Lacey asks voters Aug. 5 to create Metropolitan Park District to fund parks, trails and maintenance

Jen Burbage, director of parks, culture and recreation for the city of Lacey, told a public meeting that registered voters in the city limits will decide on Aug. 5 whether to create a Metropolitan Park District that would provide ongoing funding to maintain, operate and improve parks, trails and recreational facilities. "An MPD provides ongoing, dedicated funding for new park features that may otherwise take longer to complete or may not occur," Burbage said.

The measure, Proposition 1 on the Aug. 5 ballot, would establish MPD boundaries as the Lacey city limits, place governance with the Lacey City Council acting as the MPD board, and authorize a property tax rate up to 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Burbage said the city estimates the MPD would generate about $5,900,000 per year and that the levy is intended to "supplement, not replace, existing parks and recreation funds." The presentation included an example that an owner with a $500,000 assessed value would pay about $225 per year under the maximum rate.

Why it matters: Burbage said the parks department —…