Will there be funding for new parks as Texas' population continues to grow?

One of the major ideas behind increasing our spending on Texas state parks above the starvation budget they have been on is to enable our state to acquire and develop new parks.  Maintaining the parks we have will not be enough to meet the needs of our state's growning population even into the near future.

But apparently, GOP state Rep. Warren Chisum, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee (and the same Chisum who was recently caught passing around  nonsensical anti-Copernican literature a few weeks ago), may not support this idea.  So Luke Metzger of Environment Texas claims in an email urging that parks supporters call our state representatives to urge them to ask Chisum to support funds for new parks.

Note that Chisum is one of the many, many co-sponsors of Rep. Hilderbran's bill to fully fund our parks system.  This fact emphasises, as Charles Kuffner recently pointed out, that Hilderbran's bill is only a partial solution--albeit a crucial first step.  We have to also make sure that the full amount of money actually gets appropriated--not just for this legislative session, but on into the future as well.

Otherwise, Texas' parks will continue to wither away, little by little. 

Comments

[TexasLiberal]

Maybe we could put casinos in parks and that way they could pay for themselves. Otherwise how are a bunch of chipmunks and birds going to raise the needed revenue? We know that the people of Texas are not inclined to raise the money needed for a first-rate park system.

[Peter]

I think the people of Texas very much support parks -- witness how much attention this issue has gotten in recent months once became became aware of the severity of the problems. Look at the vast majority of legislators of both parties who are suddenly signing on as co-authors of the bill to eliminate the cap on the amount of the sporting goods tax dedicated to parks.

But we shall see whether their (i.e., our) attention span is enough to follow through and keep up the work over the long-term.

[John Kallaher]

Why do politicians steal money raised from taxes honestly supported by persons buying sporting goods and licenses and spend that money dishonestly by redirecting it into the State of Texas general funds coffers? This is a stab in the back to Texas sportsmen and women. I am madder than a wet hornet over this issue. People need to vote these Judas Iscariot mentality politicians out of office. We have too many crooks running our state!