May 24, 2020 2 min read

Reject bill to cut park funding

In March, my semester at college was cut short and I came home to take classes online. During this time, local and state parks have been my main destinations for getting out of the house and getting fresh air, and I know the same is true for many of my friends and family members. Unfortunately, these public parks are being attacked instead of supported.

The state government is considering legislation that would slash funding for state parks, community playgrounds, and places like Mingo Creek County Park, one of my favorite places to escape to for a few hours to hike the trails, bike around, or just sit by the creek and fish. These parks are seeing record traffic with coronavirus, as few other public places are open for activity, so it doesn’t make sense to cut any sort of support to these much-needed resources.

The state House has already passed this legislation, House Bill 1822, and the Senate is set to vote on it soon. I am calling on my senator, Camera Bartolotta, to reject this bill out of concern for constituents like me, and I’m hoping that others reach out to their senators to also vote “no” on HB 1822.

Hudson Wagner

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