the future of state parks

Proposition to create a $1 billion fund for future state parks going on the ballot in November

Best Texas State Parks HomeToGo 2021 Garner State Park

If Prop 14 passes, it will create a fund that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be able to use to purchase land and unique properties for future state parks.

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A statewide proposition establishing a constitutional amendment to create a $1 billion fund for future state parks will be in the hands of Texas voters in November. The total value has been authorized by the state legislature.

About 10 million visitors flock to Texas State Parks every year, and the ever-expanding population means there is not enough supply of parks to meet the demand. The Centennial Parks Conservation Fund created by Proposition 14 would help the state acquire new parks from landowners without raising taxes on Texans, according to a release.

The measure has received bipartisan support from the Texas Legislature, and statewide polls have yielded overwhelming support for state parks within the last two decades. State Senator Tan Parker filed the Senate bill laying the groundwork for the conservation fund to make it on the ballot.

"The Centennial Parks Conservation Fund would provide dependable, long-term funding for new park acquisition that will protect the unique natural and cultural treasures of Texas, creating the opportunity to ensure our state parks thrive for generations to come," Senator Parker said.

According to Ballotpedia, funds would be "appropriated, credited, or transferred by the legislature; gifts, grants, and donations received by the Parks and Wildlife Department; and investment earnings." It would also not count against the state's appropriation limit.

State Representative Armando Walle, who sponsored the bill in the Texas House, also expressed his support for the bill. He called it a transformational, "Teddy Roosevelt kind of initiative."

Nearly 80 statewide organizations including the Austin Parks Foundation, Austin Outside, and Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Biking Club have come together in support of the measure through the Texas Coalition for State Parks. The coalition focuses on educating Texans about the benefits of developing the statewide park conservation fund.

If the proposition passes, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be able to use the funds to purchase land and unique properties for future state parks.

Joseph Fitzsimons, the coalition's co-founder and the former Chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, shared his endorsement for Prop 14 in a statement.

"Open spaces are critical to our quality of life," said Fitzsimons. "The Centennial Parks Conservation Fund would help protect the places we love to hike, bike, fish, picnic, view wildlife, and spend time with family."

Voters will see Prop 14 on the ballot on November 7.

More information about the Texas Coalition for State Parks and its members can be found on growtexasparks.com.

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share the road

Texas races to the bottom in new list of best states for cyclists

Photo by Justin Wallace on Unsplash

If you've ridden your bicycle in Austin, you already know how true this is.

In what will come as no surprise to cyclists around Austin, the state of Texas is not a good place for bicycle riding. According to a new report of the "Most Cycling-Friendly States in the U.S.," Texas comes in at No. 47 — meaning that only three other states are worse.

The report, from Philadelphia personal injury law firm KaplunMarx, examines all 50 states based on six metrics: Air quality index, the number of cyclist deaths per one million residents, bike routes per square mile, local government actions supporting cycling, federal funding for cycling projects, and bicycle laws.

Texas musters a mere 31 points out of 100 for its "cycling friendly score."

The most cycling-friendly state in the U.S.: Minnesota, which earned 84 points to claim the title.

According to the report's findings, there have been 15 local government actions per capita in Texas that integrate pedestrians and cyclists in transportation projects. Texas' has a 41 air quality index value, and there are approximately 1.2 bike routes per 1,000 square miles in the state.

On cyclist deaths, Texas does a little better, with three cyclist deaths per one million residents in Texas — about nine percent lower than the national average.

According to KaplunMarx founding partner Ted Kaplun, there is an average of 857 cyclist fatalities in the U.S. every year. He adds that every measure or community effort to improve cyclist-friendliness is beneficial for all Americans.

"It's crucial for all states to continually assess and enhance their cycling provisions, learning from both high-ranking peers and their own experiences," he says.

Top-ranking Minnesota has only one cyclist death per one million state residents. It also has about 27.2 bike routes per 1,000 square miles.

After Minnesota, the remaining top five best states for cyclists are Massachusetts (No. 2), Rhode Island (No. 3), Washington (No. 4), and Iowa (No. 5).

At the bottom of the list are Nevada (No. 48), Arizona (No. 49), and Utah (No. 50) — all of which performed far worse than Texas to be declared the three least cycling-friendly states.

The entire country still has areas for improvement when it comes to creating a safer environment for cyclists, regardless of where each state landed on the list, according to Kaplun.

"With over 53 million Americans riding bicycles regularly, the importance of cycling-friendly infrastructure and safety measures cannot be overstated," said Kaplun in the report. "This isn't just about rankings – it's about enhancing the quality of life, promoting sustainable transportation, and most crucially, saving lives."

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