Levy supporters say high-quality parks and outdoor offerings are vital to attracting new residents and businesses.
“We have to support this effort — it’s important for having fun and exercising and all of that,” said Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw said. “But we have to recognize it as the great economic development driver it is.”
However, some community members say they plan to vote no on the tax measure, including some mountain bike enthusiasts who claim MetroParks has actively prevented them from creating new mountain bike trails.
“Their policies are antiquated and they refuse to change them,” said Mike Schena, an avid user of the MetroParks and a member of the local mountain biking community. “I just don’t view them as being a good steward of our money.”
Issue 35 on Nov. 5 ballot
Voters on Nov. 5 will decide whether to approve Issue 35, which is a 1-mill, 10-year property tax levy that would generate more than $14 million annually for the 61-year-old park system.
MetroParks officials say the organization has $58 million in deferred maintenance needs and projects that this new funding will help take care of.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
The proposed measure would cost the owner of a $100,000 home in Montgomery County $35 per year.
County residents currently pay one MetroParks levy. It has existed for years, most recently passing as a replacement levy in 2018. It costs the owner of a $100,000 home about $45.75 per year and generates about $19.2 million per year. The new levy would be in addition to that funding.
About 87% of MetroParks’ $22 million annual operating budget comes from its existing tax levy. Donations, local government funds, grants, user fees and more cover the remaining 13%.
More than 300,000 Montgomery County residents visit the MetroParks at least a few times each year, according to the agency.
“Our parks are the most visited attraction in Montgomery County,” said Alexis Larsen, MetroParks’ chief of philanthrophy. “Last year, we had over two million visits.”
Quality parks and natural areas play key roles when families decide where to live and businesses decide where to locate and expand, said Bear Monita, a member of the Five Rivers MetroParks board of park commissioners.
If the levy does not pass, MetroParks leaders say they will have to delay important repairs, reduce maintenance, cut programs, eliminate festivals and other events and not fill 19 open positions.
“Without this, we will risk not being able to keep our trails and facilities up-to-date, safe, clean accessible, repaired,” Larsen said.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Five Rivers MetroParks has 18 parks, 11 conservation areas and protects about 15,800 acres of land, most of it in its original state, Tschirhart said.
He said nearly all of Montgomery County’s roughly 534,000 residents live within a 10-minute drive of a MetroPark.
Opposition to the tax levy
Some community members have posted on Facebook and social media that they will be voting against Issue 35 because they are frustrated with the park system or its leadership.
Schena said he knows loyal MetroParks users who oppose the levy because the agency has refused to change some of its policies, especially when it comes to volunteering and turning the region into a mountain biking destination.
Schena said if the levy fails that hopefully would be a wake-up call to MetroParks that it needs to do some things differently.
“You have very passionate MetroPark lovers who are like, ‘Something has got to change,’” he said.
Some people also said MetroParks has failed to implement some of the key recommendations of the agency’s 2016-2026 comprehensive master plan. MetroParks said it didn’t get to some of the capital projects exactly because of the lack of funding they’re trying to resolve via this levy.
Specific plans if levy passes
Karen Hesser, CEO of Five Rivers MetroParks, said if the levy is approved, visitors will see a noticeable, positive change in local parks.
She said a play area at Eastwood MetroPark will be restored; restrooms at Possum Creek MetroPark and Taylorsville MetroPark will be replaced; paved walking and cycling trails at Island MetroPark will be resurfaced; and improvements will be made to RiverScape and the Buckeye Trail through Taylorsville MetroPark.
She also said a bridge at the start of the Farm Trail at Carriage Hill MetroPark would be replaced, sound and lighting for the ice rink at RiverScape would be upgraded and the bridge on the Great Miami Trail in Taylorsville MetroPark would be repaired.
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