Parks News
$1 billion for more Texas state parks going on the ballot in November
The consensus is that Texas needs more state parks.
About 10 million visitors flock to Texas State Parks every year, and the ever-expanding population means there is not enough supply of parks.
To meet the demand, a proposition seeking $1 billion fund for future state parks will be on the state-wide ballot in November.
Propostion 14 would create a Centennial Parks Conservation Fund which Texas Parks and Wildlife Department could use to purchase land for future state parks from private landowners.
State Senator Tan Parker filed the Senate bill laying the groundwork for the conservation fund to make it onto the ballot.
The measure has received bipartisan support from the Texas Legislature, while statewide polls have yielded overwhelming support for state parks within the last two decades.
"The Centennial Parks Conservation Fund would provide dependable, long-term funding for new park acquisition that will protect the unique natural and cultural treasures of Texas, creating the opportunity to ensure our state parks thrive for generations to come," Senator Parker says in a release.
According to Ballotpedia, funds would be "appropriated, credited, or transferred by the legislature; gifts, grants, and donations received by the Parks and Wildlife Department; and investment earnings." It would also not count against the state's appropriation limit.
State Representative Armando Walle, who sponsored the bill in the Texas House, called it a transformational, "Teddy Roosevelt kind of initiative."
Nearly 80 statewide organizations - including the Great Plains Restoration Council, The National Wildlife Federation, and The Texas Conservation Alliance - have come together in support of the measure through the Texas Coalition for State Parks. The coalition focuses on educating Texans about the benefits of developing the statewide park conservation fund.
Joseph Fitzsimons, the coalition's co-founder and former Chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, shared his endorsement for Prop 14 in a statement.
"Open spaces are critical to our quality of life," said Fitzsimons. "The Centennial Parks Conservation Fund would help protect the places we love to hike, bike, fish, picnic, view wildlife, and spend time with family."
Voters will see Prop 14 on the ballot on November 7.
More information about the Texas Coalition for State Parks and its members can be found on growtexasparks.com.
