Posted 9:03 pm Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wise Investment, Jan. 29
RAVE: Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
Here is an easy way to do something for someone who will never be able to repay you — buy a Texas Parks annual pass.
Our Texas State Parks are in trouble, mainly due to under utilization because of last year’s extreme heat and drought.
Here is an easy way to do something for someone who will never be able to repay you — buy a Texas Parks annual pass.
Our Texas State Parks are in trouble, mainly due to under utilization because of last year’s extreme heat and drought.
State funding for the state parks of Texas is very complicated. In 1993, the Texas Legislature directed a sales tax, called a Sporting Goods Sales Tax, on items like camping equipment toward funding our state parks. The Legislature capped the revenue for parks and for the Historical Commission from this tax. It then appropriates funding to parks and the historical commission. The remainder of this sales tax income goes to the state’s general fund.
It is important to understand while parks and wildlife (hunting) are combined within the same agency (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department), funding for parks and wildlife are from separate and not co-mingled. Funds are not taken from hunting and given to parks. Our parks must stand on their own revenue and funding.
TPWD has asked for private donations to keep our parks open. This is a shame for our state to have to do this. We, as Texans, need to step up to maintain this common asset. If our elected officials in the Legislature will not appropriate proper funding to maintain our state parks, it is up to the general public to do so. Our Texas Parks will do nothing but become more valuable.
Will you join me to make an investment in our state parks by purchasing a TPWD Annual Parks Pass for $70? You will obtain free admission to any state park in Texas for a full year.
Michael Banks, DDS
Jacksonville
It is important to understand while parks and wildlife (hunting) are combined within the same agency (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department), funding for parks and wildlife are from separate and not co-mingled. Funds are not taken from hunting and given to parks. Our parks must stand on their own revenue and funding.
TPWD has asked for private donations to keep our parks open. This is a shame for our state to have to do this. We, as Texans, need to step up to maintain this common asset. If our elected officials in the Legislature will not appropriate proper funding to maintain our state parks, it is up to the general public to do so. Our Texas Parks will do nothing but become more valuable.
Will you join me to make an investment in our state parks by purchasing a TPWD Annual Parks Pass for $70? You will obtain free admission to any state park in Texas for a full year.
Michael Banks, DDS
Jacksonville
