In this story from today’s Bee the parks funding scenario, with taxes and existing budgets, is playing out in Davis and is similar to arguments that would be seen here if increasing taxes to pay for the Parkway is attempted.
Here is an excerpt.
Campaign 2006: Voters asked to keep parks funds flowing
Opponents contend Davis already has enough money for outdoors upkeep.
By Pamela Martineau -- Bee Staff Writer Published 12:01 am PDT Tuesday, May 23, 2006
With nearly 350 acres of parks and greenbelts meandering through the city of Davis, civic leaders say the city's parks system is one of the community's crown jewels.
And they want to keep it that way.
On June 6, city leaders are asking Davis residents to renew a $49 a year parks tax that would help maintain the city's parks and swimming pools. The tax would require a two-thirds majority to pass and would stay in place for six years if approved.
The tax, Measure G on the ballot, was first approved by voters in 1998 and renewed overwhelmingly in 2002. Backers say it would keep a $1.3 million stream of tax income coming into city coffers to help preserve the parks and swimming pools that Davis residents have said in surveys are among the town's biggest assets.
"Davis parks, bike paths, greenbelts, street trees and pools define our quality of life," Davis City Councilman Stephen Souza wrote in support of the measure. "Children, students and non-students all enjoy these community assets. They need our ongoing support."
Souza added that, for many people, the $49 a year is a small price to pay for great amenities.
"What we're talking about is 95 cents a week," Souza told The Bee in a phone interview. "That's a latte a month or a Coke a week."
Opponents of the measure say the tax is unnecessary, since the city has an $8 million budget reserve and is bringing in $2 million more per year in property taxes and $3 million more in sales taxes than when the tax was renewed in 2002.
"The parks tax makes up less than 1 percent of the city's total budget," opponents wrote on their Web site, www.dcn.davis.ca.us/vme/no-on-g/. "Surely it is possible to fund park maintenance without this special tax."
