The
Milwaukee County Park Department was once regarded as the best urban park
system in America
and was the envy of other large metropolitan areas. It served as the national
model for public investment in open space, recreational facilities and
programs. This is no longer true. While the rest of the nation has discovered
the wisdom of upgrading park facilities and investing in new parks our park
system has experienced a significant decline in funding due its reliance on the
property tax as a means of support.
From
1983 to 2007, the county’s overall tax levy grew by 112%, out-pacing inflation,
yet during that same time, the park system’s share of the levy shrunk by 18%. Factored for inflation over this twenty-four
year period, the reduction in park funding is a sobering 65%. This reduction has led to an unconscionable
build-up of deferred maintenance and a loss of nearly two-thirds of the full
time workforce. As staff levels have
dropped there has been a related increase in the perception that our parks are
not as safe as they once were.
It’s no secret that our parks have lost their
luster. Evidence of this is the
proliferation of Friends Groups, Park Watch Groups and Neighborhood
Associations that are concentrating their volunteer efforts on improving
parks. The business and corporate
communities are also weighing in with significant contributions for park
programs and improvements. It has become
very obvious that many in our community understand the value of parks to our
quality of life.
The
Park system is suffering. It doesn’t have to be this way. We all share in the
responsibility to preserve and enhance our parks for future generations. The
most effective way to ensure they will remain a vibrant public trust is to alter
their source of funding. The sales tax
advisory referendum is an opportunity for the citizens of Milwaukee County
to speak on this issue. What is the harm
in that?
