When it comes to sharing the burden – and pain – of state agencies having their budgets cut (less revenue, less spending) to help the state close the gap on an estimated $2.7 billion shortfall in the state budget, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation is doing just that.

The reality of the division having less money to work with means that construction of new state parks and recreation areas and maintenance of existing state parks and recreation areas will suffer. While we understand the reasons for the budget cuts, it’s still a shame that North Carolina residents, and visitors to the Old North State for that matter, will be affected by the budget cuts.

When times are tough fiscally for the state, the state’s residents usually face tough fiscal times, too. During those times, many residents, and those tourists, choose to visit state parks and recreation areas č many of them close to home č instead of taking more-expensive vacations to other destinations.

As the effects of the Great Recession linger, it’s understandable to cut back on the construction of new state parks and recreation areas until the state’s economy rebounds. But with more and more people using the state parks and recreation areas because of the still-limping economy, it makes sense to keep up maintenance at those facilities.

First, continued maintenance keeps those facilities from falling into disrepair, perhaps keeping some from falling further into disrepair. Second, well-maintained facilities appeal to those who use them, likely resulting in those users returning to them time and time again.

The looming budget cuts and the decline in real-estate transactions in the past several months also means the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund will have less revenue to allocate for improvements to state parks and recreation areas and grants to local governments so they can build new parks and enhance existing ones. PARTF revenue comes from a tax levied on real-estate transactions, sales of personalized license plates and investment earnings.

Those factors are something the Parks and Recreation Authority, which ends a two-day visit to Washington and Beaufort County today, is grappling with now.

Earlier this month, the N.C. General Assembly ratified a bill that trimmed $8.5 million from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and transferred it into the state’s general fund to balance the state budget for fiscal year 2010-2011.

As the authority struggles with its fiscal challenges, it must find a way to allocate as much money as possible