As the summer draws closer,
bringing sunshine and warmer weather, people begin looking for fun outdoor
recreational activities to take advantage of the beautiful weather. Many are
turning to Texas state parks for their leisurely weekends, a wise decision.
Really, what better place is there to camp, hike, fish, or just enjoy the
spring breeze and green scenery? Unfortunately for many of these enlightened
individuals headed for Big Bend Ranch or Dinosaur Valley, some of these state
parks may not be as pristine and beautiful as they once were. The reason? For
the past fourteen years, Texas state parks have been vastly under-funded.
In 1993, the Legislature established that all revenues generated by the sales tax on sporting goods would fund the upkeep
of these state treasures. Just two years after the tax was imposed,
legislators capped funding for the Texas Park and Wildlife Department to $32
million a year, despite the fact that tax on sporting goods brings in more than
$100 million/year in revenue. So for the past fourteen years, more than two
thirds of the money that was supposed to be used to keep the Texas State parks
and local parks shiny and clean have been going straight into state’s bank
account. Meanwhile, Texas’ beautiful state parks have been declining and in
desperate need of new facilities and upkeep.
In 2007, after a significant public outcry, the Legislature almost tripled state parks funding for 2 years.The funding has allowed the Texas parks and Wildlife Department to start catching up on a huge backlog of repairs and rehire laid off park rangers.
So far this session, the legislature has about maintained the same level of funding for parks for the upcoming biennium. That's the good news. However, the legislature is still not funding a program to protect pristine natural areas and waterways from development.In fact, according to the State Parks Advisory Council, Texas hasn't funded a major land acquisition program since 1967. With real estate prices plummeting, we have a historic chance to protect much of wild Texas for future generations. Let's hope the Legislature takes advantage of this incredible opportunity and appropriates at least $15 million per year for land acquisition.
