Where will the Current Budget go if the MPD Tax Passes?

There was an exchange at the City Council Meeting about the MPD tax and if it would go into the general fund.

"Any funds collected by the Metro Park District cannot be commingled with city funds," Rackley said. "It will never end up in the general fund. That part is totally wrong."

The preceding exchange would have been better had someone asked something about the current park budget. The current $ 307,752 dollar park budget has 97% of the money coming from the general fund. Were the park taxes to pass, where will this money go? Perhaps back to the general fund?

It’s reasonable to expect that should the tax pass, much of the current parks & recreation activities would move under the MPD and be funded by the tax. A MPD tax that’s supposed to bring in $748,000 dollars a year. Without doubt the new MPD will need office space, computers, equipment, salaries, healthcare and retirement. Commissioners, if added, will cost another $33,600 per year. All this won’t magically come out of the current city operations. The MPD will have administrative costs. Keep in mind that the Tacoma MPD spends half its budget on “administration.”

It’s unreasonable to take the current budget or $305,000 and continue it. Wouldn’t this be ‘double dipping” as the MPD would have both its own tax and be getting tax money from the general fund?

Consider:

Expected MPD tax revenue:                                       $748,000

Less current budget from the general fund                  $305,000

Less commissioner salary                                              $33,600

Money left:                                                                  $409,400

As there’s been a good deal of talk about how the parks are in need of repair, maintenance and upgrades. Just how much money will be left for new projects?

http://www.blscourierherald.com/news/200939781.htmlhttp://www.ci.bonney-lake.wa.us/UserFiles/2013-2014_PreliminaryBudget.pdf