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Rec & Park outlines spending priorities and staffing needs tied to park‑setaside measure
Summary
Rec & Park director Phil Ginsberg told supervisors the department expects to use measure revenue and earned income to shore up deferred maintenance, add trades staff and expand apprenticeships; he estimated earned revenue at about $50–$60 million and said the ballot measure would secure roughly $15 million of general‑fund capital support annually.
Phil Ginsberg, director of the Recreation & Park Department, presented the department—s FY2016–2018 budget overview and tied spending plans to the pending park‑setaside ballot measure (Proposition B). He said the measure—s baseline would guarantee stable general‑fund support and a healthy general‑fund capital allocation — about $15,000,000 — that the department pledged to maintain for deferred maintenance.
Ginsberg described Rec & Park—s revenue mix as roughly one‑third earned revenue, one‑third open‑space fund, and one‑third general‑fund subsidy. He estimated earned revenue at roughly $50–$60 million of the department—s $146 million operations budget, driven by parking garages, program fees, concessions and events such as Outside Lands.
Planned uses of new or stabilized funding include a substantial boost to deferred maintenance, equipment and supplies; hiring an electrician and a plumber; two positions for deferred‑maintenance planning and project management; expanded apprenticeship slots; and new urban‑forestry staff to address long‑deferred tree work. Ginsberg said about 45 park‑ranger FTEs are on staff with roughly 17 vacancies being recruited, and about 220 gardeners (including supervisors and apprentices) support field and landscape maintenance.
Ginsberg emphasized equity metrics embedded in the measure to direct investments toward neighborhoods with the greatest need and noted Rec & Park will upgrade its recreation program and reservation system. He told supervisors the department would return with more detailed budget work in June and welcomed follow‑up questions about revenue slides and program details.
