Drafter
Clerk 03/07/2003
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AN ORDINANCE providing for the submission to the qualified electors of King County at a special election to be held in King County on May 20, 2003, of a proposition to protect the public's investment in parks by authorizing a property tax levy in excess of the levy limitation contained in chapter 84.55 RCW, for a four-consecutive-year period, at a rate of not more than $0.049 per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation, for the purpose of providing funding to enable the continued and increased operation and maintenance of King County's regional and rural parks, recreation facilities and community-based recreation programs and establishing a county parks citizens' oversight board to review and report on expenditures of levy proceeds, contingent on voter approval of the levy.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. King County owns and operates a parks system consisting of over twenty-five thousand acres of parks land, natural lands, open space, ballfields, local parks and recreation facilities. Although many of these parks and open space areas are located in rural areas, the King County parks system includes many parks that are used by residents throughout the region. King County parks and open space areas include Marymoor park, Cougar Mountain regional park, the King County aquatic center and portions of the Burke Gilman trail, all of which contribute to the high quality of life in our region.
B. In the last six months, the parks and recreation division of the King County department of natural resources and parks has implemented a major transition in the way it does business. The county has transferred many park and recreation facilities to cities, cut parks and recreation division staff by thirty-five percent, reduced the parks and recreation division budget by thirty-five percent from 2002 levels, and initiated an array of entrepreneurial activities to raise nontax revenue...
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