Thursday, August 20, 2009

Miami Dade Parks - Budget Cuts Nixed. By Geniusofdespair

Barbara Falsey, a retired Miami Dade Park Planner wrote this good piece on the proposed budget cuts to Miami Dade's Park Budget:

Restore Parks Funding in Budget by Barbara Falsey
Everyone understands that these are tough times. Everyone understands that the County’s budget faces challenges. What everyone may not understand is that the proposed cuts to the Park and Recreation Budget will affect services in the short term and the sustainability of parks and recreation into the future. These cuts undermine the ability of parks to spur economic development through tourism, and by simply attracting and keeping families and businesses in Miami-Dade County. These cuts also threaten our quality of life by degrading the everyday pleasures that the beauty and wide range of opportunities for play and relaxation parks provide.

Everyone has cherished memories of time spent in parks – on picnics, playing ball, swimming and splashing in the ocean or in a pool, dropping our children off for an after-school program, taking our parents and grandparents to programs where they meet and interact with others. When we travel we go out of our way to see the beautiful parks and public spaces in the communities we visit. When we are at home, and especially in times when “stay”cations are replacing vacations away from home, we look forward to taking time to ride bikes, go to playgrounds with our children, play golf, go fishing, climb trees, lie in the grass, have picnics, listen to music, in safe and clean open areas.

All of those experiences are threatened by budget cuts that will reduce park programs, reduce maintenance of fields and park buildings and bathrooms, reduce the care of our precious natural areas, and threaten the long-term future of one of this county’s most important assets – its parks. The Department operates and manages over 258 properties – from the Deering Estate, to the Zoo, to Hauolver and Crandon Beaches, to natural areas and the local parks in neighborhoods that provide sports and recreation programs to families throughout the entire county. The programs and facilities offered at these parks are part of the County’s arsenal in the fight against childhood obesity, juvenile delinquency, neighborhood disintegration and environmental degradation.

The proposed budget threatens all of this. It calls for a $22 million dollar reduction and the elimination of 222 full time positions and of part time positions that make up the equivalent of an additional 202 full time positions. These reductions mean less park security, and reduced maintenance for playgrounds, pools, playing fields and tennis courts. The budget proposes to shut down any after-school, sports or senior program that does not “pay for itself” through fees and charges and it reduces nature center and environmental programming to a pay as you go activity. All of these draconian measures are proposed just at a time when more and more people are turning to parks for an affordable and safe way to spend time. It simply makes no sense and unless some funding is restored to the Parks Department, this budget will compromise the quality of our lives and our environment now and in the future.

It is not too late to raise our voices. On September 3 the Board of County Commissioners will hold a full public hearing and cast a first vote on both the budget and the tax rate. Two weeks later they will hold a final public hearing and vote to approve the budget for the fiscal year that starts on October. There is still time for us to rally to make sure that our parks and vital park programs are protected.

Parks are civic spaces – not pay as you go enterprises. Neglecting grounds and facilities and natural areas now will cost us more in the future to repair and restore – if repair is possible. The loss of quality time spent with children, with our families, with each other in beautiful and freely available public parks can never be restored. Write your Commissioners and the Mayor – let them know how important parks are to you and that it is unacceptable to compromise them.

8 comments:

Geniusofdespair said...

I agree with Barbara. I went to Piedmont Park in Atlanta and was in Morgan Park and Bayville Park in New York...all beautiful places to spend time. Parks are better than ballparks to attract tourists and residents alike.

Anonymous said...

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez demanded the taxpayers pay $3 bil to $4 bil to the privately owned Marlins for a "baseball" stadium. ($200+ for a family of four to enter...?) Further Carlos Alvarez allows his staff and and himself to be vastly overpaid.

Of course, actual parks that benefit people and children will suffer...

Anonymous said...

It always amazes me that a County with such great natural resources either wants let them be paved over or closed. What is the matter with the County Hall. Are they that short sighted? Mayor Alvarez had a post on Facebook talking about our great park system - the same system he wants to scale back on due to budget cuts. And talking about Marlins (last anon post), tourism is not about to pick up and our population is decreasing. I'll bet anyone $1 they'll be dipping in to the General Fund for the Marlin's debt service! What a great deal - for them, not for us property owners in Dade County paying the bills.

Cato said...

Give me a friggin break there are about 40 employees at parks and recreation making over 100K a year PLUS BENEFITS AND Pensions to come.
Take the budget ax to the park ands ask for more efficiency (god forbid).
While I'm at it cut the "culture" budget to government funding culture is like taking lunch away from a middle class family and putting up a monet on their street.
Couny's Budget has been bloated for some time, $5 Billion would suffice (as opposed to current proposed $7.83 Billion)

Cato said...

And one more thing Ms. Falsey Made 140K so far this year not exactly an unbiased observer.

See for Yourself
http://www.miamifly.net/watchdog/datasleuth/db/employee/

Anonymous said...

I was reading the reactions to Ms. Falsey's letter, thinking, these people have no idea what they are talking about. Then Cato chimed in and saved the day.

I know, I know, if park hours are scaled back a bit, the streets will run red with the blood of the innocent. Come on now! Miami-Dade has done more to support their park system than 99% of communities in this nation (SNP program, GOB program etc..., and still, they're not now, nor will they ever be the reason tourists come here.

I'm glad Cato has a clue.

m

Anonymous said...

I use a county park at least 5 times a week. I won't mention which one because it feels like my own park during the school year, and I don't want anyone else to know of my little Shangri-La. I grab a picnic table for my exercises and often get the entire swimming area to myself. It is a rare treasure and reminds me of the beauty of Miami. I realized this summer that the park may very well close down (except for the marina) for one day a week as a cost-saving measure. Economically it makes sense, and it wouldn't stop me from accessing the park as I ride a bike in. I often get to the park before the employees anyway. Now, if this particular park closed down, say, every Tuesday while school was in session and they never told anyone, I can bet that there would be very few people in Dade County that would even notice (except for the employees with their lower paychecks).

It's too bad that our government has just recently wasted our tax dollars (yes, those tourist dollars do belong to us!) for things that we don't want and don't need. If that issue didn't color every fiscal restraint that is so necessary these days, we would be able to see that a one day a week closure during the school year wouldn't really affect us too badly. With a normal government with reasonable leaders that are looking out for the people and their tax dollars, it all makes sense. In Miami Dade, though, its about what's best for the politicians (who's up for re-election?) and not what's best for the people.
Hey, if they want to staff this particular park with 2 lifeguards, a park manager, maintenance staff and a toll collector for little old me, well, I guess I am getting something back for my tax dollar. School starts next week and I will love my solitude again. Thanks Miami-Dade.

The other M

Anonymous said...

Hey Cato... Are they cutting the employees that make over $140 a year? No. Those people are keeping thier jobs.

They are cutting all the other low paying jobs. The people who actually DO THE WORK!

How do I know? 1- the park that I go to no longer has a janitor or security guard on staff. I asked. And some most days there is only 1 person working the entire park!

2- I know a few "little guys" who work in parks and no one is cutting the manager of the managers, just the small positions. They should cut the Head of the Departments who make the big bucks and leave the people who actually do the work. The people complaining are not the people on top. Its the lawncare, the janitors, the security guards and the teachers/coaches who do the work and don't make more than 50K. Hello! Cut a manager's $140 and keep 3-4 other jobs!!!!!