Texas to open six new state parks without raising taxes
Jenny Goldsberry
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Texas will be adding six new state parks thanks to a tax proposition passed last year.
During the midterm elections, Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment that allowed for 100% of sporting goods taxes to go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission. This amendment prohibits “increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.” The department announced Monday that some of the first of that newly allotted tax money will go toward the new parks, bringing the total number of state parks to 95.
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These new parks will be in the surrounding areas of the Albert and Bessie Kronkosky state national area, which was originally acquired in 2011, the Devil’s River state natural area acquired in 2010, Powderhorn State Park acquired in 2021, the Chinati Mountains state natural area acquired in 1996, and the Davis Hill natural area acquired in 1983. These existing state lands already add up to over 64,000 acres before the addition of new sites.
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Only one site is slated to be open to the public next year. Another is expected to open sometime in the next five years, and the rest do not have set deadlines.
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Some 95% of Texas land is already in private hands, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine. There are nine national parks and areas in the state and two national trails.
The 2019–2020 fiscal year saw 7.3 million visits to Texas State Parks. The next year, use skyrocketed to a total of 10 million visits — a 37% increase, which decreased slightly to over 9 million in 2022. Its department will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this month.