Help small parks, too
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
The bloom is off the rose when it comes to a bunch of Pittsburgh’s city parks. From fallen tree debris and deteriorating play equipment to a lack of expected amenities, the parks are in need of enhancement. That’s apparent from, well, a walk in the park.
The question is how to pay to bring them up to snuff.
A movement is under way to garner signatures for an election day referendum that would gauge voters’ interest in raising Pittsburgh’s property tax rate to create a dedicated stream of funding for park upgrades.
The city has some 165 parks. A half mill of property tax would raise about $10 million. And the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy said it would look to philanthropies for another $10 million. The conservancy estimates there’s a $400 million backlog of needed repairs and updates.