Video: Seattle Park District campaign, pro and con, previewed at Delridge Neighborhoods District Council

On the August 5th ballot, you’ll be asked to vote for or against creating the Seattle Park District to raise more money for city parks, as the most recent park levy – the approved-in-2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy – is expiring. We reported last month on the council vote placing the proposal on the ballot. This past Wednesday, the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council got a preview of the campaign, hearing from three guests over the span of an hour and a half – City Councilmember Jean Godden, who chairs the council committee that deals with parks; Terry Holme, a longtime Parks Board member representing the pro-Park District group Seattle Parks for All; and Carol Fisher, representing the anti-Park District group Our Parks Forever. Except for a moment toward the end when we had to change cameras, the entirety of the statements, and ensuing Q/A, can be seen/heard in the two video clips above. So if you get some time this long weekend, listen in – it’s a big decision to make.

BACKGROUND INFO: This was the result of the Parks Legacy Plan process; the ordinance setting up the ballot measure creating the Park District is here; here’s how the first six years of money would be spent; here are even more details about the individual parts of that spending plan.

Tuesday May 23, 2014 (11:03 pm)

Thank you, Carol Fisher and Our Parks Forever. I sincerely appreciate the work you’re doing to address the TRUTH about what a permanent parks dept tax authority means. I’ll be voting NO.

so let me restate May 24, 2014 (8:24 am)

Her problem is with what the state allowed, evidently. She needs to work with state folks if she wants to obstruct.

This is going to pass because it truly secures our parks.

Anti-taxation folks’ arguments are lame.

Tacoma has had a Park District since day 1. It has always worked. Get a clue.

SylMar May 27, 2014 (8:09 am)

She says our parks district will be just like Tacomas. But Tacomas is not run by their City Council. The Tacoma park district is run by an independent committee. That allows it to be more unbiased than our City Council Would be. Our City Council would just raise taxes whenever there was a shortfall and the taxes would never be reduced if they were no longer needed. Like after the new roof was complete or after the other big capital projects were done. This is a bad proposal and should be voted down.

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