Approved NY Bill Can Strip Trump’s Name From Hudson Valley Park

You may soon have to say goodbye to the Hudson Valley's Donald J. Trump State Park.

On Thursday New York lawmakers passed a bill that could erase the former president's name from parkland that is mostly overgrown and unused. This is the closest state legislatures have come to being able to finally strip Trump's name from the park, which has been a bone of contention among New Yorkers since the real estate tycoon was elected president.

The park in question was donated by Trump in 2006 after his plans for building a golf course on the land in Westchester and Putnam counties fell through. The park was named for Trump, but closed in 2010 due to budget cuts. It now sits unused with dilapidated signs bearing the ex-president's name falling into disrepair.

In 2015 Senator Daniel Squadron introduced legislation to remove Trump's name from the park after he made controversial statements, including for a ban on Muslims from entering the country. In January New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid announced that he was looking into whether the state can legally change the name because Trump never put a stipulation requiring the park to be named after him in the original 2006 deed.

According to the Daily News, once approved by the Assembly, the new legislation passed on Thursday will direct Kulleseid and his department to do an official legal review and determine how to get the name of the park changed. Senator Brad Hoylman, who sponsored the bill, had a personal message for the former President after the legislation's passing.

New York’s Senate just gave Donald Trump an early birthday present: we’re stripping his name from a state park... Trump has dishonored the state and should not be honored with a state park named for him.

One of the options officials are looking at is to name the park after long-time Hudson Valley resident and environmental activist, Pete Seeger.