It is so hard to ignore a snag in a sweater, the thread poking out in the wrong direction. The trouble with pulling it, though, is the danger that it will unravel the whole garment, leaving a pile of yarn and the need to start knitting all over again.

The bothersome strand today is the decision by Gov. Ed Rendell and legislative leaders to reduce by half the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund to help balance the state's proposed $27 billion budget. The fund deserves to be preserved, but not if finding a solution will lead to wholesale changes that threaten the entire budget deal.

The Keystone Fund has paid for conservation and restoration in parks and open spaces across the state, with two dozen projects in Allegheny County alone, including playgrounds in Monroeville and Natrona and the riverfront park at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The work makes Pennsylvania a nicer place to live and a better place to visit.

The money comes from the realty transfer tax, and Gov. Rendell's budget agreement calls for taking nearly $40 million out of the $89 million Keystone fund and using it instead for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program.

Senators who favor siphoning money from the Keystone Fund say the realty tax has seen growth, so they don't think this change will end up hurting recreation and conservation programs.

State Rep. Kate Harper, a Montgomery County Republican, said she thinks it's a mistake to assume the tax will continue to produce higher revenue, given the housing slump in southeastern Pennsylvania. She favors using $40 million from the state's $650 million surplus to solve this problem. That's a good idea. As long as it's the equivalent of tucking in a wayward thread, a repair can be made without damaging the whole budget.