If Strawn will ever be known for more than chicken-fried steak, it’s up to lawmakers
Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is known as the “Metroplex’s playground” and is designed to serve as a key recreational attraction for the western half of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Sitting 75 miles west of Fort Worth, it’s also designed to serve as a boost for the economy in tiny Strawn, population 654, which is best-known for six-man football, Mary’s Cafe and its Texas-sized chicken-fried steaks.
But just like the last legislative session, funding for the park — which includes 1,400 foot ridge lines, a 90-acre lake and two creeks surrounded by live oaks, post oaks and pecan trees — remains in legislative limbo.
Texas Parks and Wildlife is seeking $12.5 million for Palo Pinto Mountains State Park with plans to match that funding with private donors. That money is needed to constructs facilities in the park so it can open to the public.
The Texas House budget includes funding but the Senate version does not.
“I’m hopeful the difference will be resolved in a favorable manner in a conference committee when the two chambers meet to resolve the bill,” said Fort Worth attorney Ralph Duggins, chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. “This remains a top priority.”
Overall, supporters of state parks received good news Thursday when the Texas Senate passed two pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 26 and Senate Joint Resolution 24 by State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, to dedicate sporting goods sales tax revenue to fund state parks and historic sites.
The sporting goods sales tax is not a new tax. It was intended to provide a regular flow of park funding..
From 1993 to 2017, the state collected nearly $2.5 billion from the sporting goods sales tax but parks received only about 40 percent of the revenue, according to the Texas Coalition for State Parks. The Texas House must approve it by a two-thirds majority before voters will get a chance to vote.
“A constitutional dedication is fiscally conservative, enhances the economic impact of the parks and will help preserve our Texas culture and way of life,” said Joseph Fitzsimons, former chair of the parks and wildlife commission. “We are grateful the Senate has taken swift action on this important issue and know the Texas House, with leadership by John Cyrier, will soon do the same.”
Fort Worth resident George Bristol, a former member of the Audubon Texas board of directors and longtime advocate for state parks, said he is optimistic voters will get a chance to approve the funding.
“I just think it’s an idea whose time has come,” Bristol said.
This story was originally published April 11, 2019 at 7:00 AM with the headline "If Strawn will ever be known for more than chicken-fried steak, it’s up to lawmakers."