The document summarizes the history and funding of Alabama's state park system. It discusses how the parks were established in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and have since provided recreational opportunities across the state. However, over $15 million in funds generated by the parks has been transferred to Alabama's general budget since 2010, leading to the closure of five parks in 2015. Amendment 2 on the November 2016 ballot aims to protect parks funding by ensuring user fees are dedicated to the parks rather than administrative transfers. The document advocates voting yes on Amendment 2 to guarantee stable funding for Alabama's state parks.

2. History of Alabama’s State Parks
• Construction of the Alabama State Parks began in 1939
by the Civilian Conservation Corps
• Celebrated 75 years of public service in 2014
• State Parks’ mission: To acquire and preserve natural
areas, develop, furnish, operate, and maintain
recreational facilities, and to extend the public’s
knowledge of Alabama’s natural environment

3. Alabama’s state parks have an economic
impact of $375 million each year
• Visitors to state parks spend an estimated $152.4 million
• Parks support 5,340 Alabama jobs
• Workers earn a total of $140 million
• Parks generate $10.9 million in local and state tax
revenue

5. State Parks By the Numbers
• Over 250 miles of trails
• Thousands of acres of
water-adjacent land
• More than 2,000 modern
campsites
• Two parks with cave tours
• Three miles of pristine Gulf
Coast beachfront
• Eleven parks received an
Award of Excellence from
TripAdvisor in 2016 for
outstanding customer
reviews

6. Alabama’s state parks receive NO money
from the General Fund
• 80-90% of parks’ funding comes from user fees
• Majority of that revenue comes from overnight guests
• Remaining funding comes from cigarette and use taxes
• More than $15 million earned by state parks has been
transferred to the General Fund budget since 2010

7. 2015: Five parks closed due to
continued administrative
funding transfers

8. Three parks have since re-
opened under alternative
operations models

9. • During the 2016 legislative
session, Senator Clay Scofield
(R-Arab) sponsored SB 260
calling for a constitutional
amendment to permanently
protect parks funding
• SB 260 passed, and
Amendment 2 will be on the
ballot November 8
Protect Our State Parks

10. Amendment 2 will ensure user fees stay where they belong:
in our beautiful parks system improving the experience for
all visitors.

11. Yes on Amendment 2
• Amendment 2 will permanently end the practice of
administrative transfers from parks to the General Fund
• Amendment 2 will guarantee that all funds earned by
or allocated to state parks STAY in parks
• Amendment 2 will allow state parks to continue to
offer recreational opportunities like hiking, camping,
biking, and fishing
• Amendment 2 will ensure that state parks can
contribute to our state and local economies

12. ALParksPartners.com
Join the fight to permanently
#FundALStateParks!
Stay updated on
news
Join as an
individual,
business, or
organization!
Engage on
social media
Contact your
legislators
Raise money
for the parks!
Connect with park
volunteers

13. Election Day is
Tuesday, November 8
• Register to vote, find your polling place, and read
sample ballots at AlabamaVotes.gov
• Deadline to register to vote is October 24
• Vote YES on Amendment 2

14. How to Help Before Election Day
• Visit ALParksPartners.com to volunteer
• Recruit new organizations, businesses and individuals in our
fight to permanently fund Alabama’s State Parks. Direct
them to our website to sign up as members and take the
survey to sign up for specific tasks
• Join our social media mailing list to receive 1-3 messages
and graphics per week to share on your social media pages
• Host a community meeting to educate the voters about the
history of the State Park System’s funding transfers
• Distribute information about the referendum at local
businesses
• Set up a table to distribute information at community
festivals, farmers’ markets, local breweries, community
meetings, college campuses, etc.

15. Alabama State Parks Partners
Steering Committee
Bob Baumhower – Aloha Hospitality, CEO
Philip Darden – Central Alabama Mountain Pedalers, President
Sandra Killen-Burroughs – Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourism,
Membership Recruitment & Legislative Liaison
Natalie Kelly – Sustain and My Green Birmingham/Montgomery
Bee Frederick – Southeastern States Manager for the
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation