Pennsylvania will no longer fund Brandywine Battlefield, a 52-acre paradise of very historic open space in Chadds Ford. Operations are now the responsibility of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates, which is an association of volunteers.

Again we pay more and get less. The Pennsylvania budget has increased from $35.8 billion in 1998-99 -- when there was no issue about funding the Battlefield -- to $61.3 billion in 2008-09.

Parks -- and maintaining historical sites -- are one of the few areas in which government generally does a better job than the private sector.