Editorial Endorsements in the Nov 7 Election
by Editorial Board
October 23, 2023
Originally published by the Austin American-Statesman
Leaves show signs of changing color at McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas on Nov. 6, 2022. Proposition 14 on the November 7 ballot would create a fund for state parks. (Credit: Aaron Martinez / AMERICAN-STATESMAN / File Aaron Martinez
Proposition 14: $1 billion for state parks
Proposition 14 would take up to $1 billion from the budget surplus to create a Centennial Parks Conservation Fund to buy land to create and improve state parks.
Our recommendation: Vote “Yes” on Proposition 14
Most land in the state is privately owned. Not only is it scarce, it’s getting more expensive. Proposition 14 can be a game-changer for those who cherish the immense beauty and value of state parks and the safeguards they provide for our natural resources and for preserving cultural and historic sites. Initiatives to use taxpayer money for the improvement of parks typically draw opponents who complain that there are more pressing needs to worry about. Proposition 14 will likely bring out those critics.
