Minnesota’s funding for its state parks has not kept pace with the demand to get up close and personal with nature.

Monday, August 30, 1999

Minnesota’s funding for its state parks has not kept pace with the demand to get up close and personal with nature.

A state park economic study found that 20 percent of the people who visit Minnesota state parks come from outside the state.

In 1998, they contributed $39 million in new money to the state’s economy.

Everyone takes great pride in the state’s natural resources, which are central to the quality of life and Minnesota’s identity.

Imagine . . . 8.6 million visitors came to Minnesota’s state parks in 1998 to swim, boat, hike, fish, and otherwise enjoy nature.

All that was missing from the new biennium budget to keep all 70 of the state parks open for the next two years was $300,000 during the two years.

At a time when Minnesotans are enjoying the euphoria of receiving sales tax rebate money in the mail, they may wonder in hindsight if the largesse of the Minnesota Legislature was made possible at the expense of strengthening something so dear to every Minnesotan – our state parks.