Return Trump state park land to namesake

Chris Churchill's column, "What will become of Trump state park?" Feb. 7, was an interesting piece. Some 15 years ago, before he was president, Donald Trump donated property to New York state for use as a park in exchange for a $100 million tax write-off. His attorney stipulated that the park be named for Trump, and that his name be displayed at park entrances, and the state complied with that.

However, the actual deed conveying the land to New York state appears not to have included those conditions, and the state Legislature has considered stripping Trump's name from the park. Trump's response to that in 2016 was: "If they want, they can give me the land back".

My suggestion is that the state should do precisely that: return the land. No more park. No more signs.

Unfortunately, I think it is too late for the state to require Trump to amend his income taxes for the tax write-off, which his 2016 campaign valued at $26.1 million in a list of charitable contributions. However, the property would be returned to the tax rolls and, since it is located in an affluent, high-tax downstate area (it straddles Westchester and Putnam counties), the taxes on 436 acres of real estate would substantially benefit the surrounding towns even if the entire park were to remain undeveloped.

New York state taxpayers would lose the expense of maintaining the park. Trump would get his land back. And a large swath of currently unused property would generate a significant amount of local revenue. Everybody would win. How can the self-proclaimed greatest deal maker of all time not love it?

Paul Deierlein Schenectady