Vote "Yes" on Proposition 1
The vision of the PedNet Coalition is a healthy and active community, and the values underscoring that vision include: healthy living for all, environmental and economic sustainability, and social equity.
Columbia's system of parks and trails and our public recreation programs do more than anything else I can think of to advance those important values. The City of Columbia's Parks and Recreation Department is an acknowledged expert in designing and building great public spaces and corridors for enjoyment, recreation, and transportation.
With that in mind, I urge you to go to the polls on Tuesday and vote "Yes" on Proposition 1 to protect and expand Columbia's park system. If Proposition 1 is approved by the voters, the EXISTING local sales tax of one-eighth of a cent on the dollar (which is currently set to expire in early 2011) will be extended for an additional five years. This will enable the City to continue to maintain and improve existing parks and trails, as well as acquire and develop new parkland as our city continues to expand. If the proposition fails, vital maintenance projects, like the recent replacement of bridges 12 and 13 on the MKT Trail, and the creation of new parks that would create safe recreational opportunities in underserved areas, will not happen in the future.
Some people argue that we cannot afford to invest in parks during tough economic times: nothing could be further from the truth. Dollar for dollar, parks and trails bring enormous economic benefit to the community in a highly sustainable way - saving millions in healthcare costs by providing free access to exercise for all, reducing transportation spending by enabling journeys to be completed by walking or bicycling at a fraction of the public infrastructure cost of driving, and creating a quality of place that attracts industry leaders like IBM Corporation to site their facilities here.
Vote "Yes" on Proposition 1.
Ian Thomas
Executive Director
