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City Councilperson Theresa Kail-Smith
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City Council questions idea of raising taxes to fix up city parks

Pam Panchak/Post-Gazette

City Council questions idea of raising taxes to fix up city parks

Several City Council members on Tuesday expressed apprehension about a ballot initiative to raise taxes to rehab city parks.

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, with support from Mayor Bill Peduto, is collecting signatures to put a question on the November ballot. Residents would be asked if they are willing to pay half a mill more in property tax to help fund a $400 million backlog in capital projects and $13 million annual shortfall in regular maintenance for the city’s 165 parks. The city and the conservancy would partner in using the tax funds, according to both parties.

Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith called for a fact-finding meeting on the partnership between the conservancy and the city and said the roll-out of the parks ballot referendum was “very concerning to me.” 

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“There needs to be some level of transparency regarding this process and some of our other [nonprofit] partnerships. I don’t think it should be up to the public to sustain nonprofit organizations. They need to raise their own funds,” Ms. Kail-Smith said.

Laquay Cane of the East Hills, left, and Lil Haj of the East Hills, walk through a deserted Baxter Park on July 15 in Homewood. Wooden boards hold up and block portions of the jungle gym, graffiti covers the plastic slides and tubing, as well as missing swings and chipping paint. Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and Mayor Bill Peduto's administration are supporting a ballot initiative that would ask residents to raise taxes for park funding.
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The conservancy launched the second phase of its community listening tour Monday, beginning with a news media preview in West End Park where Executive Director Jayne Miller presented findings from a community survey and led a tour of the worn-out equipment, broken asphalt paths and sewer problems in the park.

If the ballot measure passed, roughly $47 million could be raised in six years to fund maintenance, rehabilitation, capital projects and programming, Ms. Miller said. The conservancy plans to combine the tax money with foundation funding.

“Get the [money] from the foundations first, see if that works well,” Ms. Kail-Smith said Tuesday morning in council chambers.

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Council members the Rev. Ricky Burgess, Darlene Harris and Anthony Coghill also expressed concern.

“Whenever we divert tax dollars away from the oversight of the city, I become a little concerned,” Mr. Burgess said, adding that he has not made up his mind on the issue.

“I think elected officials have a much broader understanding of our city and its needs,” he said. “Many times community groups are thinking in terms of a single issue, or single project or single activity they’re passionate about, or a single constituency.”

Mr. Coghill said he is against the initiative and urged residents to vote no.

Naima Jones, 13, left, and Na'Jier Howard, 13, both of McKeesport, push themselves in two of the remaining kids swings hanging at Baxter Park on July 15 in Homewood. Wooden boards hold up and block portions of the jungle gym, graffiti covers the plastic slides and play tubes, and much of the colorful paint has chipped away from the equipment. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has filed a petition for the November ballot that would ask residents to pay an increase in taxes to repair city parks that have fallen into disrepair.
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The fact-finding meeting has not been scheduled.

Ashley Murray: 412-263-1750, amurray@post-gazette.com or on Twitter @Ashley__Murray

First Published: July 16, 2019, 5:44 p.m.

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