16 Oklahoma state parks could close under 'worst-case scenario' 14.5 budget cut

[TexasTowelie]

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation says the "worst-case scenario" for a potential 14.5 percent budget cut would involve closing 16 state parks and ending publication of Oklahoma Today magazine.

Officials told The Tulsa World (http://bit.ly/2mIMkuj ) on Tuesday that the Oklahoma House gave the department less than three days to respond to its request of how the agency would adapt to a budget shortfall.

The potential budget cut for the department would slash more than $2.5 million. The agency has already seen state funding cut by 38 percent since 2009.

State officials say the Legislature will have $878 million less to spend for the next fiscal year because tax revenues are coming in below expectations.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oklahoma/articles/2017-03-15/budget-cuts-could-close-16-state-parks-in-oklahoma

[shenmue]

1. Save the parks

[Vogon_Glory]

2. Dry runs for what happens if the wing-nuts get their way

Oklahoma's state park closure, like Arizona's state park closures several years ago, are previews of what would happen if Far Right dreamers' fantasies came true and the federal government handed over national parks and national monuments to the various states. Imagine something like the Grand Canyon in the hands of the Arizona state government and shuttered because the state legislature wants more tax cuts for billionaires.

The Republican-controlled Oklahoma legislature is giving civic-minded Americans a refresher course on what happened in Arizona a few years ago, and what a Fibber-Tarian idea would be like in practice.