I am grateful for this letter recognizing my work to support the Commonwealth’s parks. It is reprinted here with permission.
July 13, 2026
Dear Senator Brownsberger,
Thank you for the amendment that added $1.0 million to the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Parks and Recreation (DCR) Operations account (2810-0100) during the recent FY2027 budget debate.
As the Commonwealth faces fiscal uncertainty at the state and federal level, DCR needs legislators like you who are willing to step up and make the best of this situation for our state parks, the 26.2 million annual visitors, and the $14.6 billion annual outdoor economy our parks support.
We also recognize and appreciate your longstanding support for our state parks. During the FY2026 budget debate, your advocacy again proved instrumental in getting DCR a 3.5 percent increase in the operations account, keeping it above inflation. The Special Legislative Commission your 2019 legislation created proved to be a watershed moment in our collective effort to bring our state parks, forests, trails, beaches, pools, historic parkways, and other DCR assets squarely into the 21st century.
The study and resulting UMass Donahue Institute report is the foundation of DCR’s effort to reverse the effect of budget cuts the agency suffered during and after the 2008 recession, which dropped Massachusetts to last in the nation in state support for public open space.
Thank you for being a true friend to our parks.
Yours in conservation,
Andrew Schuyler, Chair
Mass Conservation Voters
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