Two city measures on the November ballot propose ways to buy more city parks and to fund libraries at a total cost of more than $38 million to property owners.
Ballot Measure 20-110 would allow the city to issue $27.5 million in bonds that would be used to acquire new parkland, develop current parks and athletic fields and build an education center at the West Eugene Wetlands.
Ballot Measure 20-111, if approved, creates an options levy that provides continuation of services at all three branches of the Eugene Public Library. The $2.7 million-per-year levy would be the third four-year operations levy passed by Eugene voters, following those in 1998 and 2002.
Bond funds from Measure 20-110 would set aside $10.5 million for the acquisition of 13 neighborhood parks totaling about 52 acres, 40 acres for the Santa Clara Community Park site and a 1.1-acre expansion split between Skinner Butte and Amazon parks.
The budget also sets aside $2 million for expanding and developing Golden Gardens Park, $7.75 million for natural area parks and $5 million to develop all-season synthetic surface athletic fields at six Eugene middle schools and one high school and to maintain synthetic fields at four Eugene high schools, according to ballot documents.
The measure also sets aside $1.75 million for the first phase of construction of classrooms and a laboratory at the West Eugene Wetlands, said Johnny Medlin, director of the city’s Parks and Open Space Division.
Medlin said the city’s goal if the bond passes is to find and negotiate with property owners who own land near the areas where the selected park and open spaces are located.
He said the total costs specified by the measure are fixed, so if the costs for acquiring the land are more expensive, the city would probably purchase less.
The estimated tax rate for the measure over a 20-year period, which would be used to pay off the bonds, is 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Liz Cawood, chairwoman of Eugene Parks Now, a group that supports the measure, said the measure is a good investment because it sets aside land for the future, and because property costs are increasing.
“We call ourselves the world’s greatest city for the arts and outdoors, so it makes sense that we would want to take care of our parks and open spaces,” Cawood said.
The only opponent on the ballot is the Home Builders Association of Lane County, which hopes to raise residents’ awareness that the measure pays only for acquisition of parks and spaces and not for their development, said Roxie Cuellar, director of government affairs for the Home Builders Association.
Cuellar said the measure would affect residential development not only because it takes up land that could be used but because it would require an increase in the system development charges, which are paid by builders as part of the building permit.
The current system development charge is $1,300, and it may increase to $3,000 by next year if the bond is passed, meaning that house prices would go up, Cuellar said.
Cuellar said the “concern is while we’re paying for park development, the rest of the community is not paying their fair share.”
As for ballot measure 20-111, supporters say it is needed for continued services at the Eugene’s public libraries.
Library Services Director Connie Bennett said the levies helped the library open two new branches, in Bethel and Sheldon, and allowed it to enhance services and programs, including extending its business hours from six to seven days a week and increasing its technology services.
“It’s ironic that Sunday is our busiest day, and yet before 1998 we were closed on Sundays,” Bennett said.
She said the library is most proud of its 2.5 million check-outs per year, second-highest in the state.
The Council showed an intention to increase the amount of funding the library receives from the general fund, she said. As a result, the 2006 levy would cost about 23 cents per $1,000 in contrast to the 2002 levy, which cost households about 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, she said.
Bennett said if the measure fails, the budget cuts might result in closures of the Bethel and Sheldon branches and possibly in other cuts to services and staff.
Ballots for both measures must be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 7.
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