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Do you think the park should be renamed?
- Yes
- No
The 436-acre park, named after the 45th president after he donated the property to the state in 2006, is located on the Westchester/Putnam line in both Yorktown and Putnam Valley.
In the wake of Former President Trump facing a possible indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg and State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal are reintroducing legislation that calls on the commissioner of the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to redesignate the park in hopes of attracting more visitors, the two lawmakers said in an announcement on Wednesday, March 22.
According to Levenberg and Hoylman-Sigal, Trump's "divisive and un-democratic actions" such as instigating a violent storming of the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, are reason enough to rename the park.
"New York State has always been known for welcoming and embracing people of all cultures and backgrounds, and even our park system reflects these values….The names of these parks and green spaces should do the same," the legislators argue in the bill's memo.
This bill is not the only time that legislators have called for the park to be renamed, as a similar bill, known as the "Anyone But Trump Act," passed in the New York Senate on June 10, 2021. However, it then died in the state assembly in January 2022.
Still, Levenberg and Hoylman-Sigal are determined to try again.
“I have received many unprompted messages from constituents who are dismayed at driving past signs for Donald J. Trump State Park,” Levenberg said
She continued, "Frankly, it is triggering for many people to have a daily reminder of the hatred and vitriol Donald Trump unleashed in our nation’s politics. Having one’s name on a park or a sign along our roadways is an honor, one that Donald Trump does not deserve, given his behavior.”
Hoylman-Sigal also condemned the former president's past actions,
"New York wants nothing to do with Donald Trump. Just last week, Trump once again called for public protests," he said, adding, "Our public spaces should be named after people that embody the values of civility and inclusivity that New Yorkers are proud to honor. Our bill makes clear that Donald Trump is not that person.”
The bill remains in the Senate's Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks, And Recreation Committee.
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