Opinion: Measure R is right for recreation
By John Upton
The original Measure S was approved by the voters on Sept. 19, 2000. It sunsets in 2030.
Measure S was very specific in limiting the allowed uses and naming exact locations where its funds could be spent.
John Upton
Based on a community survey done in 1999, Measure S contained the following:
1. The annual cost per single family home was limited to $18, the two-thirds voter approval level.
2. A $5.8 million bond was issued to construct the following facilities:
• The ice arena on Rufus Allen Boulevard, which was finished in 2002.
• Three new fields, plus a warm-up field, located adjacent to Lake Tahoe Community College. A change in TRPA regulations and higher than expected costs reduced this to one synthetic turf field for soccer, plus the warm-up field. Baseball and softball did not receive expected capacity improvements from Measure S.
• Maintenance improvements to Tahoe Paradise Park, and its opening to the public.
3. Measure S also provided the following maintenance funding, available each July:
• $50,000 per year for the new athletic field located adjacent to the community college.
• $50,000 per year for Tahoe Paradise Park.
• $5,000 per year, per mile for up to 25 new miles of bicycle trails, to a maximum of $125,000.
The maintenance funding was limited to new bicycle trails in order to attract state funds for their construction. The Measure S financial plan expected 25 new miles would be built by 2008. As a result, special tax revenue now annually provides $125,000 in maintenance funding which can be used only on new bicycle trails – those constructed after Sept. 19, 2000.
The current situation can be summarized as follows:
• Due to state budget problems, only 8 miles of bike trails, requiring $40,000/year, have been built. The other $85,000 (of the annual $125,000) has been accumulating. It is unspendable because under Measure S there is no other allowable use for this money without voter approval of the change.
• To address the fields not built for baseball, the JPA proposed Measure B in 2009. Measure B failed when bicycle advocates sought funds for pre-Measure S trails. In their opposition, the Bicycle Coalition specifically indicated willingness to seek a compromise measure.
Measure R is the JPA’s effort at a compromise measure.
• It will equally split an estimated $470,000 available in summer 2012 among pre-Measure S bicycle trails and ball fields.
• In order to promptly finish field improvements, fields will receive the next funds available, up to a limit of $500,000.
• After fields receive the $500,000, all available funds will go to pre-Measure S bicycle trails. We estimate that those trails will receive a minimum of $500,000, and potentially much more, by 2020. Pre-Measure S trails will continue to receive available funds until all 25 new miles have been built. As new bicycle trails are completed, they will have priority use of annual bicycle trail maintenance funds. This will correspondingly reduce the funds available to maintain and rehabilitate pre-Measure S bicycle trails.
• If Measure R is successful, advisory committees for bicycle trails and fields projects will be formed by the JPA in December 2011 to determine priorities for use of available funds.
Measure R unlocks the uses of currently unspendable funds, and makes funding available to improve the quality and safety of trails for users of older bicycle trails, and of fields for the nearly 3,000 local kids who participate in field sports – while we wait for new bicycle trails to be built.
In closing, the JPA wants to stress the following:
• Measure R will not affect maintenance funding for new bicycle trails that have or will be built, nor will it affect funding for the field at Lake Tahoe Community College, or for Tahoe Paradise Park.
• Without voter approval, unused bicycle trail maintenance funds remain unspendable, and nothing can be done with the accumulated funds.
• Measure R will accomplish bicycle trail and fields improvements with no increase in taxes.
The South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority will meet and conduct a hearing on June 30 to consider whether to place Measure R on the Nov. 8 ballot. The hearing and meeting will take place at the El Dorado County Library meeting room beginning at 9:30am.
John Upton is the lone staff member of the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities JPA.
If measure S has collected 125,000 per year for over ten years for bike trail maintenance why is there less than half the 1,250,000 collected, even accounting for the 40,000 per year used on maintenance of bike trails, in the bike maintenance account? Am I misinformed regarding the above numbers? Could someone please explain. Thanks.
I am sick to death of politicians dickin’ around with OUR money. You who voted FOR this tax (I voted against it) trusted them to have all the wording and budgeting correct in the first place. Now they want to change it because it wasn’t right. Why should we believe they’ve got it correct THIS time? Stop voluntarily giving these buffoons money and power. They’re only in it for their own enrichment and WE are paying and paying and paying.
It would be better if the proposal was modified to say that the ball fields are for the use of local children and local softball leagues, and not for out-of-town tournaments. I don’t want my property tax to subsizide another commercial activity.
Bike trail maintenance money will be needed as soon as the Tahoe Conservancey builds the multi-use trail from stateline to the college. The Conservancy only builds and then turns over the trail to the city or county and they must maintain it. Don’t let this money be taken for other uses!
Measure S promises were poorly researched, poorly prepared, unkept and unfulfilled. These accumulated unspent funds should be properly refunded to the taxpayers, not grabbed at by other interests as this new Measure R tries to do.
It’s time voters started telling politicians and bureaucrats: Enough of this nonsense and these bogus tax increases.
Dog you are Right ,Agree 100%.
The new measure called:
“Bend Over One More Time”
Cry all the way to the bank.
I will vote for Measure R if it comes to the ballot. What is done is done. Lets move on and make our community a better place to live.
I get the feeling your one the ones to voted for a retread!
These fields are for the good of the community; for the kids and their families to benefit and if they are used for tournaments, then everyone in our town will benefit directly or indirectly. You can’t complain about our town dying without embracing some change. Other communities have built great facilities but if our residents whine about every issue we will never go forward and any progress will be stopped by our short sightedness. If we see the big picture we will benefit, especially the youth of the community and who could possibly be a scrooge and not vote for the kids benefit?