Rantings of a New Yorker

Zoos, Gardens, and Aquariums across the state are feeling the pinch of the “credit crunch.”  Many are short on cash and may be forced to close.

In New York State’s next fiscal year, which starts in April, state financing for all 76 zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums would be eliminated under Gov. David A. Paterson’s proposed budget. This after a 55 percent reduction this fiscal year — a move that was made only last month, surprising many organizations so late in the fiscal year.

The state cuts, combined with a precipitous drop in endowment funds and corporate donations, have organizations from the New York Botanical Garden to the Niagara Falls Aquarium to the Utica Zoo reeling.

Cultural institutions across New York City are struggling to adjust to the economic downturn. About 80 percent have or are already planning cuts, according to a recent study by the Alliance for the Arts. About half have canceled or postponed programs, 68 percent have frozen hiring and 42 percent are planning layoffs.

Some cultural executives say the cuts suggest that the state fails to recognize their institutions’ economic contributions. The Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium, for example, draw 2.7 million annual visitors, employ 1,000 staff members and generate $300 million for New York’s economy every year, said Steven E. Sanderson, the president and chief executive of the Wildlife Conservation Society. “There is a huge amount of benefit to our activity,” Dr. Sanderson added.