Based on the possible inflation of estimated Sacramento County revenue in a period of recession, the Parkway could be in for an even deeper funding deficit than it has been running for years—about $1.1 million annually just in maintenance, according to the American River Parkway Financial Needs Study Update 2006 (p. vii)—and that could inspire local leadership to consider the option taken by other municipalities in relation to funding and managing premier park space.
The solution we have proposed for stabilizing funding for the American River Parkway is to establish a nonprofit organization to contract with a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) of local government entities, to manage the Parkway and provide a supplemental fund raising capability through philanthropy, which you can read more about on our website’s news page in our press release from January 18, 2008.
This is the model being used by the Central Park Conservancy to manage Central Park in New York—and the Conservancy raise’s 85% of funding needed by Central Park—and the San Dieguito River Park in San Diego, California.
An excerpt from the Sacramento Bee on the possible funding shortage at the County.
“Sacramento County, squeezed by a souring economy and less money from the state, will look to cut almost $15 million more from its $2.2 billion budget, primarily from programs that serve the area's most vulnerable.
“Yet despite downward pressure on the budget, county officials have been reluctant to scale back revenue estimates made earlier for the current fiscal year.
“Sacramento County officials said they're confident their revenue projections are sound.
“But government finance experts in the region – some of them dealing with budget cuts in their own cities and counties – have questioned how Sacramento County's projections can remain roughly the same as earlier in the year. Many municipalities are now reporting less money than anticipated as sales taxes lag and other estimates fall short.
"I'd be surprised if they're not feeling some of the same pinch," Roseville treasurer Russ Branson said. That city had earlier projected it would have $126 million in revenue for its general fund for the fiscal year that ends in 2009. That number has already been revised, down to $121 million.
“Earlier in the year, Sacramento County postponed adopting a final spending plan until California legislators adopted a state budget. That happened in late September, and resulted in cuts in funding to counties.
“On Wednesday [today] the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will look to adopt a final budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. That spending plan has to account for $4.9 million less for health and human services, $7 million less for human assistance, $2.3 million less for probation and about $700,000 less for law enforcement, compared with the proposed budget the board had considered in June.”
