As affluent at Texas seems to be, how is it that Okla, and Ark. have FREE State Parks. Is it because they have a state income tax and we don't? I know that the state uses the money from fees collected for TPW (sales tax on fishing, hunting, camping stuff) to show that they balance the budget or that there is a surplus in the state's coffers. Prob. is it stays in the general budget and rarely gets moved into the TPW's budget. Politicians at doing their best with smoke and mirrors again..JMO..

The money that is supposed to be spent on our parks is like the money from the lotto that was supposed to be spent on our schools. The government is constantly using it for something besides what it is supposed to be dedicated to and these funds are all broke. I know they make millions a week on the lotto and then say we have to cut back on the schools. The money from the sale of fishing licenses is always diverted to something else. Most of the people in our government are more concerned about getting reelected than in making the hard decisions and doing what they are supposed to do which is represent "WE" the people. The only people they represent are themselves and their rich buddies. Just my 2 cents.