPF from the General Fund if the available funds in the EPF are insufficient to meet actual and anticipated cash needs for EPF authorized projects over the next 10 - 15 years.
I will be providing with a full report after I check some final negotiation details with Assembly senior staff and Lynette Stark of the Governor's office. But for now, key land acquisition and stewardship projects can go forward!!
Neil F. Woodworth
Counsel
Adirondack Mountain Club
New York- New Jersey Trail Conference
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Originally posted by adkman12986 View PostI believe it does or did get funded at least partly from the state, and other groups.
We have an approved state budget and a fully funded Environmental Protection Fund with $250 million, representing last years and this years appropriations.
The amount that will be available for purchasing land and open space in 2002 will be $76 million, an increase of $ 10 million over the governor's original proposal. About $ 12.5 million will be available for DEC/OPRHP land and park stewardship for FY 2002-2003. This figure is equal to the FY 2000-2001 appropriation for land stewardship and $2 million more than the governor's original proposal, so we have protected the funding level for this key source of trail maintenance and backcountry projects money. We were able to eliminate $35 million of the proposed $46 million in General Fund offloads, freeing that money for land acquisition, farmland preservation and other EPF priorities.
The budget language does authorize a $235 million dollar loan from uncommitted EPF cash balances to the state's General Fund. Legislation included with the budget authorizes repayment of the EPF from the General Fund if the available funds in the EPF are insufficient to meet actual and anticipated cash needs for EPF authorized projects over the next 10 - 15 years.
I will be providing with a full report after I check some final negotiation details with Assembly senior staff and Lynette Stark of the Governor's office. But for now, key land acquisition and stewardship projects can go forward!!
Neil F. Woodworth
Counsel
Adirondack Mountain Club
New York- New Jersey Trail Conference
It took me a while, but I found the source of your unreferenced quote.
That's from April 22, 2002.
Here's a link for anyone else that's interested.
Much has changed in the nearly 9 years that have passed...
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Yep states love to overspend durring the good times and base that on continued projected growth. Trouble is that they never seem to save some $$ and plan for the lean timesPhil
“The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.” —Herbert Spencer
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Originally posted by 1894 View PostYep states love to overspend durring the good times and base that on continued projected growth. Trouble is that they never seem to save some $$ and plan for the lean times
- Their future funding is curtailed, with the justification that "they didn't spend that much money last year, so they don't need that much money this year."
- Those saved funds are raided by another agency for something else.
As a result, an atmosphere of "we've gotta spend as much money as we can this year, so we can justify getting more money next year" has developed in many agencies. Gotta love bureaucracies!
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One, probably fairly uncontroversial thought, is how unfortunate it is that recent wildfires are costing states and the federal government huge amounts of money. It's hard to see so much money being used when even just tiny fractions of that could go such a long way for parks all over. I'm not saying we shouldn't fight fires, it's just a shame that they happen, and that we need to fight them, to begin with.Good things happen to those who hustle. -Anaïs Nin
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