Feds could seize Calif. parks if closed by budget (threaten to seize 6 state parks if closed)

ap on Sac bee ^ | 7/1/09 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The California governor's office says federal officials are threatening to seize six state parks if they are closed to help balance the state's budget.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed closing 220 state parks.

But the National Park Service warned in a letter to Schwarzenegger that six of those parks are on former federal land that could revert to the U.S. government if they are not kept open as parks.

[silverleaf]

oh noze- next, a Park Czar

[icwhatudo]

Translation:

“Don’t worry, we will force tax payers in other states to pay for those parks so your illegals can keep enjoying them”.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Let the Feds have them.

It's the last thing they actually want.

[Jewbacca]

Let them. It’s an empty threat.

[jeffc]

This kind of brings up a question I have: How does the federal government own land? Unless the fed pays a state for real property, or it’s not owned privately, all land should belong to the state in which it is inside the borders of. You know - states right, that kind of thing.

[jeffc]

“states rights” . . ..

[ridesthemiles]

The Feds own land that military bases are on.

I don’t know who the owners of all the AIRPORTS are- but that might be a multitude of owners.

But- the AIR CONTROLLERS at those airports are Fed employees, I think.

[ridesthemiles]

Can you identify the parks involved?

[olivia3boys]

I live in CA and I use these parks all the time (Angel Island, Mt. Diablo, Hearst Castle), especially since I have 2 boys scouts and 1 cub scout and we hike all the time, and I say. . .fine with me.

It’s immaterial to me whether these parks are National Parks or State Parks. Perhaps they’d be better off as National Parks; I don’t know. I imagine the National Parks might cost more $$ as far as entrance fees?

[NormsRevenge]

Not sure yet, I will do some digging or maybe someone else can help out..

Can you imagine how this is gonna go over with the Mexican Mafia and their marijuana plantations on state lands and fed too? ;-)

[NormsRevenge]

Murky News has this, 3 areas ,, angel island, mt. diablo, 4 miles of beaches and dunes near Fort Ord /Monterey

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12727075?source=rss

Feds may take possession of some California parks, if they close

By Paul Rogers

The federal government is threatening to take possession of several of California’s most prominent state parks — including Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, the top of Mount Diablo and four miles of beaches at Fort Ord Dunes near Monterey — if Sacramento lawmakers close them to balance the budget.

That’s the message from the National Park Service, which also has told Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that California will be blocked from receiving future money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the leading federal source of funding for parks, if it closes state parks now.

The warnings came in a letter dated June 8 and obtained Tuesday by the Mercury News from Jon Jarvis, the Pacific regional director of the National Park Service, to Schwarzenegger.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

The short answer is that the land belonged to the federal government first, since they acquired the territory. When states were formed out of US Territories, ownership of empty lands remained with the federal government. The states didn’t automatically get land owned by the federal government simply by forming states.

[wac3rd]

Lower taxes, deport illegals, end unions and cut 50% of the bureaucrats.

There, fixed the State.

[CodeToad]

I always thought the US Constitution forbid the feds from owning State lands.

[MrB]

Not one thought of SELLING them, is there?

[Jewbacca]

With the exception of Texas.

[MrB]

The Constitution forbids a lot of things.
Leftists give the Constitution zero weight when it conflicts with their agenda.

[Redcloak]

Good... Let Ice Cream take care of them. We have enough to pay for already.

[TexasFreeper2009]

As far as I am aware, except for the original 13 colonies and Texas, all territory was owned by the federal government because it purchased the land from other countries or won it in wars.

The federal government then either sold or homesteaded out most of it, the rest was kept in federal possession. In fact much of the upper Midwest is still to my knowledge owned by the federal government to this day and is just leased to the individuals who live on it.