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Health & Fitness

So Where are We now with the Park Tax?

no park tax, summary of park tax problems, park tax, no tax

 

Over a number of posts we’ve examined MPD tax. It’s been established

1.       The projected revenue doesn’t add up. The original quotes were for a house some 20,000 dollars cheaper than average and used a tax rate about half of what could be charged.

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2.       The city’s park element talks about what a city our size “should have.” It isn’t a blueprint for what will be built, the priority of projects, or even a formal commitment on what will be done. It’s a somewhat vague “plan.” The MPD tax will simply pay for “something.” Sometime later we might find out what the ‘something is.” Imagine giving contractor money to build “something” of a house. No blueprints, budget, nothing.

3.       The Fennel Creek Trail plan is the most complete but will consume the estimated tax revenue for more than a dozen years. The response to that was to say that the trail would be paid for using “good credit of the city debt service” spread over 20 years. In other words the tax revenue would be collateral for a loan. Strange to think that people might expect the tax to actually pay to build the trail.

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4.       The pro tax signs suggest that certain projects will be built once the tax is passed. The signs are only political promises from a group wanting the tax. They don’t commit the city in any way. As one comment replied: “You are right Grant. Signs are not a promise of what an MPD will do.”

5.       The park tax won’t go into the general fund. However, the current budget of $305,000 all comes from the general fund. That means the park take will already have almost half of the revenue already committed. As one point the taxers keep making is about current repair and maintenance of parks, no doubt even more money will come from the tax to pay for this. There’s not going to be a lot left over to build new projects. When we first pointed this out one comment expressed surprise that that money wouldn’t still keep coming. If you have the tax, what more do you need? Forget the 44 per 1,000 hike it up to 75 per thousand!

When we started this, our expectation was that our numbers would be questioned. That’s not been the case. One comment simple read “After giving this much thought all I can say is, Hogwash!” That’s been the general tone. Another was a puzzle “you keep bringing up the same talking points no matter how many times you are proven incorrect.” What we’re missing were any facts that “proved” anything to the contrary. Evidence to disprove what we said? No.

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