(D) is defending his decision to explore the possibility of the state jointly running several county parks in that are being targeted for closure.
The parks in question includein West County, home to wild elk, turkey, deer and buffalo. (R, Lemay) is questioning whether the governor has the authority to enter into such an agreement.
鈥淭he governor certainly doesn鈥檛 have unilateral authority to appropriate money, that鈥檚 the sphere of the legislative branch," Lembke said. "It certainly is appropriate to have the discussion, but to make any kind of promises as far as resources certainly isn鈥檛 the governor鈥檚 place.鈥�
Lembke adds that the state is facing a half-billion-dollar budget shortfall next year. But the governor says there鈥檚 nothing wrong with discussing options.
鈥淢issourians really, really appreciate their parks and outdoors," Nixon said. "When we see risks or challenges to lessening that footprint for people to recreate outdoors, we鈥檙e gonna step in and see if there鈥檚 ways that we can work through that."
(D) has proposed closing 23 parks and cutting over 130 jobs within the county鈥檚 parks system.