Bills to fund state parks stalled

A couple of proposals before the Arizona Legislature to come up with some funding to keep open several state parks, including Yuma Territorial Prison, don't seem to be going anywhere.

"That's precisely why the community needs to step forward — and it has — to raise the funds to save the park," said Charles Flynn, head of the Yuma Crossing Heritage Area that is making plans to take over operation of Yuma's historic attraction when the state pulls out March 29.

The park was one of 13 around Arizona that have either been closed or are slated for closure because of the state's financial crisis.

Since then, the community has mounted the Save the Prison campaign to raise $50,000 toward the park's operation to match another $50,000 pledged by the Heritage Area. To date, $41,000 has been raised, with several big fundraisers scheduled for this week and next, including the 3:10 to Yuma event Wednesday at the prison.

In another development, the Yuma City Council, when it meets March 17, is scheduled to approve a lease by the city of the state park as well as an agreement between the city and the Heritage Area to have the Heritage Area take over the park's operation at no expense to the city.

"We're planning to take over," Flynn said. To that end, the agency has been advertising for a park ranger.

"We won't be in a position to hire anyone until after March 17," he said. "But that is the way we're proceeding. We'll be prepared."

Meanwhile, a single legislator is blocking a plan to ask voters to permanently fund the state parks system with a $12 surcharge on non-commercial vehicle license fees.

Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, will not schedule a hearing on HCR 2040 in the Appropriations Committee which he chairs. And Kavanagh said he will not consent to having the measure withdrawn from his committee.

That effectively keeps the plan from going to the full House where Rep. Russ Jones, R-Yuma, said he has the votes for approval.

The parks system actually is being hit with a double-whammy in its efforts to minimize closures.

HB 2060 would provide a $40 million loan over the next two years to the Parks Department. But that is hung up because a minority of legislators object to the plan and question its legality.

Majority rule does not apply because the cash would come from the Growing Smarter fund, approved by voters more than a decade ago to purchase or lease state trust land for open space. And any legislative change in the use of those dollars — even to borrow them — requires approval of 45 of 60 House members and 23 of 30 senators.

Rep. Tom Chabin, D-Flagstaff, said it's "tempting'' to vote for the measure. But Chabin said it's unconstitutional. Even if it were, he said, it doesn't either guarantee long-term funding for parks or, on a larger scale, fund all the other services that have been cut.

One bill is moving: SB 1349 would let the Parks Board seek offers to operate some facilities without going through the normal bidding process. That would expedite the process of seeing if private groups or local or tribal governments would use their own funds to keep nearby parks open.

That bill gained formal Senate approval this past week and awaits House action.

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, said that's just a stop-gap proposal. But Kavanagh and some Republicans see farming out the parks — and their operating costs — as one solution to system's budget woes.

The parks system gets no taxpayer dollars. It operates on about $8.5 million in entrance fees plus revenues from special sources, like a tax on boat registrations to improve state lakes.

But lawmakers, looking for operating cash for the state, raided those funds — including the entrance fees — leaving the system short of money. And the amount of future revenues from parks that make a profit is not enough to offset those that operate at a deficit.

Parks already closed:
Homolovi Ruins
Lyman Lake

Parks scheduled to close March 29:
Fort Verde
Riordan Mansion
Roper Lake
Tombstone Courthouse
Tubac Presidio
Yuma Territorial Prison

Parks scheduled to close June 3:
Alamo Lake
Lost Dutchman
Picacho Peak
Red Rock
Tonto Natural Bridge
-- Source: Arizona Parks Department