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Funding

State needs more money to maintain parks

Sixty million dollars is a lot of money and, earlier this year, West Virginians concerned about our state parks and forests may have breathed sighs of relief upon learning that much will be spent to take care of long-deferred maintenance needs at the facilities. At long last, that problem is taken care of …

Unfortunately not, according to a study by the Legislature’s Performance Evaluation and Research Division. It may cost as much as $100.7 million to handle all the parks’ deferred maintenance needs.

That figure was presented to legislators this week, in a report from the PERD. It was not a number drawn out of thin air; PERD personnel visited 15 state parks during their study.

Money for purposes such as park maintenance has been scarce for many years in Charleston. The $60 million initiative is being undertaken through a bond sale, with repayment to be handled through excess lottery revenue.

Clearly, more is needed. State officials should address the challenge by prioritizing needs and ensuring the most pressing are met immediately. For example, old wastewater treatment plants may have to be replaced. Otherwise, there is the possibility the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could order them to be shut down.

A revenue stream to handle park maintenance needs to be identified and earmarked. Our parks are invaluable treasures — and they cannot be allowed to waste away.

•••

No doubt there are many books in public libraries that are considered trashy, immoral and, in the case of non-fiction works, inaccurate by many people. But if they are of interest to a substantial number of people, they ought to be on the shelves.

There are some exceptions, of course. Blatant pornography and calls for violence come to mind.

Political acceptability should not be a criteria for acceptance, however.

A controversial best-seller right now is a work by investigative reporter Bob Woodward, of Watergate scandal fame. Woodward’s new book, “Fear,” purports to be an insider’s look at the White House under President Donald Trump.

Some view “Fear” as an important expose. Others believe it to be “fake news.” The majority of readers probably fall somewhere between those extremes.

According to a published report, the Morgan County Library, in Berkeley Springs, was offered a free copy of the book — but turned it down.

After unfavorable publicity ensued, library officials said they will have “Fear” available. Library trustees President Connie Perry said the problem “was an employee who … wasn’t aware of what she should have done.”

In the United States, at least, public libraries are supposed to be repositories of information and ideas, not defenders of anyone’s version of political correctness.

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