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New Hampshire's State Parks system serves as America's first modern Libertarian-inspired experiment in creating entirely self-funded parks. The experiment has failed and that park system is now crashing and burning. The New Hampshire model was adopted by the former Governor of Texas and today, the Texas park system is also crashing and burning. That former Governor, George W. Bush, applied the Texas model to America's National Park System which is in the process of crashing and burning.
All of this was entirely predictable and avoidable.
All of this is the direct consequence of ideology.
I explained all of this is a previous blog which can be read here.
The appended article provides an update of the plight of New Hampshire's parks, and the efforts to save the parks by wandering still further down the same, wrong, ideological path.
Scott
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September 29, 2006
New Hampshire Business Review -- Jack Kenny
Commission takes on state park funding 'nightmare'
It may not be the first time state Sen. John Gallus of Berlin has
called a government operation a "nightmare." But it is at least unusual
when Gallus, a frugal North Country Republican who doesn't mind being
called "cheap," complains that the state isn't spending enough money.
The "nightmare," said Gallus, is the state's park system. "It's a
nightmare basically in the respect that they're really under-funded." A
state that depends as much on tourism as New Hampshire does needs to
think about investing more in some of the natural attractions that
bring people here, he said.
"The park service in general has always been borrowing from Peter to
pay Paul, covering crisis situations that occur," said Gallus, noting
that some of the parks are bigger tourist attractions and bring in more
money than others. But even some of the best revenue producers have
been suffering from neglect, he said.
"Hampton Beach brings in a lot of money to the state of New Hampshire,
but we're maintaining it on the cheap," Gallus said. "If these are real
serious tourist attractions, then we need to step forward and do the
improvements needed to bring them into the (21st) century."
Gallus is one of three state senators on a 17-member commission created
last year by the Legislature to examine the park system and make
recommendations for improvements. The commission recently concluded a
series of public hearings and will be making its recommendations to the
governor and Legislature at the end of October.
One of the recommendations included in a draft report the commission
published in July is for the Legislature to approve over the next two
biennia two $10 million general revenue bonds for repairs and
improvements among the 72 properties in the state's network of parks
campgrounds and historic sites.
That proposal is sure to get the attention of state's lawmakers when they convene early next year.
"Whew!" said Gallus, when asked what he thought the chances were of the
Legislature approving the bond issues. "There are going to be some hard
choices. We all know the revenue stream seems to be down, and I don't
think in the short term it's going to get better."
"I think it's a 50-50," said House Majority Leader Mike O'Neil,
R-Hampton, who was a member of the commission until his duties as
majority leader caused him to step down. "I think the recommendation
will go forward, but it probably couldn't have come at a worse time,
given that we have education funding to deal with."
Still O'Neil believes that the capital investment is needed. And since
the first $10 million bond would be for improvements at Hampton Beach,
the majority leader, who is also a Hampton Beach resident, is all for
it.
"I'm very supportive of all of that," said O'Neil. "The facilities on
Hampton Beach were built in the early to mid-'60s, over 40 years ago.
They really have worn out. Right now Hampton Beach is the No. 1 tourist
attraction in the state park system, and with the Old Man (of the
Mountain) gone down, it's definitely one of the biggest generators of
revenue."
'Tougher' times However partial he may be to Hampton Beach, O'Neil believes other parks also need an infusion of state capital.
"Our state park system is very tired and in need of a lot of rejuvenation," he said.
The chairman of the study commission agrees. "When you've got foreign
visitors and people coming from all over the country, you need to be
competitive with the other opportunities they have," said Sen. Bob
Odell, R-Lempster. New Hampshire is the only state whose park system is
entirely self-funded, and it has become increasingly difficult for the
system to maintain its operations and the upkeep of facilities with
self-generated revenues, Odell said.
"The people there are very good at it, but they've struggled with this
for many years," he said. "Health-care costs are going up, fuel costs
are going up and other expenses - it makes it tougher."
