Texas State Parks Will Receive $261M in Funding

By THC Staff | May 3, 2016

 

This week, the State Capitol approved $261 million for the Texas Parks and Wildlife budget, which is expected to help with repairs and upgrades.

As for the total, it will be divided as follows: $193 million to state parks and $26 million in grants to be used on city and county parks, as KXAN reported. That funding comes “from the sporting goods sales tax Texans pay when they buy outdoor equipment. For years, lawmakers sat on that money to balance their books. But last session they decided the money should go to its dedicated purpose.”

The funding given to city and county parks is a historic high for the state and many are looking forward to changes being made both on a state level, but also a local one, too.

Texas’ public lands are a real treasure for a variety of reasons, but most importantly for the native flora and fauna that thrives in those spaces.

Additionally, in light of the weather patterns, “Round Rock Republican Representative Larry Gonzales [says] a lot of this money will be sued to be repair pipes, systems and equipment during recent floods across the state.” McKinney Falls, Colorado Bend, Inks Lake, Bastrop, and Pedernales Falls are on the list for state parks that could specifically receive a boost.