A Budget to be thankful for as 2025 comes to an end

During the season of Thanksgiving, we at Mass Parks for All (MPA) are thankful for all of the support you have provided during the year. If you donated to MPA, or reached out to public officials on behalf of the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) operations budget, or both, we are indebted to you.

Because of these efforts, DCR received a 3.5 percent operations budget increase for FY2026, besting the 2024 3.0 percent inflation rate. Given the fiscal chaos coming out of Washington, D.C., this was our goal when the budget season started last February.

Because of you, MPA is well-positioned to continue this effective advocacy for our vision of a 21st century park system that serves our diverse urban, suburban and rural populations, including environmental justice communities.  

Environmental Bond Bill

As we look toward 2026, in addition to continuing our quest for adequate operations funding for DCR, our primary focus will be on the environmental bond bill, the Mass Ready Act. This bill will chart DCR’s capital spending for the next five years. Building on the Environmental Bond Bill Summit we held as the bill was filed last June, we will be asking for your assistance to significantly increase DCR’s capital spending program.

As you know, DCR has a $1.0 billion deferred maintenance backlog that accumulated during more than a decade of underfunding the agency during and immediately following the 2008 recession. This bill is the key to helping the agency dig out from under the crushing weight of this problem.  

The Environmental Bond Bill Coalition, a who’s who of large and small advocacy groups, including MPA, has come together to seek $787 million in the line item that supports general park projects (2840-7028), and $400 million in the line item that supports historic parkways (2890-7036). The latter figure represents the estimated portion of the $1.0 billion maintenance backlog represented by parkways.

The bill submitted to the Legislature by the Healey-Driscoll Administration contained $587 million and $177 million for those accounts, respectively. The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hearing on the bill last July. Ultimately, we will be seeking amendments to get those figures increased to the Coalition’s request for these accounts as the bill moves through the legislative process. We will be asking you to join us in this effort. So please stay tuned to this space and our emails as we move forward.

Nature for Massachusetts

MPA is also a member of the coalition in support of the Nature for Massachusetts Act, the bill that would divert the sales tax on various sporting goods to a dedicated fund in support of land and water conservation and open space preservation. It is estimated that the bill could raise some $100 million annually for these purposes. A key feature of the bill is that it would support this spending without raising taxes.   

In addition to the Nature for Massachusetts bill, we are also supporting the Nature for Massachusetts Initiative, a ballot question that would put the sales tax diversion in front of the voters in the November 2026 election should the Legislature decline to act before then.

To get on the ballot, the first step was to gather at least 75,000 signatures that had to be submitted to city and town clerks by November 19. We are happy to report that the coalition, using volunteer and paid signature gatherers, gathered 100,000 signatures before the deadline. There are still steps to complete before the question is finally approved for the ballot.  

First Day Hikes

As we approach the end of the year, it’s not too early to start planning a First Day Hike on New Year’s Day, a DCR tradition for more than 30 years. Each year, thousands of people join DCR staff for these hikes, or take unguided hikes of their own to get a fresh start on physical and emotional wellbeing our parks bring to us on a daily basis. A list of the guided hikes will be coming soon, and we will share that with you when it’s available. For now, you can look at the DCR trail maps and start planning your hike. As you do so, please think about making sure you take proper precautions for winter weather so you are prepared for any sudden changes nature may bring your way, so you have a happy, healthy hike. 

Giving Tuesday

As we approach giving Tuesday, please consider making a donation to MPA and our work to make our state parks second to none. We can not take on this important work without your direct participation. Until the end of the year, every tax deductible dollar you give will be matched by the Solomon Foundation, up to $25,000. Thank you again for your support.