Yellowstone’s Sequester Cuts Ain’t Pretty
By Michael Frank on March 12th, 2013
Mandatory sequester cuts kicked in three days before the plows were to start clearing snow from Yellowstone National Park’s hundreds of roads. For one of the nation’s most beloved parks, that means slashing $1.8 million, and Superintendent Dan Wenk has to consider his options, none of them good. Ironically Cynthia Lumis, Wyoming’s lone House member who has said publicly that the cuts are a good thing, suggested Wenk solve his problem by lobbying Congress — right, that he lobby the body of representatives of which she is a part. Never mind that it’s her job to represent Wyoming, not Wenk’s. Anyway, at least so far Wenk chose the least painful option of all the painful options. Rather than lay off seasonal rangers (possibly endangering visitors) or closing the park early, which would deny visitors in prime season, he’s delayed the snowplows, saving $30,000 a day. If the park opens late, that’s the softest blow. So far. Via Washington Post.
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Tags: National Parks
More irony: Wyoming is one of a handful of states flush with cash thanks to oil and gas money and very little state congressional budget gridlock (read: 86% Republican). It could be a strong PR move for the state to help out the Nat’l Park during this period of austerity. But whatever they do, Dick Cheney still skis in jeans.
Also interesting is that Wyoming is ranked 20-something of states that receive more federal money than they generate in tax and other revenue. So they’re not insanely stingy, but stingy and on the dole nonetheless. With all that fresh cash, along with federal subsidies, you’d think they’d have the heart to kick down to, arguably, their greatest asset.