Parks have always been a part of my life. I love going to them, I think they nourish the soul. You cannot put a price tag on that.The new county budget is going to slash park funding by $10,000,000 to $15,000,000 dollars. That will hinder park programs and it will affect park maintenance. If you don’t maintain the parks they are not used and then they become derelict. And when anything is left to become derelict in Miami: It gets developed.
Parks are largely "General Fund" funded like police and and fire. No one will cut police and fire so guess what happens? The Park Dept. takes the brunt of the cuts. Water and Sewer and Planning and Zoning are Departments that generate much of their own funds.
Curiously even with these tremendous cuts, we will still get that boondoggle: The water theme park at the zoo because that has bond money. And the tennis center generates money. But the parks that the common folks use most, they just don’t generate enough funds for operation.
So, as useless as it may seem — let Mayor Alvarez know that our County Parks are important to you: mayor@miamidade.gov
24 comments:
It is a shame that people don't place more value on their open space. I see picnics and parties at the park all the time. People enjoy the parks, they are the silent majority.
I go to the parks a couple of times a week. I ususally sit and reflect after my run. They really nourish the soul. It is the only real place for great reflection and comtemplation. Whatever is happening in your life, you go to the park, and its somehow better. It is a real quality of life issue. . .
Maybe these cuts aren't going to result in the actual closing of any park. Could it be that these cuts may just result in fewer mowing cycles, trash pick-up every other day, instead of every day, a reduction in the hours of operation when staff will be on hand, and possibly just delay construction of future parks?
Everyone wants a reduction in their taxes. Well those reductions have to come from somewhere. When the government has to identify what are "essential services", some programs are going to be at the bottom of the priority list.
Maybe your communities can adopt their local park and help mitigate whatever the effect of these cuts are.
So, they are willing to cut funding for county parks, but are ready to give over 400 million for a tunnel?
Milly Herrera
Hialeah, FL
herrera101@aol.com
Yes millie. Because the port generates billions of dollars and is responsible for tens of thousands of jobs in this region.
exactly right. and it seems as if everyone in town says cut my taxes! but don't cut the services I like! well, think people. services are important, some utilize specific services others utilize other services. Do you want a civil society or not?
where are the people screaming about the county commissioners office accounts. NO ONE HAS MENTIONED CUTTING THERE! WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THAT.?
the port has tens of thousands of jobs?...I have a bridge I can sell you....are you kidding?
August 13, 2007
what is with all the goody goody comments? Who is writing these. people on the commission?
remember these are press releases from the PORT...
Port Everglades claims 22,500 jobs. The Port of Miami claims 90,000 jobs. I don't believe either number. Are they counting all the foreign jobs-- the crew aboard ships? I don't trust these numbers at all!!
if this is what the chamber says...how can the port have that many employees?
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S TOP 5 EMPLOYERS
Public Sector
*
Company Name Employment
1. Miami-Dade County Public School 54,387
2. Miami-Dade County 32,265
3. Federal Government 20,100
4. Florida State Government 18,900
5. Jackson Health System 11,700
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY'S TOP 5 EMPLOYERS
Private Sector
*
Company Name Employment
1. Baptist Health South Florida 10,300
2. University of Miami 9,367
3. American Airlines 9,000
4. United Parcel Service 5,000
5. BellSouth 4,800
Well, friends, the Parks Director resigned today. Effective immediately.
Oh, by the way, I didn't ask for my taxes to be cut, I wanted the county to use common sense and be a better steward of my money. How about checking to see where the leaks are in the checkbook. I have always felt that turning the budget/checkbook over to real homeowners who are on a budget would help tremendously. If they went line by line, they would be the ones who would be able to sort what is important to the community.
genius
The port "is responsible for tens of thousands of jobs".
Not just at the physical location, but involved in the moving of freight, for example the wharehouse districts, the trucking industry, etc...
Come on, you're smarter than than that. I thought.
Then you go and list the largest "single employers" in Miami-Dade County. I'm sure there are probably 20-30 different companies that employ people at the seaport.
Now your just being a simpleton for the sake of your argument.
You usually have a more in-depth analysis of things.
last anonymous
"turn it over to the people"
I guess you wouldn't get any localized "pet projects" and there would be no waste if you did that either, huh?
All of the sudden, their street needs to be repaved and their neighborhood needs beautification planting more than the next guys. Do you think your list of priorities is identical to your next door neighbors?
I'll bet you it's not.
You are starting to bug me readers.....
