On August 3rd, a petition to Stop “Rec”less Spending and Save the Roundhouse was filed with 882 signatures forcing a vote on this issue November 3rd. On August 4th, “Our Kids! Our Future!” door hangers and flyers were appearing on city resident doors to oppose the petition drive. This shameless attempt is using kids to pass more needless public spending. The implication is that kids will suffer if our initiative passes. The truth is none of the information in the flyer supports the need for spending on a new Rec Center.
The current facilities in Wood River, and with their partnership programs, currently serve each youth that wants to participate. There is no waiting list of kids that can’t be served with what we have now. None! If there were, then I could see a need for a new rec center, but there isn’t any such demand. The Park and Rec Director just recently tried to organize a Flag Football League but couldn’t get enough interest, so he sent the kids that were interested to a local partner program. I commend the director for his efforts, but listing every single program idea he could think of on a sheet of paper and point to that as evidence that there is a need for a rec center is just not believable. If there is a need, get the program together, now, and demonstrate to the community that there is a need by showing that the current facilities can’t accommodate the program. That would be something tangible, something that will prove the need. Would it be nice to have a new Rec Center? Yes, it is something I want, but there isn’t a need right now.
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The flyer claimed that a Rec Center will increase property values. Please provide some basic evidence to support this claim! From 1984-2018, the years the Aquatic Center operated, the city population decreased from about 12,000 to 10,000. Homeownership decreased from 80% to about 60%. Wood River taxes are too high, our schools have poor ratings, our roads, sewers and sidewalks are in need of immediate repair. Fix these things and the flooding, then maybe new homeowners will return and our property values will increase, but until then a rec center won’t do a thing to help that.
The flyer claims the Roundhouse won’t be demolished and the Rec Center will be built without raising property taxes using the new 1% Sales Tax. Please forgive me for doubting this statement since the mayor certified, under penalty of legal prosecution, stating that the Roundhouse would be demolished. Furthermore, saying that property taxes won’t increase isn’t a guarantee. The city is planning to use the 1% Sales Tax to fund approximately $14,000,000 of debt to fund various projects. If something happens to the sales tax, the residents are still on the hook for the debt.
You can make all the promises you want, but I’m skeptical…and it isn’t because I don’t want to help kids.
Bill Dettmers
Wood River
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