The Parks Department finally folded and agreed to our demands for a total budget overhaul. City Hall thought they could keep hiding their finances but they were wrong. We forced them to be transparent and now we watch them like hawks to make sure they actually do it.
September 5, 2013
Final supporters
OVERHAUL HOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED.
1) The Parks Department should have its own discretionary capital budget.
2) The Parks Department's maintenance budget should be increased, and funding for core functions should be baselined -- meaning automatically renewed -- in its annual expense budget.
3) The Parks Department provides an essential city service and should be staffed accordingly.
INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES.
4) The Parks Department should know the cost to maintain every City park, as well as the amount of public and private funding that supports each.
5) The Parks Department should adopt the best practices of other capital projects agencies to improve its own process.
6) Organizations in public-private partnerships with the Parks Department should report annual revenues, expenses and other critical financial information in a simple, consistent manner to be shared on the Department's website.
RESTRICT AND STRONGLY REGULATE THE PRIVATIZATION OF PARKLAND.
7) Parkland alienation should not occur unless no other land is available to serve an essential public need.
8) State and local laws regulating parkland alienation should be strengthened to require earlier and broader notification of alienation actions, and to mandate acre-for-acre replacement of lost parkland.
INTEGRATE PARKS PLANNING INTO NEIGHBORHOOD, CITYWIDE AND RESILIENCY PLANNING.
9) Parks are part of a broad network of public spaces, and City agencies should collaborate to maximize neighborhood open space and citywide environmental benefits.
10) The City should be more proactive in involving neighborhood residents in their parks, both as volunteer stewards and in planning for the future.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
June 27, 2013
June 20, 2013
The Parks Department can no longer ignore the tidal wave of public anger directed at their budget failures. We are building real momentum against these bureaucrats who prioritize privatization over our communities. Keep the pressure on them because we are just getting started.
Reached 100 supporters
June 4, 2013
7 Comments
The privatization stuff is getting out of hand. Public land should stay public.
too much money going to private groups while the public ones rot. not right.
FINALLY. Someone is actually saying it. These parks need basic maintenance and transparency NOW.
the city needs to step up. tired of broken benches and trash everywhere.
my neighborhood park has been falling apart for years. fix it already.
I agree - "the Parks Department provides an essential City service"
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The Parks Department finally folded and agreed to our demands for a total budget overhaul. City Hall thought they could keep hiding their finances but they were wrong. We forced them to be transparent and now we watch them like hawks to make sure they actually do it.
September 5, 2013
Final supporters
OVERHAUL HOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED.
1) The Parks Department should have its own discretionary capital budget.
2) The Parks Department's maintenance budget should be increased, and funding for core functions should be baselined -- meaning automatically renewed -- in its annual expense budget.
3) The Parks Department provides an essential city service and should be staffed accordingly.
INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES.
4) The Parks Department should know the cost to maintain every City park, as well as the amount of public and private funding that supports each.
5) The Parks Department should adopt the best practices of other capital projects agencies to improve its own process.
6) Organizations in public-private partnerships with the Parks Department should report annual revenues, expenses and other critical financial information in a simple, consistent manner to be shared on the Department's website.
RESTRICT AND STRONGLY REGULATE THE PRIVATIZATION OF PARKLAND.
7) Parkland alienation should not occur unless no other land is available to serve an essential public need.
8) State and local laws regulating parkland alienation should be strengthened to require earlier and broader notification of alienation actions, and to mandate acre-for-acre replacement of lost parkland.
INTEGRATE PARKS PLANNING INTO NEIGHBORHOOD, CITYWIDE AND RESILIENCY PLANNING.
9) Parks are part of a broad network of public spaces, and City agencies should collaborate to maximize neighborhood open space and citywide environmental benefits.
10) The City should be more proactive in involving neighborhood residents in their parks, both as volunteer stewards and in planning for the future.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
June 27, 2013
June 20, 2013
The Parks Department can no longer ignore the tidal wave of public anger directed at their budget failures. We are building real momentum against these bureaucrats who prioritize privatization over our communities. Keep the pressure on them because we are just getting started.
Reached 100 supporters
June 4, 2013
7 Comments
parks are the only place kids round here have to play. stop cutting the budget.
The privatization stuff is getting out of hand. Public land should stay public.
too much money going to private groups while the public ones rot. not right.
FINALLY. Someone is actually saying it. These parks need basic maintenance and transparency NOW.
the city needs to step up. tired of broken benches and trash everywhere.
my neighborhood park has been falling apart for years. fix it already.
I agree - "the Parks Department provides an essential City service"
Share Petition
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parks are the only place kids round here have to play. stop cutting the budget.