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AZ won't fund national parks during shutdown, governor says
Governor Katie Hobbs announced that Arizona will not pay to keep national parks fully operational during the federal government shutdown.
PHOENIX - Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Arizona will not pay to keep national parks fully operational during the federal government shutdown, a decision that comes as a new blow to businesses near the Grand Canyon still recovering from a major wildfire.
The shutdown, which began after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on a spending bill on Sept. 30, will furlough an estimated 750,000 federal employees nationwide.
Local perspective:
For Arizona, the impact on national parks, including the Grand Canyon, is a significant concern for the tourism industry.
"I'm not playing politics. I'm prioritizing what I can for Arizonans," Hobbs said, noting the state cannot afford to cover the costs. "Politicians are the ones that created this mess."
The impact is particularly devastating for businesses near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, which were just preparing to fully reopen after being shut down for months due to the Dragon Bravo fire.
"We are 80 to 90% down," said Melinda Marshall, manager of Jacob Lake Inn, one of the few hotels operating in the area. Marshall said the inn has lost about $400,000 and has had to reduce staff.
During the last government shutdown in 2018, national parks remained fully open under then-Gov. Doug Ducey. However, Hobbs has made it clear that Arizona will not take on that financial responsibility this time, stating that in the past, states were given a sense of certainty that they would be reimbursed.
Dig deeper:
Arizona is home to three national parks: the Grand Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park and the Petrified Forest National Park.
The National Park Service’s contingency plan says more than 9,000 park employees will be furloughed. It is still unclear which of the 400 sites will be inaccessible.