State parks face hefty repair list

The information technology budget alone for the Dept. of Jobs and Family Services is twice as much as the entire general revenue fund allocation for Ohio's State Parks. Ohio's state parks are getting it done on just $35 million.
Legislators, let's do the right thing with state parks this budget cycle. Your constituents are watching.

Why doesn't the state go ahead and install the 200 pipe safe -- tubes and let they collect donations. The monies should then be used to speed up the pace at the park to get the job done. I would drop in a few bucks now and then as my grandson and I frequent the part many times during the year.

Ohio's state parks are wonderful. It is a shame to see them deteriorate because of the economy. The very point of having state and national parks is to preserve natural areas, no matter what happens.

Ohio should charge park admission, including the option of purchasing an annual pass good at all parks within the state. Or, instead of incurring the extra expense of placing a gate and a guard at every park entrance, sell only annual passes, using some of the revenue to pay for additional park officers, who could ticket any vehicle that doesn't sport a pass. I personally would not object to an annual fee of $25 to $45 (the amounts I've encountered when visiting parks in other states). That is a pittance when measured against the amount of enjoyment my family gets out of Ohio's state parks.

Perhaps each park could offer one or more free days each year for those who find the cost prohibitive, or perhaps everyone could be offered the option of getting, at no charge, two or three 1-day passes. However, I suspect that most of those who would argue that they can't afford the $25-$45 cost of an annual pass would come up with it if they had to.

The taxes paid to support state parks are a direct reflection of how the legislators appropriate the funds. State legislators don't give a crap about state parks because most of them don't use those parks, but the park down the street from their home gets funding. Plus city politicians have a direct line to state politicians and use that to beg for money. The last people state legislators listen to are the field professionals who are trying to patch up state parks year after year. If Neihaus doesn't want to let state parks charge entrance fees, than he better be the first one signing legislation to provide dedicated funding to Ohio State Parks just like the Divisions of Watercraft and Wildlife have. They are rolling in money but Parks can't get to it. Neihaus and all the other state legislators are the problem in that they are not providing adequate funding. They can't blame anyone else but themselves, and neither should the voters.