PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Arizona State Park Board Member Bill Scalzo says the board has spent hundreds of hours in meetings, trying to figure out how to sustain state parks with increasingly limited resources.
"When we're cut to a point that will be one third of what we need to operate, it won't be safe to keep all these parks open," said Scalzo.

The gates may close on the family vacation spots that draw in locals and make Arizona such an attraction for visitors from other states.

A Northern Arizona University study showed that the parks draw in $266 million into the local economy every year.

"Families are going to be told, 'Gate's closed, can't come in,'" said Scalzo. "That's not a good thing to do. Right now, in this economy, those inexpensive parks are one of the lifesavers. That's their vacation, and we've just canceled vacation."

The cuts have already passed through the House and Senate. Earlier this year, 40 percent of park staffing was already cut, and this bill would cut more than $9 million, half of the remaining funds. Scalzo said the Board increased fees hoping that would help, and also recommended an increase in license plate fees of about $10 to $15. He says even private donations to sustain the parks are now threatened, as lawmakers push to move that money to the general fund.

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