Texas State Parks Experiencing the Slow Bleed

Of the 28 reasons tourists cite for choosing Texas, 13 are Texas state park experiences. State park goers amount to 10 million visitors annually contributing approximately $800 million in sales.

Yet despite Texas state parks' intrinsic public value, Texas politicians continue to slowly bleed them financially dry. Their budget has been bled so low that Texas ranks 49th in the nation for per capita spending on state park operations with a current annual budget of $56 million.

Typically, Texas state parks run anywhere from a $6 million to $8 million operating deficit annually. Recent budget woes have worsened to the point where 100 positions have either been eliminated or left unfilled, and backlogged repairs run in the millions. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioners, it will take $100 million just to get Texas state parks back in the condition that visitors expect.

The situation is so dire that many parks are in danger of closing if nothing changes this legislative session. During the last gubernatorial election, Governor Perry expressed little reservation about closing parks, and if able, he would even be willing to sell parkland. Texas state parks are essentially on life support. Governor Perry's hand is on the plug, and he is threatening to pull by requesting they find an additional 10% to cut from their budget.

There is reason to hope, however. Since Democratic candidate Chris Bell brought the crisis to the fore during the last election cycle, legislators are now scrambling this legislative session to appear at the very least as though they want to revive the ailing park system. So far, the House and Senate have taken the first steps by filing HB6 and SB252.

HB6 and SB252 are only the first steps because they are not appropriations bills. The two bills merely eliminate the cap traditionally placed on revenues from the Sporting Goods Tax used by Texas state parks. At one time, the Cigarette Tax was the primary funding source for parks. That is no longer the case.

The Texas Legislature established the Sporting Goods Tax to replace the Cigarette Tax as the primary funding source for parks. Although initially intended solely as a revenues source for state parks, it was soon determined that the amount of collected tax money available for state parks would be capped. The remainder now flows into general revenue. Most folks would call that "bait and switch."

Before the legislature can appropriate more money to the state park system, they have either to raise or eliminate the cap. If passed, HB6 and SB252 eliminate the cap, making all revenues from the Sporting Goods Tax available to parks. That means there will be over $100 million available to Texas state parks annually. That is, of course, if the legislature chooses to appropriate all revenues for state parks, and not funnel off a portion to general revenue.

Eliminating the cap is an essential component for providing the park system a much-needed transfusion of funds. There appears to be little or no opposition to its elimination. However, the true test will come during appropriations.

Appropriations are where the rubber meets the road. It is where the talking stops and the walking starts. It will be easy to eliminate the cap; it will be much harder to appropriate the funds. Appropriating all revenue from the Sporting Goods Tax — as was originally intended — is necessary to stop the bleeding. This session, the Legislature will have to decide just how important they believe our state parks are. I hope that they recognize them for the treasure they truly are, and begin funding them appropriately.