Financial woes of another state budget could result in more park closures. An Associated Press report in Business Week says funding proposed in Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s budget recommendations could prevent a new state park from opening as scheduled and force the closing of other parks.
"We’re going to have to make some tough decisions because we don’t want to thin the soup any more," Johnson said. "It will mean shutting down the parks that don’t have as high visitation so we have the resources to maintain those parks that have higher visitation."
Johnson said the cut would mean the state parks won’t be able to hire maintenance workers, rangers, workers for fee collection stations and other employees needed to run all the parks. Johnson said his office would look at park closures and more limited hours, but he said it was too early to say which parks would be shuttered.
Read the Buisness Week article: Parks chief: La. gov’s budget would force closures.
According to the Arizona State Parks Foundation, a special session of the State Legislature has cut funding for the state parks system to the point all parks will close. The cuts are part of a $205 million budget reduction to mitigate an estimated $1.5 billion budget deficit.
In an Urgent Call to Action, the foundation is asking for help.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION!
The Arizona State Legislature has acted on House Bill 2001. It eliminates the ability of our Arizona State Parks system to operate. All parks will ultimately close as a result of this action. If you or your children wish to ever visit such extraordinary places like Kartchner Caverns State Park, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park or Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, you must act today. It is our last hope.
Call, email or write (sample letter at right) Governor Jan Brewer and urge her to veto the parks cuts listed in the article below.
Phone: 602-542-4331 or 800-253-0883
Email via Governor’s Contact page at:
www.governor.state.az.us/Contact.asp
Mail: The Honorable Jan Brewer, Governor of Arizona,
1700 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Read more at the Arizona State Parks Foundation website.
This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About
It’s back to work I go — I think.
We should know something soon as the proposed date to start is June 1st.
The contract schedule will be a little different from last time. I’ll be working about 6 weeks and will then have about 6 to 8 weeks off while the class is involved in activities that do not require my “expertise.” The entire contract for me will be 6 months of actual work.
During the 6 to 8 weeks that I am off — assuming the funding for the contract is actually approved — we’ll be traveling out in the western mountain states. We had originally planned that trip for July and August, so it’ll be a little delayed, unless the funding is not approved.
I really do enjoy the work that I’ll be doing under the contract. It’s the best part of the job that I had before I retired.
The job will help us keep from dipping into our savings for the duration of the contract and we’ll try to pay down a debt or two so that the pension and other income will stretch further when I’m not working.
Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, it’s off to work I go…, probably…, maybe.
We’re leaving Harper’s Ferry this morning, heading for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Kansas, October 1938, 1/2 mile from the state line.
15½¢ a gallon for gas!
and, yes, at that time, there was a ½¢ coin still in circulation.
Happy tax day! 
I finished our taxes on Friday and they were accepted by the taxing agencies by Monday. Unfortunately, we had to pay in to state and got a little bit back on federal. The federal was bumped up a little bit. We were not eligible for the incentive rebate last year because we sold some stock to keep from losing money and it became taxable income, pushing us up over the limit. However, the rebate was actually for the 2008 tax year and was “advanced” last years for those who qualified. Since our income was a LOT lower in 2008, we qualified for it this time. Unfortunately, it only just balances what we had to pay the state.
Made it to the gym every day except Sunday.
Started November 1, 2008 at 285.6 lbs
Last week = 265.4 lbs.
This week = 263.4 lbs.
Difference = -2 lbs.; -22.2 lbs since starting
Initial goal: 210 lbs.; 54.4 lbs. to go!
See other participants’ results at Blog to Fit – Wednesday Weigh-In.
Wednesday Weigh-In – March 18, 2009,
exit78.com
February 27, 2009 — Watching the evening news, it sometimes appears as though the recession continues to spiral downward toward a mini-depression, if not worse.
Store closures.
Massive layoffs.
Stocks indexes dropping to levels not seen in over a decade.
Bankruptcies.
Reductions in services.
Nonexistent availability of credit.
Continuing high rates of foreclosures and dropping home prices.
We live in an area that has seemed almost recession proof in all of the economic downturns since we moved here in 1980. Yet, even here, there are empty stores as well as layoffs, foreclosures and higher unemployment. On the other hand, there are new homes being built, businesses that are adding on or building new, and a few help wanted signs.
Most of the people we know, both here and elsewhere, are weathering the storm fairly well, though not all. Quite a few people, including two of my brothers-in-law will have to postpone retirement because of losses in their savings and a nephew employed by Circuit City has lost his job.
So far, we have not been impacted, though we have changed some of our spending habits. In these trying times, it seems better to be frugal and conserve what we have — just in case.
How are things in your area? Have you made adjustments because of the economy?
Store Closing photo from flickr, by
dpicker,
creative commons licensing
Mini-Depression?
Back on February 12, 2006, I posted the following. on an old blog that I am in the process of retiring:
Payin’ down the House
We’re starting to make a bit more on our AdSense ads than we need for paying for internet access, server fees, and other misc. costs and had just been chunking the Google check into checking, with no particular plans for the extra money. Last night, we were talking about my hoped for early retirement and all the different expenses we have to eliminate, reduce and otherwise get under control. Among all of the others was our remaining house payments.
As I was dozing of to sleep last night, the thought occurred to me that we could earmark whatever we get from Google for “payin’ down the house,” a little bit every now and again now to eliminate one more expense later. The way we’re using the money now, it just gets spent. This way, it’s earmarked for something specific and it’s extra money that we really haven’t budget for, so we won’t miss it.
As the year progressed, the momentum towards retiring grew.
We withdrew enough from savings to pay off the house and a couple of other bills.
And I retired at the end of February, 2007.
Comments on “Payin’ down the house”
August 6, 2007
Congrats Mike! You really should think about writing about the ways you have gone about doing this. I think you would appeal to a lot of readers. You’re approachable and I think you’ll get more to listen to you than some because they will see you as a regular guy who’s making it. Of course your way might not work for everyone but it’s another outlet for people to look at when they want to receive tips about Adsense.
A lost Exit78 post, recovered from Internet Archive WayBackMachine; March 2011
All three sell points triggered this week – above $100. Oh, well, at least I don’t have to worry about all of those eggs in that basket any more.
… and my tax on original cost is less that I had thought it was going to be.
A lost Exit78 post, recovered from Internet Archive WayBackMachine; March 2011
Entergy (ETR – Cramer’s Take – Stockpickr – Rating) price target raised at Jefferies to $127 from $125. See higher wholesale power prices in Northeast. 2009 estimates upped to $7.90 from $7.55. Maintained Buy rating.
A lost Exit78 post, recovered from Internet Archive WayBackMachine; March 2011
