----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Ed Jones <waketaxpayersassoc@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 5:02 PM
Subject: Park Bond Referendum
The November 4th election will
include a referendum to allow Raleigh to BORROW more than
$91,000,000 to fund new parks or changes at existing
parks. To put this into some context, Raleigh already owes $169,207,886 on existing bonds,
just for parks and recreation. In addition, the existing bonds commit Raleigh to pay $54,713,241 in future
interest
on those bonds.
We advise you to vote against this wasteful spending.
To pay off these NEW bonds the city proposes to raise
the property tax rate 4.2%.
We are not making this stuff up!
The next two paragraphs are taken directly
from the City of Raleigh web site.
“Raleigh residents will consider a $91.775
million bond issue for parks and recreational facilities on Nov. 4. To
educate voters about the bond package, the City has posted detailed information
on the website parks.raleighnc.gov and produced
brochures on the proposal. Also, presentations about the upcoming bond
referendum are being offered to Raleigh organizations and businesses.”
“If approved by voters, the bond referendum
would provide funding for parks and recreational facility improvements,
greenway improvements, cultural resources projects, and land acquisition and
development. The $91.775 million in bonds would necessitate a 1.72-cent
increase in Raleigh’s property tax rate to go into effect July 1, 2015.
The City’s tax rate currently is 40.38 cents per $100 of property valuation.”
Here is the list of projects included in the bond referendum.
Can you really believe $500,000 for a “comfort” station at Shelly Park,
$8,000,000 “ for Aquatic Facilities(?) or a $6,000,000 Pullen Art Center
replacement? It’s great when you spend someone else’s money.
|
Park & Facility Improvements
|
|
Name
|
Cost
|
|
Brentwood
|
$2,000,000
|
|
Apollo Heights (Ralph Campbell)
|
$600,000
|
|
Kiwanis
|
$700,000
|
|
Eastgate
|
$600,000
|
|
John Chavis Memorial Park
|
$12,500,000
|
|
Walnut Creek Athletic Complex
|
$5,000,000
|
|
Walnut Creek Wetland Park
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Laurel Hills Playground
|
$1,000,000
|
|
ADA Improvements
|
$2,000,000
|
|
Aquatic Facilities
|
$8,000,000
|
|
Building Systems
|
$2,025,000
|
|
Lighting
|
$4,000,000
|
Playground $1,500,000
|
Shelley Lake Comfort Station
|
$500,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greenway Improvements
|
|
|
Name
|
Cost
|
|
Trenton Road
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Crabtree Creek Greenway / Lassiter Mill Gap
|
$2,000,000
|
|
Crabtree Creek Connection to Umstead
|
$4,400,000
|
|
Neighborhood & Community Connections
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Miscellaneous Greenway Improvements
|
$7,200,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cultural Resources Projects
|
|
|
Name
|
Cost
|
|
Pullen Art Center Replacement
|
$6,000,000
|
|
Historic Sites
|
$1,500,000
|
|
|
|
Land Acquisition & Development
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
Cost
|
|
Baileywick Community Center
|
$12,000,000
|
|
Sierra / Lineberry Park
|
$1,250,000
|
|
Capital Blvd Corridor Plan Implementation (Devereux Meadows
Park)
|
$2,000,000
|
|
Perry Creek (5401) New Park Development
|
$2,000,000
|
|
Land Acquisition
|
$10,000,000
|
|
Total Costs
|
$91,775,000
|
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| |