I don't believe that we should kowtow to those that call themselves our economic engines. I don't analyze...you have the wrong blogger. I just don't believe the hype I need more.
The Parks Director didn't voluntarily resign. It was one of those "resign or get fired" deals. She did ALOT of positive things for our Parks Dept. No one knows yet the story behind her dismissal, but it better be good whatever it is because she was a well-liked and well-respected lady.
Now, about the Parks losing money. Yeah, it's happening as we speak. Hiring freezes and the threat of lay-offs is looming overhead. But what I don't understand is this: plenty of other big cities don't have the out of hand property taxes like we do, and yet, you don't see or hear about them belly-aching and crying poor mouth. I totally believe they are creating all this fear and uproar, sort of using the tax thing as a kind of scapegoat. It's bogus. Who gives a rat's ass if a park doean't get cut 2 times a week?!?! Most of them don't anyway (look at Tropical, geesh!). The whole thing is crap.
Bottom line is that we need lower property taxes! $3300 a year for my little house is outrageous and just plain wrong!
swamp
I'm glad to see you want real property tax relief. But to do so, something has to give (including some minimal cuts to parks services). Let's face it folks, these parks cuts will not result in the end of the world, or children roaming the streets because they don't have access to parks.
I'm begining to think that everyone who blogs on here would complain about anything. "What do you mean I won the lottery? That's terrible, now the government is going to kill me with taxes, I'll have to hire an attorney and an accountant, all these people I don't know are going to be calling me. This is the worst thing that ever happen to me"
You bunch of complainers.
Moderate and Swamp:
I hope you are paying attention to the charter changes. Most of your taxes go to county services.
Do you both know who your county commissioners are. Go up the food chain. And, Moderate, you are not a moderate.
genius
My commissioner is Carlos Gimenez (one of the good ones). I feel confident in his ability to represent my interests, and those of my neighbors. I feel so good about it, I contribute the maximum. If there were 12 other Gimenez's on that Board, we might be headed in the right direction.
I'm a registered democrat who voted for Rod Smith (D)and then Charlie Crist (R) (although I'm not sure he is actually an R).
I would venture to say that I am probably more plugged in to what is going on at the County than anyone else on this blog. I do enjoy reading your take on things, however, I don't think the statutorily enacted tax cuts, or the January referendum, go far enough.
Every department in the County could cut 15%, and the public wouldn't notice a disruption in services. They just have to be the right cuts and not the typical "Parade of Horrors" that the directors trot out every time they are asked to tighten things up.
As far as other major cities with lower tax bases that are not complaining, there are any nymber of factors that make it easier, and cheaper to provide services:
lagnguage
immigrant population
minority contracting requirements
land area
environmental mitigation concerns
demographic issues (poverty rate, homeless rate, types of jobs available, etc...)
Government doesn't operate in a vacume. You roll the dice, elect who think is best, and hope for the best. It doesn't always work out.
moderate said:
I would venture to say that I am probably more plugged in to what is going on at the County than anyone else on this blog.
maybe who COMMENTS.
We have a lot of very plugged in readers who are silent. But you do have an impressive background of civic activisim. My problem with cutting park budgets: Everytime anything looks derelict, they develop it. If bathrooms at parks aren't kept clean the people stop coming and one things leads to another and BAM, it is gone. you have to do constant upkeep. You need safety. You need repairs. The parks dept. is not rolling in dough. Let's get rid of some of the other dead wood.
I work for the Parks Dept. They are using this property tax cut to scare everyone, mostly Parks employees. Yes, there will be cut-backs. The Dept. has dealt with plenty of those in the past.
We NEED some tax relief! The county will keeps it's parks, and YES, they will be maintained. They say stuff to scare people into NOT voting for the relief. Wake Up! Don't be dumb about this. In the big picture of life, a break in taxes is so much more important than having the grass cut in your neighborhood park once a week! The damn grass will still be cut. The parks won't be lost to development.
swampangle
Thanks for your work in the department. Believe me, people in and around the 29th floor know it was time for your previous director to go. She kept all the other employees stiffled and in fear because of her paranoia and allegiance to Merrit Steirheim (sp?) and his cronies (Burgess).
It was time for her to go. Maybe the rest of you can actually put forth your ideas now.
You may be right. It will be interesting to see what the future holds, not only for the Parks Dept., but for all of Dade County. And yes, I still call it "Dade County". I could never undertstand why they had to add "Miami-" to it. Just made it sound like the college!
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