City Hall
Coming Soon: Paid Parking in Parks, Higher Field Fees
The city council's budget committee met this morning to discuss a number of potentially controversial new policies and fees that would help the city keep parks programs operating and community centers open. As I mentioned this morning, the city may start charging for parking in some public parks---an idea that prompted a public outcry when Mayor Greg Nickels proposed it four years ago.
"On a gut level, really don't like the idea of people going to parks and paying" for parking, council member Nick Licata said "We really need to present something that's thoughtful. I don't think we should approach this as a revenue-generating exercise." However, council member Tom Rasmussen said that "when I have gone out to the community to talk about the budget, some have raised the possibility of paid parking in parks" on their own, indicating, perhaps, that people are more open to the idea if it allows the city to preserve services.
Additionally, the city will likely increase fees to use soccer fields---both for youth and adults---increase fees to use the city's public golf courses, and come up with a plan to transition the city's rowing centers to private operations. Youth field fees, which are currently among the lowest in the region, would go up much more sharply than adult fees
Soccer players have raised objections to higher field fees, saying that it's unfair for the city to balance its parks budget on the backs of field users. That argument no longer appears to hold sway. "User fees are going to be inevitable," council member Sally Bagshaw said. "We are looking to keep these fields open ... but the leagues are going to have to help us." Noting that the vast majority of youth soccer leagues are private, Bagshaw added, "They're buying $160 soccer shoes and they're paying 60 cents to use the fields. There's a discrepancy there."
The silver lining to all those fee increases is that the council plans to restore drop-in hours at the Queen Anne, Green Lake and Ballard community centers, which Mayor Mike McGinn proposed reducing to just 15 hours a week. (Most community centers are open between 46 and 52 hours a week). The council also discussed restoring three parks apprenticeship positions McGinn's budget would have cut, noting that those positions are already filled by people who are nearly done with their apprenticeships.
"On a gut level, really don't like the idea of people going to parks and paying" for parking, council member Nick Licata said "We really need to present something that's thoughtful. I don't think we should approach this as a revenue-generating exercise." However, council member Tom Rasmussen said that "when I have gone out to the community to talk about the budget, some have raised the possibility of paid parking in parks" on their own, indicating, perhaps, that people are more open to the idea if it allows the city to preserve services.
Additionally, the city will likely increase fees to use soccer fields---both for youth and adults---increase fees to use the city's public golf courses, and come up with a plan to transition the city's rowing centers to private operations. Youth field fees, which are currently among the lowest in the region, would go up much more sharply than adult fees
Soccer players have raised objections to higher field fees, saying that it's unfair for the city to balance its parks budget on the backs of field users. That argument no longer appears to hold sway. "User fees are going to be inevitable," council member Sally Bagshaw said. "We are looking to keep these fields open ... but the leagues are going to have to help us." Noting that the vast majority of youth soccer leagues are private, Bagshaw added, "They're buying $160 soccer shoes and they're paying 60 cents to use the fields. There's a discrepancy there."
The silver lining to all those fee increases is that the council plans to restore drop-in hours at the Queen Anne, Green Lake and Ballard community centers, which Mayor Mike McGinn proposed reducing to just 15 hours a week. (Most community centers are open between 46 and 52 hours a week). The council also discussed restoring three parks apprenticeship positions McGinn's budget would have cut, noting that those positions are already filled by people who are nearly done with their apprenticeships.
Filed under
Share
Show Comments
