Tuesday, April 4, 2017

A 100,000 dollar donation by President Trump does not offset a 1.5 billion dollar cut to the National Parks


President Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington D.C.  20500
4 April 2017

Dear President Trump: 

I am genuinely pleased that you have chosen to donate your first quarter salary for being president to the National Parks Service.  You have made a good choice as the National Parks are a wonderful gift to all Americans.  Last summer my family and I travelled to Grand Canyon National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park.  We were deeply impressed with the dedication and competence of the workers there and the care they take to protect the land and the people visiting it.  The National Parks are truly an amazing treasure for all Americans. 

However, in spite of this personal way of supporting the parks, your proposed budget would cut funding to the Interior Department (which includes the National Parks) by 1.5 billion.  My understanding is that one fourth of your presidential salary comes to about 100,000 dollars.  So while I do not mean to minimize your gift, it hardly makes up for the cuts you are proposing.  Even if you would donate to the Parks Service for each quarter of your four year term, the cuts you propose would still leave the agency crippled.   

I wanted to let you know that for me and my family, funding the National Parks is of far more importance than spending billions of dollars on a wall along the US - Mexican border – particularly since that wall is something we don’t need, that won’t work, and that sends the wrong message to the world about how we feel about our neighbors.   

Sincerely, 

Bill Boerman-Cornell

 

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