Businesses Pay to Plow Yellowstone National Park
Businesses and organizations around Yellowstone National Park have helped raise most of the funds needed to bolster snow plowing inside the country's oldest national park, allaying fears of a delayed opening this spring because of federal budget cuts contained in the sequester... Business groups and the tourism board in Jackson Hole, Wyo., fearing a loss of tourism dollars, have raised the funds to pay for plowing near the South gate, while those in Cody, Wyo., have met more than half their goal to open the East gate, officials said. The state of Wyoming is providing equipment and personnel to help plow park roads, while firms will pay back the transportation department for whatever it costs the agency to use its own workers on federal roads, according to a spokesman for the governor of Wyoming.
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Of the $70,600 required, the county tourism board offered to pay $56,000, while the local chamber kicked in $14,600, he said. A restaurant group and a linens-supply company have said they will pitch in $2,200 collectively, which would lower the burden for the tourism board and chamber. Both organizations aim to continue to raise money from local businesses. Organizers say the last hurdle is making sure the state attorney general can approve use of the tourism board's public dollars for plowing. Then, the transportation department will begin clearing an eight-mile stretch so the South gate can open on its scheduled date of May 10.
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To the east, firms in Cody have raised about $27,000 of the $100,000 necessary to open the East gate, said Scott Balyo, director of the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce. The chamber has agreed to a dollar-for-dollar match, so they are $46,000 shy of the goal. The deadline to raise money is April 1 for the East gate to open on time: May 3. Mr. Balyo said firms have chipped in sums from $50 to $5,000.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324392804578362661456737542.html
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So this is the idea. Show that even national parks do not need the Federal Government? At least for now?
= new reply since forum marked as read
The good old one set of rules for me and another for you.
"We" support gay marriage and stem cells research when it directly affects a member of "our" family.
"They" are "liberals" who want to take care of everyone..
Welcome to DU.
