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The Future of Our State Parks Public Discussion

Sedona AZ (September 22, 2010) – The following Letter to the SedonaEye.com editor was received from Birgit Loewenstein of Sedona, Arizona. She writes:

Managing and conserving Arizona’s natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our Parks and through Partners is the mission of Arizona State Parks.

Over the course of the last decade Arizona’s legislature has continually underfunded our state park system. For the Sedona/Verde Valley/Flagstaff areas the state parks have a significant impact on our rural economies, recreational opportunities, preservation of our cultural heritage, conservation of critical riparian habitat and are important to educating our citizens about environmental issues.

After years of our state government decreasing funding of the parks and using voter-approved Heritage Funds for operating purposes instead of voter intent, our parks are at risk as never before.

Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis states: “The future of Arizona State Parks is uncertain, it is paramount that the citizens that want to protect them come together to create solutions and proposals to give our legislators and governor. Our state is facing challenging economic conditions and we need to convince the state that our parks should now more than ever be marketed as an economic stimulator and not be sold or privatized.”

Some legislative leaders have suggested that our park system be privatized or even sold. The question then becomes, which ones of our cultural heritage landmarks do we sell or place in the hands of a private corporation? If our parks are privatized, will the average Arizona citizen be able to  afford access into them? The state parks today generate more money for the state and local communities than they cost to operate.

Keep Sedona Beautiful President and former State Senator Tom O’Halleran states: “Our state has one of the top state park systems in the Western United States. I have seen our elected leaders continue to take funding from the system for other purposes and seen them fail to maintain the necessary capital investment to properly operate the system.  We must understand that a large percentage of the system concerns the preservation of our past.  The parks system is also an important educational link between our citizens and the environment in which they live.”

Sandy Bahr, the government relations representative of the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club has been working to improve our state parks for over a decade.

Ms. Bahr says, “This has been a very bad year for Arizona’s State Parks. The governor and legislature passed budgets that swiped entrance-fee dollars and other special funds, and raided and then repealed the State Parks Heritage Fund.” Over the last two years the result has been severely crippled State Parks, forcing temporary or outright closures, 5-day weeks and insufficient staffing. The public will have an opportunity to let their elected and community leaders know how they feel and join in a discussion on the future of our state parks many of which are open only because of local government funding, private donations, and volunteer help.

These alternatives are not a long-term solution.

This presentation is being sponsored by several community groups, including Benefactors of Red Rock State Park, Keep Sedona Beautiful, Democrats of the Red Rocks, Sierra Club and Friends of Verde River Greenway.

The discussion, The Future of Our State Parks, will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2010, 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Sedona Public Library, west Sedona, 3250 White Bear Road. Along with other elected officials the Chairman of the State Parks Board will be on the discussion panel.

Thank you.
Sincerely,
Birgit Loewenstein
 
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1 Comment

  1. Chris A. says:

    I went to this because of Birgit’s letter here & several people said they came because they read it in the Times. I wanted you to know that I like the news on the Internet better than on paper. It’s better for the environment & Saving trees and water is a good thing to be doing here in Arizona. I hope that you stick around. We need more than the same papers.

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