TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It’s not your average "Welcome to Arizona" sign.
Instead, new billboards across the state are turning heads and sparking conversation about national parks. They read, "Greetings from Saguaro National Park." But underneath it is this message: "Reduced visiting hours made possible by DOGE."
The group More Perfect Union installed more than 300 signs across the country, calling out the Department of Government Efficiency for federal cuts to the National Park Service. Four were placed in Tucson, at I-10 and Sixth Avenue, Oracle Road and Alturas Street, Speedway Boulevard and Craycroft Road, and Oracle Road and King Street.
"The reason we’ve done this campaign is to really say that public goods matter," said Faiz Shakir, founder of More Perfect Union.
He said they're responding to an attack on these public goods.
"It doesn't matter if you're really wealthy. It doesn't matter if you're middle class. It doesn't matter if you're living in poverty, you generally should be able to go to a National Park and have the same experience as anybody who might be extremely wealthy," Shakir said.
In February, KGUN 9 spoke with Fred Stula, the executive director of Friends of Saguaro National Park, about reduced hours at the park following staff layoffs. A court order later reinstated workers and restored hours.
RELATED STORY | Saguaro National Park employees reinstated, visitor centers open daily again
Still, Stula says the billboard’s message is relevant.
"They all talk about just the importance of public lands, the people that work at national parks and the importance to protect them," said Stula.
And the concern isn’t going away. Stula says employees remain worried about potential layoffs, along with a proposed federal budget by the Trump administration that could slash more than $1 billion to the National Park Service.
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) says that could result in more than a 75% reduction to the National Park System.
"They're going to work every day going, 'Is my job going to be cut? Am I going to be fired? Am I going to be rehired? Am I going to be let go?'" Stula said.
But, he believes even a single billboard can make a difference and rally support.
"If you love a National Park and you care about it, you know this is the opportunity to step up and say, you know, these cuts aren't OK," he said.
"I wanted people to do a double take and have a conversation about this," Shakir added.
A conversation sparked by a billboard—seen in passing.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
