Texans will vote on 14 propositions in next month’s constitutional amendment election
Broadband, leaky water pipes, state parks, the electric grid, Tier 1 research universities and retired teachers stand to benefit, proponents say.
By Robert T. Garrett
October 16, 2023
Originally published by Dallas Morning News
Texans will vote next month on 14 proposed changes to the state Constitution, including several that GOP elected leaders have described as shrewd down payments on improved infrastructure, recreation and higher education. A centennial parks conservation fund would purchase new land for state parks. April file photo shows a couple fishing along the shoreline of Joe Pool Lake near sunset at Cedar Hill State Park.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)
In plugging Proposition 14 (state parks), Texas 2036 is joined by the Texas Coalition for State Parks, which has enlisted Grammy-winning country music star Kacey Musgraves to narrate a 30-second spot.
In it, she calls the proposed parkland acquisition fund, which under the new state budget would get $1 billion, “our chance for a new golden era for state parks creation.”
At a Dallas press conference last week, parks fund supporter Doug Deason called $1 billion a “drop in the bucket” and said it isn’t going to buy “a whole lot of land” but is a start.
“This is simply a conversion of assets. As conservatives, you can look at it as an investment in cash into land and no one can argue that Texas land is a great investment,” said Deason, who lobbied for the fund with environmentalist Luke Metzger.
