No park closures, but layoffs loom

OLYMPIA – Although the budget passed by the Legislature calls for closing no state parks, the agency says it will still have to consolidate offices and lay off workers.

The Parks Commission will make some of those decisions at its May 19 meeting.

The agency had been making plans to close as many as 40 of the 121 state parks in Washington. The Legislature decided to add money for parks with a $5 fee on vehicle registrations, unless owners opt out.