State officials launched a campaign this week soliciting donations to help fund Texas parks, which saw a drop-off in visitors this year because of record heat and wildfires. As Matt Largey of KUT News reports, the plea has exposed broader concerns about how state parks are funded — and how they'll fare in the future.
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Comments (2)
jpt51
If Texas officials were serious about solving the TPWD’s shortfall the LLB could transfer money from the Rainey Day Fund. We just heard yesterday that sales taxes are up by twelve percent over a year ago.
I love our state parks and hold an annual pass but Gov. Perry is nuts if he thinks Texans are going to donate money, only to see it go to a crony contributor HNTB so they can get paid five (5) times what the local Bastrop contractors are receiving. If Texas taxpayers can afford to give Gov. Perry’s crony friend billionaire Red McCombs $25 million for Formula 1 racing and $450,000.00 from the Tourist Bureau to promote the TV series Top Chef than I bet some of those same funds could find their way to TDPW to promote tourism.
We are in the grips of a group of state elected officials as rotten as Jack Abramoff. When are we going to wake up to this latest con job?
jpt51
I just visited a couple of Arkansas State Parks this fall and was stunned by comparison with an overused Tyler State Park. Arkansas was wise enough to have a 1/8 cent sales tax dedicated to state parks. The parks are stunningly beautiful, manicured and included wonderful golf courses, reasonably priced lodges with beautiful lakes. People could rent boats, a tea-pee or yurt to camp in. If it makes sense to spend taxpayer money to promote Formula 1 racing, why isn't the same logic used to promote tourism dollars to upgrade our parks? Check out the link http://www.arkansasstateparks.com and see what Petit Jean, Mount Magazine and DeGray state parks have to offer and then compare it with the sad state Texas parks are in due to an uncaring legislature, governor and lt. governor.