El Paso County Commissioners Consider Parks Tax
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - El Paso county commissioners are holding a hearing on a plan to put a sales tax for parks on the November ballot.
The group Great Parks-Great Communities wants voters to decide on if they want to pay a cent and a half on a $10 purchase to support city parks. If approved, more than $9 million in annual revenue would be divided up among municipalities. A citizen board would be appointed to oversee how it is spent and ensure the money goes to maintenance.
Parks supporters want the measure put on the November ballot.
According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, parks funding since 2007 had dropped by 84 percent in the city and 58 percent in the county, leading to dead park lawns, closed facilities and uncollected trash.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
