More Evidence Of Texas Republican Incompetence

The above image is of a small piece of Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle -- the second largest canyon system in the United States (behind the Grand Canyon) and one of the wonderful state parks belonging to the people of Texas. But the state park system in Texas is currently in trouble, and it's possible that many of them might have to close down. They might have to close down because the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) doesn't have the money to keep them all open. The TPWD is now reduced to begging for donations from the general public. Here is the appeal from the department's executive director:

Record drought and heat, devastating wildfires, and a drop in visitation have led to a critical situation for state parks.

We need to raise $4.6 million to keep state parks operating, and we can't do it without you.

There are three simple ways you can help:

1. Make a year-end, tax-deductible donation.
2. Make a donation when it's time for you to renew your vehicle registration.
3. Most importantly, because visitor fees pay for about half of all park operating costs, visit a state park this holiday season.

Please act now, to help keep Texas State Parks open for everyone to enjoy. Our state parks won't be the same without you.

Thank you,
Carter Smith
TPWD Executive Director

Mr. Smith blames the shortage of funds on the drought, wildfires, and a drop in visitation. That's just what I would expect from a Republican-appointed state agency head. But the truth is that the TPWD should have been funded well enough to survive weather-related problems. After all, it's not like drought and wildfires are uncommon in Texas (and there would naturally be a drop in visitation in the years they occur. The fact is that the Republican governor and legislature under-funded the TPWD (along with dozens of other state agencies and the state's public schools).

During the last legislative session, the state did face a huge biennial budget deficit (about $27 billion). They could have broadened the sales tax base, fixed the faulty franchise tax, put a surtax on millionaires, eliminate unneeded subsidies for oil and gas companies, or done a myriad number of other revenue-enhancing things, but they didn't. They just fell back on the only solution Republicans seem to have -- cut the budget (except for giveaways to corporations).

And they cut so deeply that all Texans (except the rich) are hurting. Education was slashed by about $5 billion (even though the state already had the nation's lowest per pupil funding level). Most state agencies are now seriously underfunded and unable to perform at expected levels. Now we see that the TPWD is another of those agencies that did not receive adequate funding -- and thanks to this Republican incompetence, many state parks may now have to close down.

Republicans have been talking about the Texas "miracle", but there is no miracle -- just a legacy of mismanagement and incompetence.

State Betrays Those Who Donated Land

Once again, the corporate-loving Republicans running our state government prove they cannot be trusted. This time it's Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson who doesn't think Texas needs to abide by agreements it has made.

Recently, several conservation groups, including the Richard King Mellon Foundation, purchased 9,000 acres of land and gave it to the state of Texas. It was their hope the land would be used by the public for hunting and other recreational purposes. In the past, the Mellon Foundation has given over 40,000 acres to the people of Texas.

When the 9,000 acres, located near Big Bend National Park, was donated, it was with the understanding that the land would be offered to the Parks and Wildlife Department or the National Park Service, and could not be sold without the permission of the Mellon Foundation.

So, what do our Republican state leaders do? They put the land up for sale. They have accepted six sealed bids, and will announce the winning bid next month. They have decided the land would be better used by some corporate entity than by the citizens of Texas.

Commissioner Patterson said that Parks and Wildlife and the National Park Service turned down the gift of land, and the Land Commission could not afford to keep it. I wonder just how much it would cost the Land Commission to hold on to this FREE land -- next to nothing I suspect. And why were the Parks and Wildlife people willing to turn it down? After years of being underfunded, I imagine they were afraid their funds would be cut again if they crossed the big-boys in Austin.

It's not like a bunch of expensive upgrades were immediately needed on this land. It could have been kept just as it is until its best use for the citizens of Texas was decided upon. But that's not how Republicans think. The only useful thing they can see is money, and evidently some of their corporate buddies saw a way to make some money off this land.

The Mellon Foundation has told the state it does not want the land sold, and if it is, they will never make another land donation to the state. I don't blame them after the way they were betrayed this time. Why should they ever trust our state government again?

Commissioner Patterson says now that the land belongs to Texas, he doesn't think anyone can legally prevent the sale. Maybe he is right about the legality, but what about the ethics and morality? What about keeping your word when you make an agreement?

Like most Texans, I was brought up to believe a man is only as good as his word. I think the same is true of governments. A government that doesn't feel the need to keep its agreements, cannot be trusted in any matter.

It is obvious that we cannot trust the Republicans currently running our state government. It is time to replace them.