Governor David Paterson presented a plan Monday that would reopen some state parks but lawmakers say they do not like the strings that are attached. NY1’s Erin Billups filed the following report.

The governor has a plan to re-open parks just in time for Memorial Day. But when you have a $9.2 billion deficit, nothing comes without a price.

“We’ve provided them with an option at this point,” said Governor David Paterson’s Communication Director Morgan Hook. “It is an option that has difficult choices in it that includes cuts and funding to programs that nobody wants to see cut.”

But lawmakers and park advocates say Paterson is trying to back them into a corner.

“This is really just a ploy by the governor to use the fact that the parks are closing to press the Legislature into hacking the [Environmental Protection Agency] in half,” said John Sheehan, spokesman for the Adirondack Council.

The governor’s proposal would earmark $6 million of the Environmental Protection fund for state parks operations. In order to do that though, Paterson proposes redirecting $67 million in revenue away from the fund, a number lawmakers say is even bigger, and will result in other devastating cuts.

“This excuse of re-routing $110 million from the Environmental Protection fund and telling all of you that it’s a $6 million program, he’s taking $104 million to do other things,” said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. “It’s inappropriate.”

“Whether it’s the Buffalo Zoo or zoos in New York City, or botanical gardens in Erie County or parts of the Bronx, they would be cut 40 percent and the Legislature has not weighed in on those restorations,” said State Senator Antoine Thompson, chairman of the Environmental Conservation Committee.

The Legislature wants to negotiate restorations to the governor’s Environmental Fund plan. If they passed it as is, they wouldn’t get that opportunity.

“We want to get the parks open, but I’m not sure this is the best way to do it,” Thompson said. “There’s not been a three-way agreement.”

But the governor says the Legislature’s cries to restore parks have not included solutions.

“If this is a primary concern of yours, if this is something that is so important that it needs to be taken out of budget negotiations and done as a stand-alone, then you have to also achieve real recurring savings when you pass the bill,” said the governor’s spokesman.

The governor’s bill did not make it to the floor of either house Monday. Lawmakers are trying to negotiate an alternative plan. But so far the governor’s staff says it’s take it or leave it.

“The choice is really theirs,” said Peter Iwanowicz, deputy secretary for environment. “Are they going to take an up or down vote of this bill or not.”