UPDATE: A more detailed story can be found here.
ST. GEORGE – A local state of emergency has been declared for Washington County due to the economic disturbance created by the government shutdown of national parks and monuments during the height of the fall tourism season.
The Washington County Commission issued the resolution Monday morning in a meeting at the Washington County Administrative Building. Representatives of Iron County and the Town of Springdale were present at the meeting. Representatives of Sevier County, as well as Coconino and Mohave counties of Arizona participated by phone.
“A significant number of residents in Washington County rely on the tourism industry created by (Zion National Park) visitors for income,” the resolution stated, and noted that approximately three million people visit the national park annually.
Similar proclamations have been issued by Iron, Kane, and Garfield counties.
“What’s really disgusting is it’s not just the parks (the government) has tried to shut down, it’s the whole public lands,” Gardner said. “You have national forest campgrounds, BLM campgrounds; anything that has a federal deal attached to it.”
The resolution has been declared in accordance with Utah Code, which the resolution states authorizes Washington County to provide “all appropriate aid and assistance in relation to the proclamation.”
UPDATE: A more detailed story can be found here.
Related posts:
- Perspectives: To make our live as difficult as they can
- Shutdown: ‘Occupy Zion’ protesters defy national park gates
- Shutdown: Visitors ignore closure order, Grand Canyon National Park reacts with closure of Highway 64
- Shutdown impacts Springdale, Washington County tourism
- Bryce Canyon businesses say ‘it’s hurting bad;’ impact of government shutdown, alternatives for tourists – Includes alternatives for tourists
- Shutdown: Zion National park closes, what else is affected? – Includes alternatives for tourists
- Utah congressmen speak to government shutdown
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Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.
I didn’t hear a bunch of whining when construction workers income fell to below half of what we were used to before Obama, from developers down to the lowest form of life on earth, hod tenders. Now we have to hear libtards cry because of a week off that they will probably get reimbursed for anyway. What some cheese with that Whine? This is all a ploy to make it look like the GOP has done something wrong by trying to get something done about this job killer, Obamacare! Deal with it!
What you may not realize, are all the non government workers who are being screwed royally here. These are the folk who run the tourist oriented businesses, and their employes. And they will not get paid for their lost time. I think it sucks that the government employees, ( won’t call them government workers,) are going to get “reimbursed” for their “lost wages.” Sure wish I could get paid for not working.
Of course all of the local businesses, such as those in Springdale, won’t get reimbursed for the shutdown and that will definitely have a major impact in the area. No parks means less tourism and less people planning on coming here for the rest of the year, which will of course have a huge impact on those businesses that rely on tourism.
And Obama impacted the construction worker’s salary how? The economy, and the construction industry, went in the toilet under the careful watch of the Republican White House in the final days of the Bush administration. Republicans controlled both the House and Senate for the bulk of the Bush years. Suddenly it became the black guy’s fault?
.
The bulk of the whining I hear now is from the far right. It goes on 24/7. You guys play it all day in your pickup trucks. Non-stop bloviating on AM radio. Don’t you feel your IQ and dignity slowly leak out as you marinate in Rush’s ramblings?
So now you’re playing the race card? That’s usually reserved for bigots and people who can’t argue a point.
Of course all of the local businesses, such as those in Springdale, won’t get reimbursed for the shutdown and that will definitely have a major impact in the area. No parks means less tourism and less people planning on coming here for the rest of the year, which will of course have a huge impact on those businesses that rely on tourism.
This comment I’m replying to was posted in the wrong place. Please remove it and keep the reply to the reader above. Thanks!
Funny how the states that get the highest portion of federal dollars vs what they put in are all the conservative states.
Sad for folks affected by this. Also wish that conservatives could come up with a nicer way to label people they don’t like than “libtards” — you better pray you never have a child with downs syndrome, huh?
As opposed to all the nice names that progressives have for conservatives?
I posted this previously in another article:
To: “The leaders of the Zion National Park gateway community of Springdale …”
Here’s an idea…why not extend some discounts to Washington County residents to entice them to visit your shops, and restaurants? Extend discounts to participants of the St. George Marathon and the Huntsman Senior Games as well as their families?
You want customers, make it worth our while to visit the area.
But no, you choose to stand outside of the CLOSED entrance to Zion National Park for your little photo op and whine fest.
You’re a bunch of crybabies who can’t even think of alternate ways to keep your business going.
You DON’T deserve my $$$.
Why are most of you making jabs at one another for differences in opinion? Yeah, the businesses are hurt, people are complaining, people are out of work. You all are missing the bigger issue here. The government (that apparently doesn’t exist) is saying that we are not allowed on public land. Zion and the other national parks, blm and forests don’t belong to the Feds. They don’t belong to the government. We don’t belong to the government. If we were all responsible enough to go to these places without littering or destroying them, we wouldn’t be in this position in the first place. Instead, we require the forest service to hold our hands and baby sit us when we want to experience nature. Go to these places with permission from yourself that you can love and care for them. Not the government. Also, try a book by Edward Abbey.
