Supes are now listening to the County Parks Master Plan presentation. Supes would approve it later this month. The plan doesn't create impact fees, or the requirement to build parks, on new developments.

But Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lerude said the plan will begin the process of deciding whether to create those fees.

Lerude said new developments were built in the boom without parks. That needs to change.

Supervisors Mike Maggard and Ray Watson said they aren't certain now is the time to implement a park development fee.

But Watson said the county needs to develop a program to fund county parks and the county, he said, requires developers to put in parks.

Supervisor Jon McQuiston said the cost of the master plan is significant and he worries that, even with fees and property assessments, the program won't be fully funded long term.

Supervisor Maben is calling for a uniform park development fee across all county and cities so there is fairness.

Watson is calling for the county to try to pull in state green tag off-highway sticker money into the development of an Off-Highway Vehicle park in Kern.

Ok. Supes are off to closed session. This afternoon should be wild.

The budget is the only major item on the agenda...but McQuiston said he expects a "free-for-all" discussion of the preliminary numbers released by the CAO's office last week.

Should be messy. We'll be blogging.

Probably the last funny thing from the Library since they will probably get cut the most of any department.

The Giant in Disney's version of Jack (Mickey) and the Bean stock sang a song about "fees."

Fee fi fo fum, Fi fo fee fum, Fo fi fee fee ... wait a minute ... I don't know no Fee Fee!

Seems like our leaders didn't know no fee fees either until it was too late.  Now, when the development fee structure is really needed, the economic downturn makes it very unpopular and politically incorrect for our well-connected-to-the-business-and- development-community officials.

"User fees" is not a dirty phrase, and in retrospect, requiring a cost/benefit/deficit analysis to establish a nexus for the many areas that are financially driven by development and growth would have been a good idea.  How can the Supes and Counces do it now?

Just so you all know, part of the kickoff today was the library putting the summer reading program on Twitter.  Follow @KCLibSRP and @KCLibSRPTeen for updates.