Fw: Park Bond Referendum: Raleigh already owes $169,207,886 wants $54MIL MORE

----- 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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