If you haven’t voted yet, here are some things to consider in regard to the “Wild Spaces Public Places…” ballot initiative.
1. The existing Wild Spaces Public Places half cent sales tax won’t expire for two more years.
2. This ballot initiative will double the existing half cent sales tax. But that doesn’t mean that Wild Spaces & Public Places funding will double.
3. Presumably, proceeds from the other half cent will go to “repair roads and improve road safety; construct and renovate fire stations and other public facilities; acquire lands for affordable housing (and) fund economic development projects.”
But voters can’t really know how much money will go for which purpose because that hasn’t been made clear.
I only bring this up in case you support land conservation and parks but have reservations about doubling the sales tax in order to fund other things.
We know from past elections that Wild Spaces & Public Places is wildly popular in this county. And county commissioners have indicated that if this one cent tax initiative fails, they will present voters with a “clean” half cent Wild Spaces & Public Places reauthorization in 2024.
I am not recommending that this ballot initiative be rejected. I just want voters to understand that if it is, Wild Spaces & Public Places funding won’t go away.
FreeGNV 