Letter: Time to demand fiscal responsibility with County Parks Bond

A huge $26 million in deferred maintenance. That is why I am voting against Salt Lake County Proposition 1. The original Parks Bond proposal was $123 million, which included borrowing $26 million for deferred maintenance. Deferred maintenance means County Parks cannot take care of what they currently own.

The current proposal is $47 million and includes building new parks, as well as adding on to what they can't currently afford to maintain. If they can't take care of what they already own, how will they maintain the new parks? They also want to buy more property for new parks, but the county already owns many parcels of property for parks they can't afford to develop.

They should be selling instead of buying. That way they could afford some of the deferred maintenance. County Parks should take care of the parks they currently own before they build new parks, buy more property or add on to existing parks. It is financially irresponsible to create more debt for something new when you are not taking care of what you have, yet that is exactly what County Proposition 1 does. Demand fiscal responsibility.

I ask you to join me in voting against County Proposition 1.

Doug Fullmer

Salt Lake City