Lacey presentation details Metropolitan Park District ballot measure, projects and costs

Jen Burbage, director of parks, culture and recreation for the City of Lacey, told an audience that registered voters within city limits will decide on Aug. 5 whether to create a Lacey Metropolitan Park District to provide ongoing funding to maintain, operate and improve parks, trails and recreational facilities.

The measure, Proposition 1 on the Aug. 5 ballot, would establish MPD boundaries coterminous with the city limits, place governance with the Lacey City Council and authorize a property tax rate up to a maximum of $0.45 per $1,000 of assessed value. "They would pay $225 per year or $18.75 per month," Burbage said, using a $500,000 assessed-value example. Burbage said the MPD is estimated to generate about $5,900,000 per year and is intended to supplement, not replace, existing parks and recreation funding.

An MPD would be a continuing, dedicated funding source for improvements, acquisitions, maintenance and operations. "An MPD would fund expanded maintenance including maintenance of new facilities," Burbage said, and she described MPDs as "junior property taxing districts that are authorized by state law." The City Council would serve as the MPD board and approve the MPD budget, she said.

Burbage summarized the current Lacey Parks department: about 40…