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Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.
After spending 34 years of my career working for the Department of the Interior, most of which was with the National Park Service, I am no stranger to the power and beauty of our most special places. In my last Park Service position, I served as Superintendent of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area from 1987 until 2000. In managing Lake Mead, one of the most visited sites in the National Park System, I was in charge of managing a 1.5 million-acre space – on an ever-decreasing, shoestring budget. With this experience under my national park ranger hat, it disturbs ...
Alan O’Neill served as superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area from 1987 to 2000 and helped found the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, where he served as executive director until 2010.
The national parks costs so little and provide excellent value for the money. These important assets deserve our support.
The truth is everything the Federal government does and provides has to be up for discussion to cut and cull. Everything. Nothing is exempt just because a 34 year National Park Service Ranger says so. It doesn't work that way. Not with our Federal government and its past years of out of control spending and predictions, if left unchecked, of a future as far as the eye can see of more of the same. I suggest that the powers that be in the DOI come up with a prioritized wish list of those services that it would like to continue after they are cut/culled. If and when the debt/deficit situation improves, the DOI request that these are funded again.
CarmineD
PS: Unless the funds generated go directly to offset/defray the taxpayers' money to fund the National Park Service operations, they should not be used as an argument in the budget justification.
CarmineD
The national parks I have visited appear way over developed. Actually they appear to be public jobs programs. It's as if park personnel try to outdo mother nature. The National Park Service needs to adopt a culture which maintains a minium footprint. And that would coincide well will the extreme need for all federal departments to scale back.
Our founding fathers never intended government to employ millions of employees. Nor do I want that from My government.
Our nation's public and national parks deserve our support. When we look at the balance sheet of the return for each taxpayer dollar invested, it is a glorious bargain. It is mutually important that our open spaces, that many Americans, including visitors from all around the world come to visit, tour, or camp at, continue to be protected for present and future generations to enjoy.
The Park Service has done a fabulous job utilizing volunteer organizations in helping maintain and keep our parks viable. Thanks to all who love our national treasures and support them!
Blessings and Peace,
Star
I find it amazing that we're having a discussion about cutting Anything while Freeloading profitable Corporations (25%) pay Nothing in Taxes. Oil Corporations, Wall Street Banks and much of the Defense and Medical industry is loading up at the Public Through. We do have a Revenue And Spending Problem. However the Spending is for Corporations and Billionaires who do little for American Prosperity that they would not otherwise do for the Profit Motive, and Defense - Desperate to keep our nation and war and their profits going.
Yet all of these Industries have the Low Information Voters convinced that we must cut Student Aid, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Education, Public Works (Highways,Bridges,Tunnels,School Buildings,Trains,Electrical Grid Structures, Medical Research, and the list goes on) so they will be immune from ANY CUT from their Sacred Cow.
I wish these bureaucrats and former bureaucrats felt this strongly about protecting jobs and ensuring future entrepreneurs will be able to create jobs for next generations to come.