Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Office of
skip breadcrumbs| All amounts are in dollars |
| Category | Available 2007-08 |
Appropriations Recommended 2008-09 |
Change From 2007-08 |
Reappropriations Recommended 2008-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 215,313,900 | 218,767,900 | 3,454,000 | 20,107,900 |
| Aid To Localities | 32,025,646 | 14,870,000 | -17,155,646 | 40,948,275 |
| Capital Projects | 51,500,000 | 162,000,000 | 110,500,000 | 157,178,000 |
| Total | 298,839,546 | 395,637,900 | 96,798,354 | 218,234,175 |
| Full-Time Equivalent Positions (FTE) |
| Program | 2007-08 Estimated FTEs 03/31/08 |
2008-09 Estimated FTEs 03/31/09 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 81 | 81 | 0 |
| Historic Preservation | |||
| General Fund | 196 | 199 | 3 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Park Operations | |||
| General Fund | 1,425 | 1,454 | 29 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 386 | 386 | 0 |
| Capital Projects Funds - Other | 120 | 120 | 0 |
| Recreation Services | |||
| General Fund | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| Total | 2,244 | 2,276 | 32 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/22/08.
Mission
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's mission is to provide safe and enjoyable recreational and interpretive opportunities for all New York State residents and visitors, and to be responsible stewards of our valuable natural, historic, and cultural resources. The Office operates and maintains 178 parks and 35 historic sites, hosts a multitude of cultural and educational programs and offers diverse recreational opportunities, ranging from secluded campsites to the internationally renowned Niagara Falls State Park. Approximately 55 million people visit the State's parks and historic sites annually.
New York's park system and its unparalleled recreational opportunities are an important factor in the State's tourism industry and economy. Services open to the public at State parks include beaches, golf courses, performing arts centers, swimming pools, marinas, cabins, campgrounds and many significant bird conservation, wildlife habitat, historic properties and natural areas.
Budget Highlights
The Executive Budget recommends more than $396 million All Funds ($146 million General Fund; $10.3 million Federal funds) for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). This is an increase of nearly $97 million All Funds with a decrease of $13 million on a General Fund basis from the 2007-08 Budget. This change primarily reflects the infusion of $110 million in new capital funding to aid in the support of Upstate revitalization efforts offset by the removal of more than $16 million in local and regional initiatives. These funds will support the operation of all existing park facilities and the development of parklands acquired with funding from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act. In addition, $8.5 million in funding for the Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquaria program will be provided from the EPF.
For fiscal year 2008-09, the Office will have a workforce of 2,276. This is an increase of 32 positions from 2007-08 levels to fund staff at new facilities and at Camp Cass which will house the Parks enforcement training academy. Approximately 5,000 temporary and seasonal employees supplement the permanent staff in the peak summer season.
The General Fund continues to be the Office's primary source of support for its operating and local assistance budgets by providing 65 percent of its funding. The remaining 35 percent is provided by a variety of sources, including:
- User fees at the parks (31.9 percent);
- Federal grants for activities related to the use of recreational vehicles and land and water conservation (2.4 percent); and
- Other miscellaneous funds, including moneys earmarked for historic sites, arboretums and the Empire State Games (0.7 percent).
The primary focus of the Office's capital program is the health and safety of park visitors and the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing facilities. Park facilities include more than 5,000 buildings, 29 golf courses, 53 swimming pools, 76 beaches, 27 marinas, 40 vacation rentals, 18 nature centers, 817 cabins and 8,355 campsites. The Office also maintains hundreds of miles of roads and over 1,350 miles of trails, expansive utility systems, 106 dams and 604 bridges.
For 2008-09, appropriations of $144.2 million are recommended for capital projects from the State Park Infrastructure Fund, a dedicated fund consisting of revenues generated from day use and camping fees at the parks, as well as concession revenues and other miscellaneous revenues. Budget recommendations also include $4 million in Federal appropriations for Federal Land and Water Conservation funding, $10 million in fiduciary appropriations for other potential gifts to improve various parks and $3.8 million for miscellaneous capital projects.
Funding from the State Park Infrastructure Fund will be supplemented with resources for State parks capital projects from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, the EPF and the Parks Capital Initiative proposed with this Budget. In 2008-09, the EPF will provide $5 million for infrastructure and stewardship projects at State parks and lands operated by the OPRHP and the Department of Environmental Conservation.
2008-09 Executive Budget — Agency Presentation
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Office of (PDF)