Parks Crossroads

One thing local governments must do in an era of increasing needs and limited revenues is set clear priorities. This year the San Diego City Council faces difficult choices as it prepares the city budget. Demands for better police protection compete with demands for an increase in low-income housing. The city’s commitment to maintaining community parks is threatened by a growing need to provide city services to new housing developments on the outer fringes of the city.

New services should be added only as new revenues are identified to finance them, not by reducing police services or park maintenance. Funding needed for the development and maintenance of our community parks should not be used to finance new government services.

It is time for the public to decide what is important enough to us to merit new taxes. In 1979, the citizens of San Diego passed Proposition C, a bond measure that provided $65 million for community parks and open-space acquisition. Penasquitos Canyon and Mission Trails Parks are just two of the important parks purchased with these funds, but the city has no more funds to add to our park system.

In 1988, San Diegans voted to adopt Proposition 70, a statewide bond act that will provide funds for acquisition of parkland in the San Dieguito and Tijuana river valleys and other areas of the city. However, funds from Proposition 70 will provide only a small portion of the revenues necessary to make these and other local parks a reality.

San Diegans who want the city to provide and maintain community parks should let elected officials know of their concerns. A blue-ribbon citizens group appointed by the City Council is now holding a series of public workshops to get input on proposed new park sites from community planning groups and other organizations. If sufficient demand for new parks is there, we will ask the council to put a community-park-finance bond issue on a future ballot.

Purchasing and locking in community parkland while it is still available is critical today. It will not be available tomorrow.

DON WOOD

President

Alliance for Community Parks and Open Space