Cuts loom over Patterson museum

Louisiana State Museum-Patterson would be among state museums and parks that could close if Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is forced to make worst-case cuts to his budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Nungesser told a House budget committee Monday that Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration asked him to prepare for up to a 30 percent reduction in state financing in the budget year that begins July 1.
Nungesser says he would prioritize the most heavily visited sites to stay open. Other agencies are threatened with similar cuts because Louisiana has a $750 million gap in next year’s budget.
“This is a worst case scenario, and we do not anticipate that this will happen,” Lt. Governor’s Office Spokeswoman Jessica Ragusa said, referring to the 30 percent cuts.
The Lt. Governor’s Office is in charge of the state Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
Based on a 30 percent budget reduction, the department would have to close six museums, 12 state parks and 11 historic sites, Ragusa said.
In the worst case scenario, the 2016-17 state museum budget would be cut by $1.47 million, causing the complete closure of six museums, including Louisiana State Museum-Patterson. That museum includes the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill exhibits.
The cut would also require partial closure of the Old U.S. Mint, New Orleans, and Capitol Park Museum, Baton Rouge.
The Office of State Parks would have to take a $7.1 million cut with $5.1 million coming from the closure of parks and historic sites based on the 30 percent cut. The department’s maintenance and repair budget would take a $2.1 million hit, a 35 percent reduction.
The Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau promotes tourism in St. Mary Parish. Executive Director Carrie Stansbury said she hates having to lose “any inventory” of attractions that bring tourists into the parish. Hearing that the state museum near Patterson was “on the chopping block” is “very upsetting,” Stansbury said.
“Everybody that goes in there is pleasantly surprised at how interesting the museum is,” Stansbury said.
The Patterson museum has been in its current location on U.S. 90 since 2005 and before that was located on La. 182 near the Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport. The museum began as a parish entity, but the state has operated the museum since 2005.
Cypremort Point State Park, which sits on the St. Mary Parish-Iberia Parish line, is among the state parks that would have to close in the worst scenario. Cypremort Point is one of the smaller state parks in the system, but “it’s a great park” with cabins and picnic areas, Stansbury said.
“But it doesn’t have the acreage that some of the other parks have. … So it’s always going to be to them, the number crunchers, it’s always going to be at the bottom, unfortunately,” Stansbury said.
Ragusa said Edwards’ administration also asked the Lt. Governor’s Office to determine what impact a 15 percent budget cut would have on state museums, parks and historic sites. Ragusa expects to release those results next week, she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.