Preservation In the News

By Abel Maldonado

History will no doubt judge us by how we grapple with this year's budget crisis, but must we destroy history in the process? I am extremely concerned with the proposal to close 48 of our world-famous state parks, beaches and historical landmarks.

There is no argument that our state is in dire straits. We face an unprecedented challenge: erase a $14.5 billion deficit without raising taxes. I wholeheartedly feel that the Legislature is up for the challenge, but at the same time we cannot sacrifice certain values we all share. Our parks are an integral part of our state's collective identity. They help define us; they give us a sense of connection with our past and our future.

There are a lot of important programs that are slated for significant cuts, including education and our prison system, perhaps leading to the early release of incarcerated felons. Given those threats, some may feel that the closing of a few parks pales in comparison. But at the same time, our parks represent something greater than ourselves.

Our parks are not only a tourist attraction; they are a place to escape our busy lives. They are a glimpse into the past, to what California looked like before freeways, cities, the suburbs; they are the real California. Our parks are a place to show our children the grandeur of nature and to instill in them the importance of conservation.

Also on the list of closings are historical landmarks. The governor is proposing to close Sutter's Fort in Sacramento and La Purisima Mission in Santa Barbara County. Sutter's Fort represents the first non-Indian settlement in the Central Valley. La Purisima Mission, the 11th Spanish mission to be constructed, recently celebrated its 220th anniversary. Both of these historical landmarks were created before we became a state; and now the state is threatening to close them down.

As soon as I saw the extensive closings included in the governor's budget proposal, I called Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman to express my sincerest opposition to closing these magnificent historical monuments. One of my fondest memories, and one I get to share with my children, is studying our state's missions. Fourth-graders across the state study and celebrate the history of our missions. Are we now going to make these structures just a footnote in our history books? Will we be forced to tell our children only stories about our past, or will they still be able to experience it for themselves?

If we send a message to our children that our state's history is dispensable, how much longer will our history survive? Our history is an immutable part of our state's culture. These parks generate millions of dollars of revenues for our state, and closing them will do very little to assuage the debt we are facing. What we stand to lose if we close these parks and historical monuments is far greater than any monetary benefit we gain from closing them.

These parks and landmarks have withstood the test of time. Now we are forced to ask whether they can withstand the test of political sacrifice in the state Legislature. I, for one, refuse to see our parks held as pawns in this time of political gamesmanship. I will fight to ensure that we do not create our own history this year by being the first Legislature to close down state parks.