Here’s a press release we deserve to read. “Today I’m announcing that, despite a statewide hiring freeze, I have chosen to hire more staff for my legislative office; I realize this one single action will be solely responsible for closing parks, stranding hikers and boaters and will give tourists an even worse view of our town, but it’s more important to me, and that’s what really counts. Finally, there’s not one darn thing you can do about it, because I can get re-elected for as long as I want. Thank you for coming. No further questions.”

What’s interesting is that, just reading this headline, 62 state senators across New York will feel that this is some personal shot or attack on them. “I didn’t do anything! Mistakes have been made, but not by me,” will be the universal refrain when staff bring the news clips in and lay them at the foot of the bed for the senator to read. And that state senator will read those clips provided the clips don’t slide off of the silk duvet and onto the custom-carpeted floor, because there is nothing more important than press clips if you’re a politician.

The word “our” in the headline, while grammatically specific, is very generic. It’s as accurate for the reader in Brooklyn as it is for the reader in Buffalo. Every state senator is closing our parks because they wanted to hire more office staff for themselves. My state senator as well as yours. We won’t make any progress on the rot and corruption that pervades our state government until we take control of the situation and fully understand that the specific person that represents you in the state senate closed your park, no one else anywhere, not the monster in the closet or the ghost under the bed. This one is a direct one-to-one connection.

And let’s not shoot the messenger here. The outrage isn’t that this is being reported; the outrage is that it happened, and will continue to happen. There is no fiscal restraint in sight.

A few weeks ago the Gannet news agency unveiled research showing that in the 12 months since the political shutdown of the state senate orchestrated by a rogue band of patriots — some who were already accused felons — staff spending within the state senate had risen by $7 million per year. It was already an obscene $200 million, but that just wasn’t enough. This research indicates that virtually the only measurable benefit to come out of that act of political piracy was for staff spending to increase by $7 million per year. Ugh.

When governing or budgeting, no one act takes place in a vacuum. Every action effects every other action. That’s what makes government such a complicated business. Move one little pebble on one side of the financial scale and the other side goes up or down. So adding $7 million to one side means something is going to have to be deleted from the other side.

One week ago, reports came out that our state park system is in such dire straits budget-wise that parks will be shut. The plan is that six parks in Western New York and 55 statewide will be closed. The lucky ones that remain open will face severe reductions in maintenance and services. This plan — as asinine as it is — will save $11 million per year.

Really? This is the best that you can do? The plan to gut our park system — let’s face it; when you stop maintaining parks, it’s really just the first step towards closing them and selling them — is nearly equal to the amount of increasedstate senate staff spending. And in order to maintain the historically high state senate staff spending, we need to close parks.

On second thought, I want my state senator in charge of my own personal finances. If anyone can pull off this sort of personal money grab in the economic depression we are in, I think I need him/her taking even more control. Imagine if they controlled all of government? Imagine if we all could benefit from a state budget deficit like this? By taking an additional $7 million out of the parks system to pay for personal assistants?

They say it would be wine and roses, if England were for Englishmen again. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. I don’t need a weathervane to know which way the wind blows. I’m thinking music is the only way I can get through the day anymore.

Tom Christy is founder of FAIR Government, a foundation dealing with local government issues. Visit www.fair-government.org. Contact him at aim1986@mac.com.