Posted by Tina
The state of Utah is not letting the dysfunction of the federal government ruin their state’s ability to welcome tourists to the beautiful parks located within its borders. Is this a sign that the people are beginning to realize that the founders vested power in the people? Let us hope so. Utah will loan our government a few bucks…US News has the story:
“The world should know Utah is open for business,” said Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, after he signed a contract with the Federal government that would allow Utah to open its five national parks by Saturday.
The deal requires Utah to pay to a total of $1.67 million for the 10 days, $166,572 a day, so eight sites – including five national parks, two national monuments and a national recreation area – can reopen as early as Saturday morning.
The deal came after Herbert wrote a letter to President Obama on Tuesday, requesting that Utah’s national parks and monuments be allowed to open. On Wednesday, Herbert offered to lend money from the state to get the government running. Herbert and Utah legislators then spent all of Thursday composing a contract that Interior Secretary Sally Jewell could accept. Jewell authorized the reopening in a phone call early Friday morning, saying that parks could reopen within 24 hours of the money transfer.
Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef and Canyonlands are the five national parks that bring millions of tourists from around the world to Utah’s soil. Zion National Park alone boasts 3 million visitors annually.
With millions of taxpayer dollars flowing to the federal government daily, and with a bill to fund all of of government except the ACA on the table, it is a bit cheesy that Utah has to lend the federal government some money just to keep the parks open to tourists.
See Tina, how we have it worked out is: the federal government funds the national parks, and the state governments fund their state parks.
Isn’t that sensible?
Now, the only reason the national parks are not funded, employees are not getting paychecks, and people who planned big trips to the U.S. to see Yellowstone are very disappointed … well, that would be because a cadre of wingnuts in the House are trying to do, well, what they’ve done. Make lots of people distressed.
That’s not cheesy, that ought to be criminal.
Perhaps it’s time for States to step up and protect the lands within their borders – and their citizenry – from dictatorial edicts from DC.
If the Foolish Feds can’t or won’t handle the stewardship of our national parks, the states should reclaim the lands.
Applause, applause J. Soden! The Feds have gotten too big for their britches.