This is a difficult time for so many people impacted directly and indirectly. Can’t wait to see the same proclamation of a 2rcdstate of emergency when the negative effects of Obamacare kick in.
It costs more to send security guards and police and barricades and arrest people at the monuments, then it costs to keep it open and let people walk it. And the monteary resources it takes for the things they are shutting down costs a fraction of what they spend on things that we don’t need. This is political theater. The shut down is a joke in that it’s hyped up in ways to make people think it’s worse than it is and makes it look like they are pinching pennies… It’s angered a lot of people, and that’s what the distraction was for with the wild lady in DC. It puts govt back in favor and makes them look like their the good guys and under attack and then they try rally support. It’s ridiculous trickery.
Parks and monuments dont need to be shut down when they spend billions on things we don’t need. It’s all to make people think they are pinching pennies and doing somethng about it. This is ‘govern’-‘mental’ by the government.
A park ranger was ordered to make the lives of people miserable bcus of this hyped up theatrical shutdown. I’d be willing to bet he will get fired or docked pay for coming forward with the info. It’s not like anythng I say is a secret or made up out of thin air. http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/3/pruden-the-cheap-tricks-of-the-game/
This is incredible. Can anyone else see the fear mongering going on with the supposed govt shut down. The govt still functions and operates, but they choose to shut down things like parks and monuments. Veterans that have travelled thousands of miles to see the war memorials in D.C. are finding there are barricades set up and are being arrested if they walk the memorials. Folks, it doesn’t take much monetary resources to keep monuments like this open and parks open. . Meanwhile, the govt builds a $100000 outhouse, spends $2 billion on a domestic spying complex. They can let trillions be looted from the treasury and bailout criminal banks, but some how things that cost only thousands get shut down? They can spend billions on unnecessary things but make the govt shut down seem legit by shutting down things like this. Ha. Does it not sound odd to you? The rest of the world is scratching their heads by the way. How does the supposed richest and best(not) country in the world have govt shut downs when they have had the highest budgets and spending in history of the world?- it’s a joke. Wake up people. This makes no sense. Forget about the games congress plays with eachother and the imaginary money called debt, and it’s supposed cieling or cliff. It’s just a show. We can negotiate with criminals, terrorists and tyrants abroad, yet we can’t negotiate with our own fellow Americans? Time to transcend this system and govern ourselves.
P.S. Americans with a spine will revolt the moment money is garnished from our bank accounts to pay the fine for Obamacare, if that is the case. Or also if we get a tax lien taken out on our homes if we don’t take the ridiculous health care. To the nay sayers, I didn’t say it would happen, but I’m saying the possibility of it happening is enough of a warning for me. It’s called being informed people. Start getting in the govts business since they are in yours. Now!!!
For the people that want to say who’s fault it is. By the way, I’m not a dem or a rep. I don’t know much of the Utah representstives but as far as congressman involved, I don’t think it comes down to blaming a political party repeatedly. That makes no sense to me how people do that. I’m not interested in debating little details of who did what. How about the bigger picture- Both parties are ran by the same people and the populace is stuck in a ridiculous left right paradigm. Blame game, back and forth, as if entertaining certain pointless debates should even be the focus. Spinning our f#!$ing wheels. It’s incredible that people can’t see the empty promises and lies by politicians. It’s one thing for a president to not do somethng he says he will, but it’s amazing when they do quite the opposite of what they promise. That should show people that their bulldung artists. Is it the short term memory and endless distractions that people forget about each failure, or are people unaware of the discourse that results? And why is there only 2 party’s. How bout no party, not even three party’s. Why is it so institutionalized. It’s bought and paid for, and even a former president said presidents are selected not elected. It’s rigged and the figure head we see is just a puppet like almost all.the rest of them. So I don’t blame Obama or any president. In fact, the teams of advisors and cabinet and corporate special interests are the ones that tell the president what to do. It boggles my mind that people can think that these presidents are geniuses with all the answers. Sheeple put so much trust into elected officials. Calling them officials is word magic, and another example of how the perversion of language is used as a social control device. The plans and policies these so called presidents have are not their own individual ideas. Politicians are basically paid actors, good speakers, but can’t say anything smooth unless it’s on a teleprompter. Bcus they aren’t genuine. And don’t get me started on the fake crying and pumping victims by pulling peoples heart strings. Politicians can’t fix any problem in society bcus they aren’t trained to do so. Congress can pass laws, but what have presidents and congress really improved- sure we’ve seen some good things, but its overshadowed by all of the extremely bad things. They are highly intelligent in their own way, but even if they we’re genuine it doesn’t mean they can make our lives better. Did anyone vote for wars and bailouts and loss of liberties?- no, and since all but a handful of them are full of crap, it is insanity to buy into it any longer… To the people that like Obama and to people that like Romney, to the dems vs reps.- We’re you all aware Obamacare and RomneyCare are the same?- I can list the points and send links to points listed if.it helps for you to realize this madness.