Here’s to the “living museums” of New York state. These cultural institutions promote learning and inspire coexistence with nature and future environmentalists.

Earlier this year, these organizations who seek to educate had their funding slashed. Gov. David Paterson brutally ravaged their budgets, promising to cut funding 55 percent for this year, and to eliminate the state budget for zoos and aquariums entirely in 2010. Well played, governor — this falls right in with your plan of “shared sacrifice” of all state agencies.

By choosing to sacrifice our state’s zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums, you can share the remainder of the budget with the wasteful bureaucracy. A favorite agency of mine is the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority — the amount of money thrown away by this agency could probably let me and my extended family retire tomorrow and live lives of contented philanthropy. I doubt I’m the only one who notices that the governor’s “bold and courageous” balancing of the deficit does little to address the money that is disappearing from state agencies because of red tape and mistakes.

I expect that in my lifetime, no politician will have the chutzpah to confront this problem, but still I think the zoos should be given a break. After all, the zookeepers certainly are not draining anyone’s budget with salaries that average $25,910, according to CNN.com (sorry, bio majors). All 76 institutions (including Binghamton’s Ross Park Zoo) affected by this cut might have been steps above charities, as they can only afford new exhibits when there is a significant donation made. Zoos and aquariums in New York City are parks that have to allow free admission at least once a week, so it’s plausible that the effect of charging visitors for the rest of the week is minimal. It will be difficult for these institutions to survive; most are competing with the shrinking pool of donations to not-for-profits. They felt a steep blow when the economy became shaky, and the middle class began giving less and saving more. Banks were also big sponsors of local cultural organizations, and I don’t need to elaborate on their current condition.

It was a bad time for zoos in late 2008, and 2009 doesn’t look promising if one of the governor’s first moves is to kick them while they’re down. Drastic cost-cutting maneuvers have been suggested, including closing zoos for one day a week. The employees would still have to go in to work and feed the animals as well as clean exhibits, so all that would be missing would be the revenue from admissions. It’s nice to know that zoos can rebound from the hit they’ve been dealt.

Dear governor, why don’t you take a break from your office and visit the Bronx Zoo on a Wednesday, or the New York Aquarium on a Friday after 3 p.m., or the Staten Island Zoo on a Wednesday after 2 p.m? They won’t charge you admission, but they suggest a donation. Personally, I suggest you donate their funding back.