Texas State Parks: Gov. Perry's Double-Talkin' Jive

The Texas state park system has long been seen as the "family jewel" of our state and a great source of pride for all Texans. Yet the park system is presently under threat, due to a serious lack of financial resources. Despite Gov. Rick Perry’s ardent public support for the foundering Texas state park system – managed by the under-funded Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) – it now seems quite clear, thanks to the efforts of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, that the governor has in fact set the preservation of our state parks on his “low priority” list.

Since Perry has been in office, he’s required all state agencies to cut their budgets by 10%, thanks to our state’s current “budgetary crisis.” Despite this necessity, however, the governor has repeatedly expressed his intention to find some way to preserve our state’s parks. Various potential solutions have been put forth (most of them involving creative ways to rechannel new tax funds toward TPWD). At any rate, we’ve been assured by our governor that, despite the current budgetary crisis in Texas, our state parks will be preserved.

Or, not. This month, $46 million in revenue from hunting & fishing licenses fees – money that is typically collected to help fund the state’s park system – was found sitting in state bank accounts, untouched. Additionally, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram has recently discovered documents showing that Perry’s office has been pushing for the sale of 400 acres of state park land in Tarrant County. Despite numerous phone records & emails that suggest Perry’s plans for the public land, his spokesperson has flatly denied all of it. Yet it’s common knowledge that, last fall, Perry’s office unsuccessfully pushed for the sale of a massive portion of beautiful Big Bend State Park in west Texas.

Rule #145 from the Politician’s Handbook: When caught in a lie, deny, deny, deny!

For further information on this issue, go here and here.

*Image of Rick Perry's boots courtesy of Wikipedia, header image of Balmorhea State Park Pool © 2006 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Rob McCorkle