12 Aug Help GAP bridge the funding gap for Austin Parks!

Great Austin Park (GAP), a coalition of nonprofit organizations and neighborhood groups, is working to advocate for a $4.75M sustained (not one time) increase to the Parks and Recreation Department maintenance budget so PARD can meet basic levels of service, avoid more costly repairs from deferred maintenance, and keep our parks and trails safe. 

Great Austin Parks is asking City Council to support the following for the 2013-2014 Budget:

• +$1.5M for forestry to maintain our urban trees
• +$1M to equitably keep the pools we have open and maintained all over town
• +1.25M for trails maintenance
• +1M for basic park maintenance including trash and graffiti removal

A recent article in the Statesman reported that PARD is proposed to receive an 8.3% budget increase, but this DOES NOT address basic outstanding needs for our parks. With the exception of $142,000 for Turner Roberts Programming, there is no funding in the City Manager's budget for PARD's unmet needs. The additional money goes to cover new responsibilities PARD is assuming – most prominently the operation and maintenance of Austin's cemeteries (20 plus new FTE's), following the City's firing of the prior private contractor Inter-Care. So, the City Manager's proposed budget is deeply disappointing.

What can you do?
1) Learn more about the problem – go to the GAP website and read and watch this video:

2) Let Austin City Council know that you support the GAP funding proposals here.

3) Attend one of the budget hearings on August 22nd and 29th and share why providing proactive maintenance to our Parks is important to you personally.  Note: They will provide free GAP t-shirts for supporters who show up! ( up to the first 75 or so)

4) Stay connected with Great Austin Parks:

• Like the GAP Facebook page
• Join the GAP Facebook group