POINT SHEET – STATE PARK SYSTEM FUNDING

JANUARY, 2006

The State Park System continues to be woefully understaffed and underfunded for its operations and maintenance activities. Virginia ranks at the bottom among the states in both per capita general fund support and proportion of state budget dedicated to state parks.

A significant General Fund Appropriation is needed to re-benchmark the annual operations and maintenance funding based on levels recommended in 2002 by the Commission on the Future of Virginia’s Environment.

Virginia’s voters delivered resounding mandates in overwhelmingly approving two general obligation bond referendums (1992 and 2002) totaling some $214 million for land acquisition and new facility construction by the Park System.
But, the new facilities built in existing parks and on new land acquisitions using bond proceeds were not adequately supported by annual appropriations to provide needed funding for proper operations, maintenance, staffing, and equipment.
Thus, since 1992, the Park System has been forced to annually redirect funds and staffing from preventive, periodic, and long-term maintenance in existing parks to provide for the operation and maintenance of the new facilities brought on line through bond proceeds.
This situation continues to worsen as facilities and land acquisitions are brought on line from the 2002 general obligation bond referendum, thereby further exacerbating the deterioration of the Commonwealth’s investment in the State Park System.
Further, the Park System has been forced to rely so heavily on fee revenue that Virginia’s park fees have grown to be among the highest in the region.

In 2002, the Commission on the Future of Virginia’s Environment reported that state parks needed an additional $12 million annually in operating funds; that $8 million needed to be spent annually on maintenance reserve projects; and that $5 million was needed to replace unsafe, antiquated vehicles and equipment.

Subsequently, Virginia passed the $119 million 2002 bond referendum and the first major expansion to the state’s inventory of cabins and campgrounds is underway, along with new visitor centers at Wilderness Road, Belle Isle, Westmoreland, First Landing, False Cape, and Sailor’s Creek State Parks. Six new parks are also in the acquisition or planning phase, including new parks in Powhatan, Shenandoah, Gloucester, Stafford, Augusta and the High Bridge Rail/Trail project that includes Cumberland, Prince Edward and Appomattox Counties.

In 2005, the General Assembly took a significant first step toward the re-benchmarking goal by providing the Park System some $4.5 million in additional operations and maintenance funding. But, in terms of the need, this amount can best be characterized as a “down payment”.

Regrettably, the Governor’s budget presented to the General Assembly for the 2006 session does not adequately build on the re-benchmarking initiative. This budget provides only an additional $1.6 million per year for the Park System’s operational and maintenance support.

Operations – An additional $15 million is needed to complete the re-benchmarking effort and to add 148 positions (252 positions currently authorized) to bring the total authorized staffing to 400 positions.

Phase I development of six new parks acquired through bond referendum resources and ready to come on line during this budget period - $50 million.

Annual operating costs of the six new parks in the first year they are on line - $2 million.

Deferred Maintenance – The Park System currently faces an inventory in excess of $200 million in deferred maintenance projects. While it may not be possible to address the total problem in one year, a significant dollar amount should be applied toward reducing the inventory. The longer these problems remain unaddressed, the more they will deteriorate and the more costly it will become to address them.

Virginia’s State Parks are the most frugally funded in the nation. Even so, the annual economic return the system provides to the Commonwealth and surrounding park localities is staggering.

For example, over the past five years Virginia has seen state park visitation hover around 7 million visitors per year. The annual economic impact generated by these visitors on the state and local economy is in excess of $150 million. In addition, the park system generates about $7 million annually from park fees, enterprise operations, and services. General Fund annual support for parks has only been in the $10-$14 million range for more than a decade. Given the $140 - $145 million annual net return, the park system is clearly a good economic investment for the Commonwealth, in addition to the valuable role it plays in promoting conservation and serving as a therapeutic tonic for the mind, body, and spirit of our citizens.

Simply put, adequate appropriations for the Park System are supported by the public mandate given in the voter’s overwhelming approval of the 1992 and the 2002 bond referendums. And, adequate appropriations are further supported by being sound financial investments that provide good economic returns to the Commonwealth along with intangible benefits including the improved mental and physical health of those who use the parks to exercise, recreate, and relax; and, the protection of many of the Commonwealth’s natural, historic, scenic, and cultural resources.

Virginia must invest in its State Park System to provide proper stewardship of these remarkable natural, cultural and recreational treasures. The localities where our state parks exist benefit greatly from the drawing power of the parks for tourism and recreation spending. The economic climate is very competitive and we must recognize that Virginia is competing with all the states in the mid-Atlantic and southeast region for tourism and recreation dollars.