Rep. Tobin - "Restore Funding to State Parks"
This past weekend news broke about the state parks’ plan to layoff 30 employees and reduce park hours of operation. Few know about the behind the scenes work being done by Majority Whip Andy Tobin (R-Paulden) to restore funding to the state park system through utilization of the Growing Smarter fund.
“The economic downturn has virtually eliminated growth demands near urban areas,” Tobin explained. “Transferring $20 million from the Conservation Fund in FY10 and 11, while also expanding the lifetime of the fund from 2011 to 2013 ensures Conservation funding will be restored,” he added. “We want to use the money from the fund to ensure the economic contribution of the state parks to Arizona continues.”
According to the Paulden Republican, Rep. Warde Nichols sponsored HB2088 this past Regular Session and had it passed with the required three-fourths vote the measure would have transferred $20 million from the FY09 Conservation Fund to offset land use budget reductions, reversions and suspensions. HB2088 sought to change Proposition 105, the Growing Smarter Act, which provides grants to conserve open spaces in high growth areas.
“I believe this is an excellent use for the Land Conservation Fund since the downturn in the economy has significantly slowed city growth patterns across the state, while the fund has continued to expand by $20 million a year,” Tobin said. “This bill extends the Land Conservation Fund by an additional year and the money we take this year will be restored in 2013.”
Last week Rep. Tobin sent a letter to Arizona mayors, city council members, county supervisors, state department heads, the Governor and stakeholders urging them to contact Legislators who opposed HB2088 last February. The state parks funding restoration issue will be revisited and Rep. Tobin hopes pressure from stakeholders will garner the necessary three-quarter votes to utilize the Growing Smarter funds for state parks.
Arizona State Parks are an extremely valuable attraction for visitors and citizens. Approximately 2.2 million people visit our parks each year and direct spending by those visitors surpasses $160 million each year. Annually, state parks generate $266 million in revenue for Arizona. Rep. Tobin wants to see Prop 105 changed temporarily to allow Growing Smarter dollars to go to state parks this year.
