Health & Fitness
So, do you want to pay a double, forever tax for parks that may never exist? Vote Against the MPD.
Vote Against the Metropolitan Park District (MPD), let's create parks the responsible way that ensure we will actuially be getting more parks!
As a resident of Bonney Lake, I want to express my concerns over the proposed MPD (Metropolitan Park District). I’m very thankful to have a forum like The Patch to raise awareness on issue affecting our communities. I’ve read statements for both sides of the parks issue and have joined the “against” side.
First, a little about me. I have two kids who love parks! We spent a lot of time outdoors enjoying the parks in Bonney Lake and beyond. Upon hearing about the potential to improve our parks, I got very excited. The Wright Park in Tacoma is one of our favorite parks and I’d love to see a park like that here! I don’t live
far from where the proposed downtown core park would be-similar to Puyallup’s
Pioneer Park-and that again was good news!
As a Registered Dietitian, I spend a lot of time researching fact-based nutrition information. So, it’s no surprise that once I found out about the MPD, I began researching the issue. I quickly discovered that my initial excitement was indeed not warranted. I found that this proposal is a forever tax-meaning there is no end to the tax. Then, I discovered I would be paying double tax, not just the current tax for parks but the additional MPD tax. The Pro MPD group states that the MPD
could end - I’m extremely skeptical that we will have an end to these taxes and I’m not willing to risk it.
Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
If this proposition passes, our money may not even go to the Parks! Let’s take a look at the Municipal Parks Tacoma. Of the money designated to the parks, approximately 49% of those funds go to paying salaries and benefits. In addition, there’s no guarantee that your money will actually be going to the parks (For example, Tacoma’s missing funds for the Convention Center). The Pro-MPD group says the city has a plan,but I don’t see a plan per se. I see examples of what could be done, but not a definitive plan and that’s scary!
So, how do we improve our parks in Bonney Lake? Why not by an Enterprise fund? There are ways to get a park without the forever-financial
burden to our families and ensure that the most will be used strictly for parks. Let’s defeat the MPD then come together and find a responsible way to improve our parks in Bonney Lake.
Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
I encourage residents to review www.nonewparktax.com and the Families for a Responsible Bonney Lake Facebook page before voting ends this Tuesday, April 23rd. This is a special election with suspected lower voter turnouts and we need YOUR vote against the MPD! Here’s an action you can take to make a change!
Rebecca Cameron