Senator Farley Opposes Proposed Closings of State Parks

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I - Schenectady) co-hosted a press conference today in Albany and stressed his opposition to the proposed closure of State parks by the Governor. The Senator met on March 2nd with local tourism officials from Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga and Schenectady counties on this topic. On March 3rd, Senator Farley also met with members of SOS Parks (Save Our State Parks) who visited him in his Albany office before attending a massive rally in front of the Capitol. In each meeting, Senator Farley voiced his strong opposition to closing "these treasured facilities" that includes Johnson Hall and Schoharie Creek Crossing.

"I believe the closure of these facilities is shortsighted and counterproductive. State parks and historic sites improve our quality of life and provide important recreational, educational and cultural benefits. They also represent a commitment to both our past and our future. Furthermore, from a purely monetary standpoint, the relatively small amount of projected savings is far outweighed by the short-term and long-term costs of closure. These closures will undermine and devastate our efforts to promote tourism. This will have negative repercussions for our State’s economy, especially on those local communities that rely on tourism," Senator Farley said.