One of the biggest discussions at the Capitol this year has been turned to our State Parks.
Are you grateful, like I am, for our State Parks with their recreational facilities, campgrounds, nature trails, fishing and boating access, cabins, playgrounds, swimming pools and other amenities close by and available for low costs? If you are, be warned that there is an effort at our State Capitol to sell off much of this public property for private profit or shift responsibility for them to our cash-strapped municipalities and counties.
Senate Bill 2486, authored by Sen. Neil Whaley of Marshall County, proposes to make radical changes in how parks are operated and who is in charge of them. Why? The excuse is that parks are in disrepair and it would cost too much to bring them up to their full potential. So, supporters of this idea think it would be best to sell off the people’s property to profit-motivated private owners. Either that, or push the state’s responsibility down to already hurting counties or local municipalities.
It is no wonder that the State Parks are in disrepair. Over the past 20 years, state funding for these family-friendly, natural treasures has been cut by 60 percent with a 70 percent reduction in staff. To add insult to injury, if SB 2486 doesn’t pass, there’s another effort out there waiting to slash the whole Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks budget by $900,000.
Why has the Legislature driven destabilization of some of Mississippi’s most treasured assets for two decades? Other states, like Arkansas and Alabama, have done just the opposite — making sure their State Parks are fully funded, up-to-date and welcoming. Consequently, the tourism dollars they are realizing from that effort are tremendous — annually about $1 billion for Arkansas and $375 million for Alabama.
One of the outcomes of this pandemic has been the desire of Mississippians to get out and enjoy nature. Families want to experience our beautiful outdoors. Our State Parks are welcoming an influx of folks who are tired of looking at four walls. Why would we want to make their adventures a source of profit for private companies rather than the State? Good question.
Over 40 million Americans own RVs. The RV industry brought in over $114 billion to the national economy in 2018. RVs and campers are hot commodities. Mississippi should be enjoying the benefits of this upsurge in the outdoor economy instead of giving it away.
Second, we wonder if any county or municipality suffering from tax losses, closed businesses, and dramatic reduction of other income right now would want to be saddled with a property that needs repairs and staffing to operate. It doesn’t make sense, does it?
I’m proud to see the House of Representatives is taking a different approach to help improve our parks and are against selling them.
The House has introduced several measures to answer what we believe are the pressing issues involving our State Parks. I am a co-sponsor on each of these bi-partisan efforts.
House Bill 148 would provide an advertising stream of funds to promote our State Parks.
House Bill 152 would divert a portion of lottery proceeds to help with maintenance and infrastructure costs of funding to the State Parks.
House Bill 278 would divert a portion of sales tax revenues collected in State parks to repair and maintain the parks.
And, finally, House Bill 1238 establishes the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund to ensure ongoing support of our important natural treasures. The Fund will provide sustainable funding for many important programs including improvements for the parks.
Let’s hope wiser heads prevail on this subject, and that the Legislature will turn its effort toward improving and maintaining our cherished natural areas. Mississippi families deserve no less.
We are blessed in Scott County to have Roosevelt State Park, Golden Memorial State Park, Coal Bluff and Low Head campgrounds and they are all important to all of us. The one good thing about all of this I see is that we are finally discussing that are State Parks need help to be improved and updated.
The park system has always had a special place in my heart and many Mississippians across our State. I will continue to push for more funding and more ways to improve our parks here at home in Scott County and across our State not sell them.
