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Public and council split after $500,000 moved from Rail Trail to Westside indoor sports complex
Summary
Councilors and city staff described a prior reallocation of about $500,000 from the downtown Rail Trail project to fully fund the Ken Sanchez Indoor Sports Complex on the West Side; the move prompted public outcry during general comment and disagreement between council members and city administration about whether both projects are fully funded.
A mid‑project reallocation of city bonding proceeds has prompted sharp public criticism and conflicting statements by council members and administration staff, who differ over whether both the downtown Rail Trail and the Ken Sanchez Indoor Sports Complex remain fully funded.
Multiple members of the public and local advocates used the City Council’s general‑public‑comment period to urge the council to restore $500,000 that they said had been moved from the Rail Trail project. "I register some disappointment in the council's recent decision to appropriate funds away from the rail trail in favor of the Westside Youth Sports Complex," said Andrew Kelleher, a public speaker. Bike and neighborhood advocates argued the funding shift undercuts safety and downtown revitalization efforts.
City budgeting staff described how the reallocation happened. "In the last, cleanup bill that we had, we've moved, some interest,…
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