Things to do, places to eat, shows to see, places to stay in Madison County, NY      

The 2010 New York State Budget as submitted by Governor David A. Patterson deals a near fatal blow to the NYS Parks System.  Already beset by rising costs and a budget that has been cut by more than 30% over the past 3 years, the parks are facing an additional $29 million in cuts for 2010.  This level of cuts would be unsustainable and parks will have to close along with state historic sites.  In Madison County that means parks such as Chittenango Falls State Park and Lorenzo State Historic Site in Cazenovia could both be shuttered forever, or at least until the state gets its financial house back in order.
Besides providing jobs and years of enjoyment and memories for visitors, these parks have a financial impact on our communities.  People from all over Central New York visit Chittenango Falls to hike its gorge, and use its facilities.  Those visitors spend money in our shops, at our gas stations and in our restaurants.  Many a person has taken the autumn drive down route 13 to see the falls and then continued on for a nice lunch or dinner in Cazenovia or Chittenango.  We will keep you updated in this space about the potential closings, and if you are concerned please contact your legislator with a personal story about what NYS parks mean to you.  Here is a story from today's Post Standard with more information on the potential cuts.