As we progress into the 21st century it will not be without pain and shame as we are going to see more of these types of closures and/or changes in what we have grown accustom to having at our peck and call. The Alabama State Park system has been the main stay of our outdoor resource that has distinguished the State of Alabama from other states that didn’t invest in the beautiful State park system as we did in Alabama. An out-door bonanza that separates us from others is on the brink of distinction; today it’s just 5 or so parks, tomorrow who knows!
As a fisherman and a guide, the beauty of these outdoor parks has been second to none; they have out lasted the test of time, the test of natural disasters and have stood tall as a main stay of outdoor culture of the Alabama faithful. I have seen our parks with stand the test after test, a resource that allows our fellow countrymen to visit the State and enjoy what many of us believe describes our outdoor culture and brings people from miles away to see what makes us a better state and separates us from others.
Shame on our leadership for using this resource as a political football, and take funds set aside for our parks and use them to drop into the general fund to fund other political needs. Over the past five years, and not counting the loss of cigarette tax funds going back to 2012 more than $30 million has been transferred from the ADCNR (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) to the general fund to support other state programs. The state parks system alone has been forced to transfer half of the $30 million from its division. This has strangled our State park system, by taking the funding away in 2012 than using the funds it actually makes through use and minimal profits and putting it into other political priorities, strangling the park system and now closing the centers not producing profitable revenue.
To me it is shameful and unforgiving that the very people we elected to protect our resources, to make the decisions that enhance our outdoor culture that the great ExGovernor of Alabama worked so diligently to make part of our culture feels they can take away what defines us!
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
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