Hillsborough’s parks to stay open seven days a week — at a cost
August 16, 2009 at 5:00 am by Kelly Cornelius
By Kelly Cornelius
PoHo contributor & R-LAND activist
Regional parks came up during budget talks last week at the Hillsborough County Commission. County Administrator Pat Bean’s budget proposal would close them down two days a week, much to the dismay of well, almost everybody showing up at the last budget public hearing. Looks like they will now remain open seven days a week after all. Several commissioners voiced their concerns and wanted parks to be kept open! Nimby translation: Get this angry mob of voters off our backs already and give them their damned parks!
There will be a new fee, which sounds like most likely to be $2 a car. It isn’t official yet, but commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with the idea that Mark Thornton, parks director, came up with for them. I wouldn’t ordinarily complain about $2 except I know what they are spending in other areas and things like the Sports Authority funding appears completely intact.
I know you are comforted that the stadium and three golf courses will be maintained as always (using an existing tax that could go to parks instead). Don’t forget the County Commission only charges developers 37 percent of the legal limit regarding impact fees for parks. Oh and lets not forget this is a “fee” not a tax after all, no politician wants to be tagged with increasing taxes. Since the voters spoke loud and clear on amendment one which was supposed to lower taxes no politician in their right mind would raise them right now. So instead of decreasing their pork barrel spending they are just raising “fees” on things that your taxes used to afford you. Other fee increases looking like they will be approved are dog tag fees and your water rates recently went up. Good thing they didn’t raise your taxes though.
How fiscally conservative of them.
