The above is sort of old news, in that no one really takes that "closure list" seriously. It's a case of Arnie causing a panic among State citizens to raise the pressure for legislatures to reach a deal. My local County BoS made a statement that in the event of the State closing their parks they would try to reach a deal with the State to manage the parks themselves. But it looks like it won't even come to that. Here's a newer take:
Some California State Parks likely to close - Lawmakers vote Thursday
Following months of deliberation, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and leaders from both parties announced late Monday that a 'deal' may have been reached to close California's $26 billion dollar budget gap. The proposed deal must still be passed by a 2/3 majority of both houses. These votes will likely occur on Thursday of this week.
The impasse, giving rise to this most recent overdue proposal, was that republican lawmakers refused agree to raise taxes to solve the budget crisis, while Democrats fought to retain services, including health care for low-income children.
The details of the budget 'deal' were, apparently, struck in a closed door session lasting late into the evening on Monday. These leaders declined to release the details of the deal until they have an opportunity to brief their respective party caucases. They did, however, disclose that some state parks will have to close, but the vast majority of the 220 initially scheduled to be shut down will remain open.
An Assembly staffer explained today that in the event the current proposal is passed, the California State Department of Parks and Recreation will be alloted a certain reduced budget. Faced with this reduction, the department will then undergo a cost vs. benefit analysis as a means of deciding which parks will need to be closed. It is possible, according to this staffer, that this process will take months.
The following parks were initially slated for closure by the governor: California State Capitol Museum, Governor's Mansion State Historic Park, Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park, State Indian Museum State Historic Park, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, D. L. Bliss State Park, Donner Memorial State Park, Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, Emerald Bay State Park, Empire Mine State Historic Park and Kings Beach State Recreation Area.