[Source: John Stanley, Arizona Republic] — The Arizona State Parks system is suffering a midlife crisis. The 50-year-old system is showing the signs of age that only money can fix. Budget shortfalls have meant that funds designated for repairs have gone instead to operating costs.
“We’ve bled ’em down,” said Rep. Jack Brown, D-St. Johns, speaking of the Arizona Legislature’s appropriations for parks. “We’ve said, ‘Wait till next year.’ We need to do better by our parks, build them up instead of trying to close them.” [Note: To read the full article, click here.]