For the fiscal year that ended July 30, the state Division of Parks and
Recreation had expenditures of $7 million and about $5.5 million in
revenue. The deficit is carried over into the current year, along with
the hope of better weather and more visitors to boost park income.
"We have had several back-to-back rainy fall seasons, and we have had
two wet summers in a row," said Amy Bassett, spokesperson for the
division. "Add in that the national trend for visitations to parks and
historic sites are down and it doesn't help." she said.
Some of the shortfall has already affected operation of the state's
historic sites. The John Wingate Weeks House in Lancaster was open only
on weekends this year and the Daniel Webster Birthplace in Franklin was
not open at all. Odell is concerned that such rescheduling may be
saving dollars at the cost of discouraging travelers coming to New
Hampshire's historic sites.
"It's creating uncertainty in the minds of people whether something will be open or not," he said.
Among the findings enumerated in the commission's draft report is the
conclusion that self-funding of the state park system "has not provided
adequate annual revenue to meet expenses. Self-funding cannot sustain
the system in the future as the sole source of revenue for operations
and maintenance."
Yet it is not likely, Odell said, that the commission in its final
report will recommend a line-item expenditure for state parks be added
to the state 's biennial budget. It may, however, recommend an
appropriation for maintenance of the state's 22 designated historic
sites.
"That could be as much as $400,000 per year," said Odell. "There's been
a general consensus within the commission that that should be paid for
by general fund dollars."
Private support The two $10 million bond issues over the next four
years would enable the park system to take care of deferred maintenance
as well as invest in modernization and future infrastructure needs, he
said. The division also will be encouraged to seek other ways to
increase income and decrease expenses.
"In the park commission meeting and hearings, it was clear that the
department has never been given a mandate, never been given a charge to
look at all opportunities to maximize income and minimize
expenditures," Odell said. "Should they be picking up their own trash
contract it out? Should there be an outsourcing of all food services as
was done at Cannon Mountain a couple of years ago? If somebody on the
private side can provide a service more readily and at lower cost, then
we should be doing that."
Commission member Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, agrees that the state
needs to be looking for opportunities to "partner" with private
enterprise to meet some of the needs of the park system. "I'm surprised
we didn't talk more about finding other sources of revenue," Hassan
said about the public hearings held by the commission and the draft
report it issued.
She also wonders why there are no private concerns contributing to the
maintenance of historic landmarks like the Robert Frost Farm in Derry.
"I'm surprised we don't have a private entity to help us in some way.
It's the perfect opportunity for partnership in a state where we pride
ourselves on our charitable giving. It seems to me that's an
opportunity we should be looking at."
At the commission's Sept. 19 hearing in Lancaster, Stephen J. Wright,
managing director of Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in
Whitefield, said Mountain View is interested in contributing to the
building of a ski lift on the long-abandoned Mt. Mittersill, which
abuts Cannon Mountain. What the resort would like in return is to lease
a portion of the land to build a warming hut for skiers. The ski lift
could connect Cannon and Mittersill, Wright said.
"We would benefit from this for our guests who ski," Wright told the
commission, while the state would benefit from the resort's marketing
of the facility.
Wright later said he made the proposal in a letter he sent in June to
George Bald, commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic
Development which oversees the state's parks, but had received no
response. Bald said after the meeting that DRED was looking into the
cost of building the ski lift and what contribution from Mountain View
would be required.
DRED'S Division of Parks and Recreation has highlighted some of the
more critical repair and maintenance needs at the state's park,
campground and historic sites, including bathhouse and building repairs
at Pawtuckaway State Park, an electrical distribution panel at Bear
Brook Campground, a road washout at Mt. Sunapee State Park and
extensive repairs that are needed at the Seashell at Hampton Beach.
About $5 million is needed for immediate repairs, said division
director Allison McLean, while the remainder of the proposed $20
million bond issue would be directed at future maintenance and
infrastructure improvements.
"All the sites have issues that need to be addressed," said McLean.
"All are at the point where if we don't do something they could get to
the point where they are falling apart."
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