[Source: Casey Newton, Arizona Republic] — The Arizona State Parks Board will make it to July without having to close any more parks, provided lawmakers do not take any more funds from the agency, officials said Friday. Ken Travous, state parks director, told the board that the agency had successfully filled a $5 million budget gap remaining after cuts earlier this year. The board filled the gap by suspending and canceling grants, holding positions open and reducing operating expenses.
Like most state agencies, the parks board has seen its budget cut dramatically over the past 12 months. Three state parks already have closed indefinitely to allow for repairs and to save money, and the agency had initially put eight more parks on the chopping block. However, Travous said Friday that the parks system can survive fiscal year 2010 as well without closing parks, pending the outcome of this year’s budget session. Travous said lawmakers were threatening to take $12 million from the parks in 2010, a potentially devastating move. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]