Heritage Fund

Documentary to air plight of Arizona’s state parks

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Arizona’s state parks and Heritage Fund are in crisis.  In the upcoming documentary, “Postcards from the Parks: Finding a Future for Arizona’s Heritage,” four friends set out to learn why and to find out what can be done.

They visit all Arizona’s state parks and discover natural wonders, great recreation, and fascinating history.  They talk to leading citizens, park managers, volunteers, and park visitors to learn how important the parks are to the fabric of life in Arizona.  They check the numbers and see just how little our parks cost compared to the economic benefits they bring to our state, counties, and towns.  They dig to the heart of the matter to find out why our parks system is eroding, and what needs to be done to make it right.

Our parks can be saved.  In fact, they can thrive and continue to enrich all aspects of Arizona life now and for generations to come — if we make the right decisions.  The film will be released later this month.  The goal is to show the film and discuss its ramifications in communities all across the state.  If you would like the film shown in your community, contact the Arizona Heritage Alliance at 602-528-7500 or by e-mail.

Open letter to Arizona’s Joint Legislative Budget Committee

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Dear Chairman Kavanagh and members of the JLBC:

The Arizona Heritage Alliance’s mission is to protect and educate about the Heritage Fund, its purposes, potential, and accomplishments, and to ensure that the Fund’s money is spent as it was established by initiative statute concieved for and by the people in 1990.

With that mission in mind, we respectfully request that you review favorably the Arizona State Parks Board’s budget transfer request which includes the return of Heritage Fund grant money to its rightful grantees from the 2009 grant cycle.  That grant money already awarded and in process of going on the ground was “frozen” by the Board in February 2009 following deep cuts made by the Legislature to the Arizona State Parks Budget.  The Legislature then permitted the Parks Board to use “other funds” (including Heritage Funds) to make up for the sweeps.  Heritage Fund grant awards were therefore “frozen” in February 2009 by the Parks Board.  This action caused great hardship to the grantees, their projects which included many historic monuments, and to their communities.  At the August Parks Board meeting, its members voted to “unfreeze” that grant money pending a positive review of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

The Arizona Heritage Alliance is hereby adding its voice to that of the Arizona State Parks Board in requesting that you permit them now to restore that funding so that they can release it to the awarded grantees at long last.

We appreciate this opportunity to share our concerns with you with the hope that the Arizona State Parks Board will be able to honor its commitments to those many grantees.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth T. Woodin
President
Arizona Heritage Alliance

Action Alert! Call/write JBLC before Tuesday 2:30 p.m., September 22

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For Arizona State Parks to reinstate and refund the Heritage Fund grants that were de-obligated (i.e., reneged) in February 2009 (1%-95% completed), the JLBC (Joint Legislative Budget Committee) has to approve the Arizona State Parks fund transfers.

JLBC will meet on Tuesday, September 22 at 2:30 p.m. in House Hearing Room.  However, there is no call to the public. Heritage Fund advocates must relay this message to the Committee prior to Tuesday afternoon.

Below is the list of JLBC Committee Members with their e-mails and phone numbers.  If any of the Committee Members are your senator or representative, please call and say that you are a constituent.  If none represent your district, please e-mail all and explain why this matter is important to you as an Arizona citizen.

Here is the suggested message: “Please give a favorable review to the Arizona State Parks Board request to transfer monies between its own funds to backfill sweeps and transfer that were enacted as part of the FY2010 Budget.”

If you have any questions, please contact Janice Miano, Director of Administration, Arizona Heritage Alliance: [email protected] or 602-528-7500 (office). Thank you!

Senate Member (The Honorable…)

House Member (The Honorable…)

Five Arizona Heritage Fund projects left hanging in Florence

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[Source: Bonnie Bariola, Special to the Florence Reminder] — As the result of the Legislature reducing funding for Arizona State Parks, the Arizona State Parks Board has approved the use of Heritage Grant Funds to be used for State Parks operations.   State Parks has consequently suspended 71 Heritage Fund grants; five are located in Florence and are worth a total of $617,284.  These grants would have been matched 50/50 by the owners of each of the properties, which would have provided over a $1.2 million investment in Florence.

In 1990 the Arizona Heritage Fund was approved by two-thirds of Arizona voters.  This voter initiative designated $10 million from the Arizona Lottery funds each year to be used for grants administered by Arizona State Parks.  The Arizona Heritage Alliance is a nonprofit organization created in 1992 to protect Arizona’s Heritage Fund and its objectives.  It is guided by a Board of Directors drawn from a broad base of outdoor sports, environmental, conservation, and historic preservation organizations that helped pass the 1990 statewide voter initiative creating the Heritage Fund.

Members of the Heritage Alliance released a statement, “This fund has become a nationally acclaimed quality of life and economic development tool that supports and protects our state’s parks, open space, wildlife habitat, environmental education, trails, historic and cultural sites, and public access to public land.  It was not designated as operating funds for State Parks.  Since 1990, more than $338.5 million of Heritage Funds have been invested in preserving and enhancing an incredible array of natural, cultural, and recreational resources in every Arizona county and legislative district.  The economic multiplier factor brings that number up close to $1 billion.”

A total of 71 Heritage Fund grants totaling $11.4 million had been approved and were from 0 – 91% complete when the State Parks Board unanimously voted to suspend them.  The Heritage Alliance reported, “Many are ‘on the hook’ with signed agreements they cannot keep without the funds, as well as half-restored and roofless historic properties, half-built park structures that are now an eyesore and possible safety hazard, and fragile archaeological artifacts that now are not in compliance with federal standards. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]