Posted on Mon, May. 01, 2006
Measure
funds parks at no extra expense
YES
VOTE CONTINUES CURRENT 1.4-CENT SET-ASIDE UNTIL 2021
Mercury News Editorial
From the waterfalls of Uvas Canyon to the wildflowers of Grant Ranch, Santa Clara County's parks are a treasure. Through good times and bad, the county maintains a wealth of trails, picnic groves, lakes for boating and fishing -- the kinds of rural recreation that increase in value as Silicon Valley cities grow more urban.
How does the county do it? Thank voters. For more than 30 years, they have agreed to set aside a small amount of property tax to guarantee that the park system is maintained and can be expanded as the population grows.
That set-aside, known as the Park Charter Fund, is up for renewal as Measure B. Voting yes for parks should be the easiest decision on the June 6 ballot. Nobody filed an argument against the Park Charter Fund. At the last renewal, 80 percent of voters said yes. We hope that even more voters approve the measure this time.
It's easy to support this measure because it is not a tax. A yes vote on Measure B just means that from your current property taxes, 1.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation will go toward county parks. That amounts to about $30.7 million a year, which is less than 1 percent of the county's general fund. Nothing prevents the county from spending more on parks, but the other 99-plus percent generally goes to health care, child welfare and other important services.
Why is the Park Charter Fund needed? In a word, stability.
The money is far from extravagant for a system of 28 regional parks covering some 45,000 acres with 260 miles of trails and a variety of lakes, including the popular Vasona in Los Gatos. What's more important than the amount is that it's a certainty. Park officials can plan years ahead for maintenance, improvements and acquisitions to keep up with a growing population.
The current voter-approved measure expires in 2009. Measure B will start then and extend funding 12 more years. That's long enough to allow for visionary planning.
Most of the county's services primarily help low- to moderate-income residents -- the homeless, the uninsured -- and deal with public safety through the sheriff and the jails. Doing this good work benefits everyone in the county, at least indirectly.
Parks are the county's direct service to the whole population. How do you put a price on a chance encounter with a family of deer or bobcats?
The county park system is 50 years old this year. It should last for centuries, as great parks around the world already have done. The Park Charter Fund makes that possible, without costing taxpayers an extra dime. Vote yes on Measure B.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
For complete information on Santa Clara County parks, go to www.parkhere.org.
For more on the Park Charter Fund, go to www.yesonparks.com.
© 2006 MercuryNews.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
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