Oklahoma lawmakers pitch 8-year lake, state park maintenence program

ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) - For years, Oklahoma’s state park funding has been capped at $9 million.

With House Bill 3972, legislators aim to give Oklahoma’s state parks all the money they’re earning so parks can keep up with infrastructure demands- like roads in need of repairs, docks that need to be stabilized, and leaky roofs.

Representative Tammy Townley said lately, many of those needed repairs aren’t getting done because the state has been operating the parks as if they’re in a deficit.

The state’s general budget was in a deficit when in 2015, so legislators used the parks to bail out the state and put a 9 million dollar cap on park funds, giving any extra money made at the parks to the state’s general fund.

But Townley said that’s no longer needed, so she and the bill’s co-authors have created an 8-year $200 million rolling budget emergency plan for the state parks.

Townley said the emergency plan will make sure the Lake Murray cabins are fixed up to attract more visitors and bring more money back to the parks.

With the popularity of fishing, boating, and other recreation at Oklahoma lakes, Townley said the Lake Murray cabins should be a big money maker.

But as they stand now, the state can’t charge competitive prices.

She said other top priorities are water wells and golf courses at Oklahoma’s state parks.

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