When Governor Paterson pulled the plug on 58 of New York’s state parks and historic sites, including Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, Assemblyman Ortiz joined the public outrage and pushed back on the governor’s proposal. Closure of the parks would have saved the cash-strapped government just a fraction of 1 percent of the budget deficit, but the true impact would have been devastating. Our state parks belong to the people. They:

• Welcome some 56 million visitors annually
• Produce $1.9 billion in annual sales for nearby private businesses
• Account for $440 million in employment income
• Generate $5 in local revenue for every $1 spent¹

Assemblyman Ortiz supported legislation that passed the Assembly to help prevent misguided efforts to close our state parks and historic sites (A.10452). The measure requires the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to publicly report the justification for proposed closures and to include the public in local hearings. The commissioner would then use the information to make a final determination that must include a response to issues raised.