As the county deficit again appears to be over $30 million dollars, the opportunity for the Parkway to receive the appropriate level of basic maintenance funding seems small.
Considering it has been falling behind approximately $1.8 million annually for several years, this will only further degrade the ability of the Parks Department to keep it cared for at the level expected—for the sadly rapidly fleeing justification for still referring to it as—the crown jewel of Sacramento.
Our solution is for the local governing entities adjacent to and users of the Parkway to form a Joint Powers Authority and through that contract with a nonprofit organization to manage and raise funds philanthropically for the supplemental funding for the Parkway, as is now being done for the Sacramento Zoo and Central Park in New York, both successful (and well funded) public entities.
County fees heading up
Supervisors say more hikes likely as deficits loom
By Ed Fletcher - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Monday, September 10, 2007
Sacramento County: Get ready to be nickel-and-dimed.
County supervisors have already approved recent fee increases for launching a boat, rezoning property and transporting bodies to the morgue -- and more fee hikes are coming.
Facing millions of dollars in deficits in this year's and next year's budgets, county leaders last fall asked department chiefs to recommend fees that should be increased.
"We just think that it makes good business sense to look at our fee structure and see if some of our fees are too low or too high," said Linda Foster-Hall, the county's chief budget officer.
Supervisor Susan Peters said she recognized that it's a tough time to do it because "the economy is not so good right now," but added that the examination was needed.
"Some of our departments haven't adjusted fees since 1991. Everyone knows that wages have gone up. The cost of doing business has gone up. The fees have not reflected that," Peters said.
The county managed to close its $33 million budget gap for the current fiscal year, but officials are predicting a deficit of $31 million for fiscal 2008-09.
Officials say long-term debt has come due and the stagnant housing market has hurt the revenue stream.
An infusion of cash from fee increases would lessen the need for future program cuts.
Officials are "looking at" all 466 fees the county charges for various services. Departments -- from the agricultural commissioner to Water Agency Zone 40 -- are expected to report to county supervisors by March whether they have fees that should be altered.
