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June 2006 Bay View Compass Editorial
Dear Bay View Compass Readers,
Two years ago when I first took office, I prioritized preserving, protecting, and promoting our treasured Milwaukee County Parks System. All of the great activities taking place in Milwaukee County Parks signals that summer has arrived. The highly anticipated Grand Opening Celebration for the newly improved South Shore Bike Trail will be held on June 22nd at 6:00 PM. Immediately following will be a free Reggae/World Music Concert from 6:30-8:30 PM. in front of the South Shore Park Pavilion.
Open green spaces are needed in an urban center to ensure that all, not just the wealthy, can access and enjoy nature's blessings. Milwaukee is recognized nationally for our attractive cultural institutions and our beautiful and accessible parks system. Yet, recent media attention has focused on the continued decline of funding for the Parks system: backlogged maintenance for the parks stands at $19 million and programming throughout the parks, including swimming pools, have been cut. Milwaukee County continues to face many fiscal challenges, which will further strain resources for the County Parks. Therefore, it is time for a community discussion on the future of Milwaukee County Parks.
The majority of the Milwaukee County budget is dedicated to financing state mandates, such as operating the courts system and the Department of Health and Human Services which provides critical services to our more vulnerable citizens. Funding for the parks and other quality of life amenities has been squeezed by the need to fund state-required services and programs. Boerner Botanical Gardens and the Milwaukee Public Museum have already been privatized, not necessarily with the best results. If we want to avoid the privatization of parks and the selling of valuable parkland for development, other alternatives must be considered. Consequently, the Milwaukee County Board passed a resolution last month to put a question to the electorate via referendum on the November ballot asking whether the State should allow an increase in sales tax to be dedicated to parks, recreation, and culture. The County Executive has indicated that he does not wish to have the voters weigh in on a dedicated sales tax for the County Parks.
Undoubtedly, the county will have many difficult choices in the coming years and the sales tax offers a dedicated revenue stream to protect the parks from any further cutbacks. Whereas increasing property taxes to finance parks would fall solely on Milwaukee County residents, one-third of the proceeds generated from a dedicated sales tax increase would be from non-county residents. It is important that the public has its voice heard on this issue, as their answer will have serious implications on our quality of life here in Milwaukee County and what kind of parks system we hand down to future generations. As always, please feel free to contact my office with any comments or questions you may have at 414-278-4232.
Sincerely,
Your Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic
MILWAUKEE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Courthouse Room 201, 901 North 9th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233
PHONE: 414-278-4232 FAX: 414-223-1380
Page last updated 07-31-06
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