A blog about Politics, News, and Kern County.
|
Jagels' retirement profiled by AP Behind the scenes of the UC Merced deal: Politico Coffeehouse brings Florez, Parras together $500 million for UC Merced: Costa and Cardoza's "ask" in health care bill Costa: "yes" vote begets UC Merced med school Fuller likely to run for state Senate Costa, undecided on health care, negotiating for Valley McCarthy to appear on CNN Parra vs. Florez: It's on! McCarthy draws criticism from conservative wing May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 Get e-mail updates from this blog, and download a PDF to print on the go with the Politics, Anyone Printcast.
RSS 2.0    Share!
|
|
|
Demographics, parks and money
I read the draft Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Master Plan this week. Here's an interesting thing I found in it: Those willing to support paying for parks are more likely to be young, Hispanic and have kids; those who don't are old, white and either childless or have grown children.
"Residents polled most often stated they are somewhat or definitely against the development fee increase proposal (55%). The greatest levels of support for the proposal were noted among respondents reporting a household head less than 40 years (53% somewhat/definitely support vs. 40% among remaining respondents); among respondents describing themselves as Hispanic (53% vs. 42% among those described as White); and among households with children less than 18 years (49% vs. 40% among those with none)." You can download the whole report at http://www.bakersfieldcity.... 6 comments from 5 users
1
posted by
creepycat
on Oct 11, 2007 at 10:46 AM
Sad commentary about the old folks. My kid is a h.s. senior, already submitting college applications, and after graduation will likely leave home. I did my job, why should I have to pay for somebody elses brat to have a park? When I think of the times that her mother or I took our youngster to a nearby neighborhood park it's hard for me to deny the quality time and childhood development to any young parent or child. I'm sure at the time there was a senior resentful for "paying" for my kid's swing and slide. Mellow, old people. Parks are not for kids only. You can get off your couch and walk or ride a bike in a park too. Yeah, I know, taxes are a pain. When are they not? But chipping in for a park--I don't mind passing on the favor. posted by
mattloch
on Oct 11, 2007 at 01:47 PM
Of course, higher fees are only a small portion of the problem. A city unwilling to require developers to set aside area for parks makes it much more expensive to acquire land and develop a park once the development is in (and property values are so much higher). The city should also stop permitting developers to re-zone areas designated for parks and other public uses into residential or commercial uses. Just my 
posted by
creepycat
on Oct 12, 2007 at 11:12 AM
Jeez, Bartley, I can almost see your blood pressure go up. I'm talking about a simple park. You know, stop and smell the flowers, watch a kid use a swing and get dirty in a sandpile. A meager enhancement of the quality of life. The land is not going to stay vacant. What would you have in its place? posted by
randomfactor
on Oct 12, 2007 at 11:20 AM
I use parks. and neither of my kids has been on a swing in a decade. And the presence of parks enhances my home's value.
posted by
sagefever
on Oct 12, 2007 at 11:25 AM
I use my neighborhood park all the time~Beale. It makes a nice walk,I take pictures of the trees,enjoy the sight of kids playing,enjoy the music in the summer and a large swath of green is good for my soul..parks make good sense.
posted by
RoyTullis
on Oct 12, 2007 at 12:24 PM
Even if you don't use the parks they are an asset. If they were not there we would just have more asphalt. The green zones are better than the alternative.
1
 Loading Stories
Advertisement |
