LUFKIN, TX –September 11, 2006 – Save Texas Parks has
launched a new grassroots website designed to engage Texans in a
Save Texas State Parks campaign. Recently, it has come to the
forefront that many of our State Parks are in danger of closing
if emergency funding is not provided. Save Texas Parks was
formed to bring attention to the plight of some of the greatest
resources in our country, Texas State Parks.
In 1993, The Texas Legislature passed a sales tax on sporting
goods to fund our Texas State Parks. Two years later, the
legislature put a $32 million cap on the tax allotment to state
parks. In 2005, Republican Representative Harvey Hilderbran,
Chair of the Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee, with the
support of Speaker Tom Craddick and many members on both sides
of the aisle, authored a major bill to lift the “cap” from $32
million to $85 million. For reasons that had nothing to do with
partisanship, that bill did not pass. Save Texas Parks is asking
the public to encourage their legislators to lift the cap and
fund our parks adequately.
“The funding crisis facing state parks is shaping up as a
political hot button in the Nov. 8 general election,” says
Michael Banks, DDS, president of Save Texas Parks. “With this
new website, we have an opportunity to communicate with Texans
that are interested in saving our state parks, and then give
them a tool to communicate with their friends and legislators.”
Texas ranks 49th in the nation for state park funding, and
without a cash infusion, 18 state parks are expected to close.
According to web administrator, Lee Miller of MSGWebs, websites
are a key way of communications today, “My family and I have
enjoyed our state parks and feel it would be a shame to allow
their decay to continue. We’re pleased to provide
SaveTexasParks.com as a way of' encouraging Texans to get
involved and stay informed,”
The website features information on contacting legislators,
writing letters to editors and a calendar and notification
system for people that want to get involved. The site can be
found at
www.SaveTexasParks.com.
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A division of MSGPR, MSGwebs specializes in Internet
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website is at www.msgpr.com.
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