The Paisano
4
August 26, 2008
October 1, 2013
{The Paisano} Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Matthew Duarte
Managing Editor: J. Corey Franco
News Editor: Sarah Gibbens
Arts Editor: Janae Rice
Sports Editor: Mario Nava
Web Editor: Jennifer Alejos
Special Issues Editor: Erin Boren
Business Manager: Jenelle Duff
Senior Copy Editor: Beth Marshall
Interim Photo Editor: Rafael Gutierrez
Opinion 5 OPINION
A manufactured crisis Anyone taking a basic American politics class can tell you that we have a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Our elected officials are sent to the Capitol to represent the best interests of the constituents they serve. It is in this regard that our government is currently failing us. When the House and Senate could not vote on a budget with bipartisan approval before the fiscal year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30), the government immediately shut down. Many Americans now have to question the security of their jobs or government-funded services. All nonessential government services effectively came to a halt as early as 12:01 Tuesday
morning. To prepare for the potential shutdown, bills had already been passed in the House to fund military spending and continue payroll for those enlisted in active military service — but what about the rest of us? The immediate halt of nonessential government services will have effects both varied and far-reaching. Services such as small business loans, passport requests, national parks, trash collection, federal employee payment, scientific research and the processing of government applications of any kind will be put on hold. According to CNN, more than 783,000 government employees will be forced to sit at home, waiting
for the government to reach an agreement. Why would the federal government jeopardize the livelihood of so many of its people? The inability to reach an agreement can be linked to the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as it is colloquially known. Senate Democrats are insisting that the budget include funding for Obamacare while House Republicans are just as insistent that it not. A group of Republicans led by Texas’ own Senator Ted Cruz, recently famous for his 21hour speech last week against Obamacare, are pushing to defund Obamacare even at the expense of government day-today operations. Paychecks for
members of Congress are considered mandatory, however, and will not be disrupted. In an interview on Sept. 27 with Evan Smith, Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune, Senator Cruz was asked if he would give up his paycheck in the event of a government shutdown. Cruz responded by saying, “I don’t think we should shut down the government. I will confess it is not a question that I will give thought to.” The possibility of a government shutdown is a manufactured crisis born out of Washington politics. Whether or not citizens agree with the passage of Obamacare, a government shutdown should at no point be an option. We the people elect
representatives to aid in government efficiency. No one expects the government to agree on everything — or anything for that matter — but the ability to compromise and manage a working government is a basic job requirement for elected officials. Threatening a shutdown is not only inefficient, but also extremely irresponsible. In a speech that took place minutes before the shut down Monday night, President Obama iterated the services that would end and made it clear that Obamacare would continue unaffected. “One faction of one party of one branch does not get to shut down the government.”
Senior Photographers: Vicente Cardenas Lindsay Smith
{Staff Writers} Jackie Calvert, Alex Camacho, Nick Castillo, Christina Coyne, Shelby Hodges, Randy Lopez, Crystal Poenisch, Paulina Rivero-Borrell, Council Royal, Mark Zavala, Sara Flores
{Staff Photographers} Alyssa Gonzales
{Contributing Writers} Mohamed Ahmed, Julian Montez, Jose Quintero, Jasmine Rodriguez, Pete Torres, Renee Rendon, Mary Caithn Scott, Chance McDevitt, Chris Rodriguez, Aaron Zachary, Rico Martinez, Matt Trevino, Marco Aquino, Victor Gonzalez, Jazzment Brown, Kelsey Moreno, Adrian Tippit, Megan Ball, Patrick Martinez, Chris Breakell, Jakob Lopez, RohitChandon, Patrick Martinez, Jade Cuevas, Chaney Shadrock
{Contributing Photographers} Scott Cochran, Katherine Kish, Craig Garrison
{Interns} Emma O’Connell, Mark Zavala {Ads Manager} Kevyn Kirven
Comic I’ll Just Sit Here. by: Christopher Breakell
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Commentary State lawmakers use discretion to park funds elsewhere The San Antonio Parks and Recreation D e p ar tment operates the city’s recreational and cultural programs and maintains, according to its website, 244 city-owned parks, including swimming pools, gymnasiums, cemeteries, sports facilities, recreation centers and the Botanical Garden and Conservatory. The department is responsible for the maintenance of 14,524.83 acres of park land, including more than 118 miles of walking, hiking and biking trails. A 2013 statewide poll conducted by Hill Research Consultants shows that 84 percent of Texans see state parks as essential to healthy, active lifestyles, and 85 percent of Texans acknowledge a need to protect our natural areas. Despite this large showing of
public support, the State Legislature has left the park system struggling to gather funds to adequately maintain and operate these integral facilities. Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) requested an additional $11.2 million for the operation of state parks in the 2014-2015 budget. Senate and House budgets ultimately allocated only an additional $6.9 million in funding. Staff at the Legislative Budget Board interpreted these figures to mean seven state parks could close. In 1993, state lawmakers passed a measure that devoted a portion of sporting goods sales tax to the parks system. This measure seemed to be a move in a positive direction for TPWD, but, in 1995, lawmakers put a cap of $32 million per year on parks spending while revenue from the sporting goods tax rocketed past $100 million. This funding also fell short as state appropriators maintained ultimate discretion in the allocation of the sporting goods tax.
In a Texas Tribune Festival panel on Sept. 28 Carter Smith, executive director of TPWD, noted that, “In 2007, the legislation called for
“2 billion dollars has been raised by the sporting goods tax since it began and only 600 million has been used for parks.” George Bristol
State Parks Advisory Commitee Chairman Texas Parks and Wildlife to receive 94 percent of sporting goods sales tax, (but) the legislature reserved that authority for themselves, and we receive typically 30-60 percent.” State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, has fought in the legisla-
ture to stop this funding diversion and allow the parks to receive the funding that they need to operate. “We’re getting closer to utilizing the full amount of money allocated for parks.” Rep. Larson stated in the Sept. 28 Texas Tribune panel. “We are trying to eliminate the diversion.” Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs projects this sporting goods tax fund will generate $265 million over the coming 2014-2015 biennium, more than enough money to adequately fund our state park system. TPWD only received approximately one-quarter of the sporting goods sales tax revenues for the 2012-2013 biennium. Also at the panel, George Bristol, Chairman of the State Parks Advisory Committee, stated, “2 billion dollars has been raised by the sporting goods tax since it began and only 600 million has been used for parks.” The 2013 Hill Research poll also shows strong support for using the sporting goods sales tax to fund
state parks. Seventy-six percent of respondents support using revenue from the tax for “Acquiring, maintaining & operating state & local parks.” As Texas lawmakers wade through budgetary issues that have much more divisive implications, it seems unfortunate that they have failed to follow through with such a widely supported allocation that would only improve Texans’ standard of living. The State Legislature should be embarrassed that Texas ranks last nationally per capita in both state park land and funding for state parks, and TPWD officials are many times left to search for private funding in order to keep state parks open. J. Corey Franco Managing Editor