GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — City commissioners are discussing funding for city parks, pools, and playgrounds.
A group called Neighbors for Parks, Pools, Playgrounds (NP3), requested the commission consider more funding for parks rehabilitation and improvements. NP3 wants the city to raise property taxes by.98 mills for a seven year period. It will be up to city commissioners to vote on whether to place the proposed millage increase on the November ballot. Voters would then have the ultimate say.
NP3 says the millage would raise $4 million.
City households would pay an extra $43 to $45 per year.
Commissioners raised a number of questions and concerns regarding different costs, maintenance, and transparency. “.98, too much? Too little?” Mayor George Heartwell asked. Several commissioners affirmed the amount.
Commissioner Dave Shaffer said he wants the public to know exactly where the dollars are going. He asked for a very detailed explanation of “what the money will be spent on and what it won’t be spent on.”
Shaffer also asked for “checkpoints” during that seven-year period to make sure the city is achieving its planned improvements.
