Chip Davis

Group debates the future of state parks in Arizona

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[Source: John Hutchinson, Verde Independent] – A powerhouse panel of political players combined with a standing room-only crowd of State Parks supporters and conservationists gathered to help strategize the long-term sustainable operation of the State Parks system Thursday. Supported by a documentary film, “Postcards from the Parks,” which tells the story of Arizona’s State Parks long-running financial crisis, the panel took five aspects of the issue and fielded questions.

Birgit Lowenstein, who helped organize the Benefactors of the Red Rocks, said, “we have taken State Parks for granted.” There were also representatives from Cottonwood, Jerome, and Yavapai County, plus a flood of volunteers of the Parks system. “We have created a financial band-aid, but it is not sustainable. We must find a long-term solution,” urged Lowenstein.”

Chief among the messages of the documentary film: “A closed park doesn’t make any money.” The closure of the parks would save the government $8 million, but cost $260 million in economic decline to the surrounding communities from the parks’ closure. The documentary film quotes Director Renee Bahl, “We don’t have to chose between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. We can have both.” [to read the full article click here].

Apache Junction weighs annexation of Lost Dutchman Park

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[Source: Arizona Republic, Jim Walsh, 1-27-2010] — Apache Junction officials are so worried about economic fallout from the planned closure of Lost Dutchman State Park that they are considering annexing the iconic landmark.  Apache Junction economic development director Steve Filipowicz said city officials are studying whether annexation would be feasible and whether it would make sense financially.  Annexing the park could keep it open and preserve the estimated $4 million in economic impact the park provides from tourism.

At minimum, annexation would serve as a justification for city police officers to patrol the park to discourage vandalism, Filipowicz said.  The move comes as cities, towns, counties and community groups from Flagstaff to Tubac are contemplating measures that would have been unthinkable only a few short years ago as they struggle to preserve some of Arizona’s natural and historic treasures in the face of deep budget cuts.  Reacting to the Legislature’s decision in December to cut $8.6 million from the state parks budget, the Arizona State Parks Board voted earlier this month to take the unprecedented step of closing 21 of the 30 parks in the state system.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Yavapai County, Camp Verde officials work to keep state parks open

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[Source: Daily Courier, Joanna Doddler Nellans, 1-17-2010] — Some state parks in Yavapai County are set to close after the Arizona State Parks Board took drastic budget cutting measures Friday.  The Parks Board gave at least one state park in Yavapai County, Fort Verde, a temporary reprieve.

The Arizona Legislature has cut 61 percent of the State Parks budget since July in its ongoing effort to balance the state budget.  State Parks officials say their parks pump $266 million into rural Arizona economies by attracting 2.3 million visitors annually and producing 3,000 leisure jobs.  That includes $36.6 million for Yavapai County’s economy and 494 jobs here, according to a State Parks study.

Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis hopes to prevent the closure of at least one state park in this county, and even reopen another park that has been closed for months.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Verde Valley leaders seek options to keep state parks open

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[Source: Steve Ayers, Verde Valley News] — There are few places in Arizona that will feel the impact of cuts to the Arizona State Parks budget as much as the Verde Valley.  With three recreational parks, two historic parks, and the Verde River Greenway, the valley encompasses almost one in five of the agency’s properties.

Last week the state legislature passed a bill that will cut State Parks budget in half.  The legislature cut it by one third earlier in this year.  Of the valley’s five parks only one makes money.  In 2008, the last year there are cost and revenue figures for, Slide Rock State Park generated $217,167 in revenue.  The other four parks operated a cumulative loss of nearly $500,000.

But local leaders and other advocates of the park system argue that profit loss statements for the individual parks do not tell the whole story.  In fact, a recent study of the state parks system estimated the parks generated over $250 million in taxes and other economic impacts statewide, while operating at a cost to the state of $2.3 million.

“These parks are huge for us.  They are revenue generators.  Closing them is like cutting off your nose off to spite your face,” argues County Supervisor Chip Davis.  “If the legislature could just help us out a little I believe we could put this together.”  [Note: Read the full article at Verde Valley leaders seek options to keep state parks open.]