Tuesday, May 17, 2011

ARPPS Article

It is on Sacramento Press and addressed the local idea to raise taxes to provide more funding for parks .

An excerpt.

“According to a May 4th Sacramento Bee story, Sacramento County Supervisors are considering asking voters to raise the sales tax to pay for a regional park district.

“This is a terrible idea, especially during such trying economic times.

“A better idea would be to drop the proposal for the regional parks sales tax increase and consider bringing the largest regional park, the American River Parkway, under new management, with supplemental funding to be raised philanthropically.

“The American River Parkway is a signature park, the most important recreational area in our region, the most valuable natural resource in our community, and potentially one of the nicest urban/suburban parks in the nation.

“The Board of Supervisors could spearhead the formation of a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) comprised of representatives from Parkway adjacent governments and a representative of local nonprofit organizations with Parkway concerns.

“The JPA then creates a nonprofit organization to provide daily management and supplemental fundraising for the Parkway.

“The most successful model of a JPA governed river park is the San Dieguito River Valley Regional Open Space Park JPA created in 1989 by San Diego County and five cities.”