By: Diane Benjamin
The Pantagraph filed this report from a meeting held last night between Parks officials and the public.
First a quote from the article:
Evidently Master Plans are only non-binding when they are created. Once approved they are thrown in the face of citizens who object. Think Bike Lanes and Complete Streets.
How much playground equipment could have been bought for $115,000? Instead you will get a plan.
I wonder if citizens voicing their wants know they will be paying more taxes for them. The City is not going to cut expenses elsewhere so they get a soccer/lacrosse complex, a rec center, or new parks. The $115,000 plan is only going to say what citizens want. It will only be the opinion of those who showed up, but that doesn’t matter. Next the war on the poor appears with bills planning the new stuff – and then the bills to build it – and then the bills for more staff – and then the bills to maintain it. The majority of citizens will never use any of it. Quality of Life!
If citizens aren’t smart enough to know they demand their own destruction – they deserve what they get. Government is happy to provide more because they get more of your money to hire more government workers. That keeps them elected!
If every neighborhood needs a park, why isn’t the neighborhood responsible for maintaining it? Why did the developer get by with just donating land? I bet government WANTED to control the parks, even if a decade later they still haven’t built it.
Spending to fix the roads is underfunded on purpose.
https://blnnews.com/2017/06/11/if-demand-mattered-the-roads-would-get-fixed/
Why aren’t they demanding money for roads?
The people who showed up last night had no input. The long list of “wants” were gathered from focus groups of “stakeholders” prior to the meeting and presented to last night’s attendees. There is a process set by the consultants to gather the “wants” then send out random surveys to determine what is to be included in the wish list. The Council will decide what gets funded.
I might be wrong but doesn’t Bloomington have about 42 parks already? Helloooo we need to IMPEACH these idiots. I hope David Hale gets his new job! The sooner the better. Too bad California doesn’t offer Tarrie Renner a job, he would fit in there.
Yes,there are 42 parks already. Don’t forget Constitution Trail is also part of the Parks Department.
Parks & Rec Department includes Culture & Arts. Does Cultural Arts include the BCPA and Community Arts Center as well? Parks are paid for from Property taxes. I’m not sure if those tax funds pay for personnel. The Parks Plan is to be implemented over the next 15 years. The Library expansion will be paid for with their portion of the levy of Property taxes. Property taxes will most likely increase “since they have been kept flat for years.”
The street resurfacing is to be paid for with the 0.25% sales tax increase. The Motor Fuel Tax is to be used for roads too. Estimated revenue earmarked for roads was to be $5M. FY 2018- this year-has $3.8M budgeted for roads. Where are the rest of the money for roads budgeted? “Stakeholders” are the financial investors (taxpayers) not the special interest users (soccer franchises.)