Vote YES for the Bonney Lake Metropolitan Park District (MPD) on April 23, 2013 - Part 7b

This is the second of two parts attempting to answer some of the questions that have been raised on other recent blogs posted in Patch.

• Some in the opposition have a tendency to use lots of factoids and mystery numbers to obfuscate and confuse. One Planning Commissioner posits a number of $38.5 million for development of everything identified in the Park Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Of course that assumes that “We the People” would want every item identified in the Park Element built. While I was one of the people that worked on the Park Element in its early stage, I never believed that every element identified would be built by the city. There are many elements that can be provided by developers when they are building out a new development. For example, Quadrant has committed to build a trail around their development of the WSU forest when they complete the work and they’ll give the city a 2 acre pocket triangle park at the intersection of South Prairie and 214^th.  Not sure what it will be used for but it will count towards meeting National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) requirements. We may have other developers that might be willing to provide tennis, basketball courts or a ball field in their development thereby saving them park impact fees and the city the cost of having to build these. Of course, this also doesn’t consider the fact that if the YMCA comes into Bonney Lake, as has been discussed, it could replace the Community Center, and could reduce the city outlay from something between $16 and $20 million dollars to about $7 million plus 5 acres of land. A savings to the city of about $10 million, and the YMCA pays the operations and maintenance costs. In other words there are lots of ways that an active Metropolitan Park District and an active City Council and Mayor can add new park elements without having to lay out great gobs of city money. But then I guess the Planning Commissioner that wrote that article was trying for a fear factor to convince you that the Metropolitan Park District is a bad deal.
• Another member of the opposition doesn’t like being equated with the Tea Party, however, when this process started months ago and I looked him up on Facebook I found that he was associated with the Patriot, aka Tea, Party, of the Republican party. One of the Patriot Party rants is “no new taxes” – it doesn’t matter what the tax is for, or what its purpose, they feel that new taxes are illegal, even though a majority of the voters may have approved same. One of this individual’s complaints was that this is a “Forever Tax” and will be raised again, and again, and again, I’ve already covered this above, however, here’s another viewpoint “In response to your #1 comments - This tax is not a "Forever Tax". It is a tax that will continue as long as the people of Bonney Lake want to maintain a dedicated funding source to pay for the development of “Parks”. In other words such things as trails, sports complexes, play grounds, a community center, a pool, etc. It will continue as long as the people of Bonney Lake want to maintain and operate these facilities in a safe and fully accessible manner. Are you honestly saying that the people of Bonney Lake can't use the democratic process to change, remove, or dissolve something like the MPD, at some point "X" in the future, if they find that it no longer serves the purpose it was originally established to do?”
• Another issue identified in this individual’s blog is that the MPD will create a new layer of government and that it will be as inept as Tacoma and we’ll be spending 45% of every dollar for this ineptness. Again here’s another viewpoint “#2 – Exactly where is the “New Layer” of Government John? You and your supporters …………. keep bringing this up but haven’t clearly provided proof of this “New Layer” of Government. The fact is the existing City Council will be acting as initial board for the MPD at no additional cost to the city. The existing city staff and maintenance people will provide the necessary staff support for the MPD. Why is this? Sooooo, exactly where is the “NEW Layer”As for your broken record trying to compare Tacoma to Bonney Lake – can you say apples vs oranges. Have you ever heard the term that one data point does not a trend make? As you state how bad Tacoma’s Metro Parks is funded and operated I am just as able to show just how well operated and well respected the Peninsula Metropolitan Park District is. Why don’t you mention that? Might Gig Harbor and what they have going for them be something you don’t want the people of Bonney Lake to know about? This is just one example. How about the rest of the MPDs throughout the state?
• The last item in this individual’s blog talks about how bad the economy is doing with families struggling financially, and the only thing the MPD will do is raise taxes. He must have missed most of the news lately talking about everything being on the swing up. Jobs are going up, unemployment is going down, more houses are being built, new business is coming to Bonney Lake, etc. I’ll grant that families have been struggling financially, and it certainly doesn’t help their finances when they have to find transportation to take a kid to a game in Kent, Auburn, and elsewhere. A game that could have been played right here in Bonney Lake. If they want to just take a walk in the woods they have to get in their car and go to another city, Orting, Buckley, or some such. Another viewpoint “So I beg to differ with your final statement. Solutions-minded? Really. I have yet to hear of a single solution from your committee that offers the depth, security and vision a Metropolitan Park District would bring to our community”.

Tonight I joined a large contingent of the community at the 20^th Annual Community Summit, put together by the Sumner/Bonney Lake Communities for Families Coalition. The theme for the forum was “Igniting Positive Change” and what a great job all of the speakers did. It was exciting to see the youth of our community step up and take charge. It gives me hope for the future of this community. What does this have to do with this discussion? The forum is a move towards the positive, much as a vote YES for the Metropolitan Park District will be a vote for the positive and towards making this a better community in the future.

I would certainly hope that if readers still have questions that you’ll take the time to log into Facebook and check out our site Bonney Lake Metropolitan Park District, or go to either of our websites at www.YESMPD.com or www.BLParks.org to see if we’ve answered your questions.

Ballots will be in your mailbox soon, and I urge everyone to VOTE YES for the Metropolitan Park District on April 23^rd. If you’d like to read the voters pamphlet before you receive yours, here’s a link: http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/22957

Thanks for your time, I hope you’ve already read 7a.