Will Lege Rescue Starving State Parks?
Texas is among the nation’s Top 5 fastest-growing states, but we rank second to last in per-capita spending on our state park system, and it shows. More than 70 staff positions were eliminated last year alone, many parks and historic sites cannot stay open to visitors all week, and those that do open operate on a skeleton crew, while park buildings and facilities deteriorate in a $400 million repair backlog. State legislators, however, claim help is on the way, with a recently filed bill set to provide up to $85 million in new funding by lifting a cap on the amount of the state’s sporting-goods tax designated for parks. The tax is currently capped at $32 million, and parks have been appropriated about $20.5 million. HB 6, authored by Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, has 100 co-sponsors in the House and a companion bill in the Senate, and though it seems as good as passed, park advocates note that they’re not out of the woods until those funds are actually appropriated. In the meant
