State parks suffer from budget cuts; situation worsens as facilities deteriorate

Budget cuts across the country are having a big impact on the nation's 7,975 state parks. In 1990, general tax dollars covered, on average, about 60 percent of a state park’s budget, but by 2011, the number had dropped to 34 percent, Brad Cooper reports for the Kansas City Star. The cutbacks are hampering basic repairs and maintenance. (Star photo by Keith Myers: Clinton State Park in Lawrence, Kan.)

State parks are facing mushrooming backlogs of repairs, ranging from $1 billion in California to $750 million in Illinois to $400 million in Missouri, Cooper reports. Without proper funding, the condition of state parks has suffered. The American Society of Civil Engineers this year gave the U.S. a C-minus for the condition of its park infrastructure, saying "states and local governments can’t keep up with recreational needs because of shrinking budgets."

The group says the amount of money states need just isn't available, with federal data showing states are asking for $18.5 billion for outdoor recreational facilities, Cooper writes. As a result, states are trying to make up the money by increasing fees. Illinois, which has a park-repair backlog of $750 million, has raised license-plate renewals by $2. Kansas, which has a backlog of $26 million and a state park budget of $10.6 million for this fiscal year, is offering discounts on annual state-park passes when drivers register their cars.

"South Carolina lists $155 million in deferred park maintenance," Cooper writes. "Texas estimates its backlog at somewhere between $400 million and $700 million, needing roughly $64 million every two-year budget cycle to maintain its system of more than 90 parks. This year, the state received $11 million from the Texas Legislature for capital improvements. New York officials last year identified more than $1 billion in needed park work, including some sites where conditions were so bad that areas had to be roped off to protect the public. In some cases, amenities were closed off completely to ensure safety." (Read more)

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/30/4322935/state-parks-fall-victim-to-tight.html#storylink=cpy