A couple months ago, we told you about the Arizona State Parks Board’s plan to close 13 state parks by June 3. According to the LA Times, the decision came after steep budget cuts, with funding having dropped 80 percent since 2007.
This month, Arizona saw an additional $3.9 million cut from the system’s budget. With five of Arizona’s state parks closed already — making it the only state to do so — the state expects at least six more to follow suit by June. Richard Daresh, chief of public policy for the National Recreation and Parks Association, said:
“It will be difficult to conceive of a comprehensive state park system in Arizona if the trend continues.”
But this hasn’t stopped Arizonians from attempting to protect their beloved state parks. Many, like 76-year-old Taylor Sanford, Jr. — like the Lost Dutchman State Park, for example — have begun dealing with the situation themselves. At a recent community meeting, Sanford waltzed in with a check for $8,000, the projected cost for keeping Lost Dutchman open for a month.
In central Arizona, residents of Payson have been working with Mayor Kenny Evans to keep the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park open until late September. Evans, having raised over $50,000, commented that with budget cuts continuing to be put into effect, donations such as these represent the way public functions will need to be funded in order to keep them afloat.
On a similar note, Camp Verde, just north of Phoenix, recently donated $75,000 to Fort Verde State Historic Park, with an additional $30,000 given by Yavapai County. Noting that the community took pride in the site, Mayor Bob Burnside said:
“This started our settlement. This is our culture.”
[Via: LA Times]
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