Action Request: Contact Your State Legislators
If you use and enjoy our St. Paul and Ramsey County parks and trails, then you know they can use more funds for maintenance and improvements.
Your legislators are discussing bills that would increase funding for parks and trails. Now is when your voice counts!
Join Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County — partnering with the Saint Paul Parks Conservancy — and be part of the advocacy effort for parks. Lend your voice and make a difference by sending emails to both your state Senator and state Representative encouraging them to fund park bills this session.
- Click here to find your legislator’s contact information.
- Send a note as simple as this: “Thank you for your support of metro-area parks and trails! Please vote in favor of parks funding bills this session that will keep our parks and trails safe and accessible for the 65 million visitors to our metro-area parks, people from around the region and the world. Local property taxpayers should not shoulder the bulk of the maintenance burden to welcome Minnesota visitors.”
- Directly reference the bills described below, and send these messages even if you’re certain your legislators are parks supporters. Hearing from constituents helps them order their priorities.
House files (HF) and Senate files (SF)
The Regional Parks Operations and Maintenance Bill (HF1110/ SF1001) will provide $40 million per year for our metro area parks (that’s just 61 cents per park visit!). Both city and county officials stress the importance of this bill, which would allocate dollars on an ongoing basis and significantly boost the state’s commitment to maintain and operate parks, lifting a burden currently shouldered by local agencies and taxpayers.
Likewise, urge your legislators to support increased Local Government Aid (LGA) in the Tax Bill to share the tax burden equitably between municipalities and the state.
Finally, ask them to support the $50 million in bonding bills for projects across the 10 regional parks agencies to address the backlog of needs created by the lack of a bonding bill for two years. (HF1539/ SF1586)
And, of course: Feel free to add your own message, personal story, or your own reason why you believe our regional parks system needs support.
Let us know when you’ve sent your message (email amy@friendsoftheparks.org) so we can track the efforts. Thank you! Your voice matters.
