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Park district director urges voters to renew 10‑year parks levy
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Summary
Leanne Castillo, director of the Clark County Park District, told the commission the May renewal levy (a 0.6‑mill levy based on 2011 valuations) is not a tax increase and supplies about 75% of maintenance funding for the district's 33 parks and trails.
Leanne Castillo, introduced to the Springfield City Commission as director of the Clark County Park District, presented a case for voters to renew a 10‑year parks levy that will appear on the May ballot.
Castillo said the levy is a 0.6‑mill renewal based on 2011 home valuations and is not an increase in taxes. "It is not an increase in taxes," she told commissioners, adding the levy equates to roughly $21 for every $100,000 of assessed value (under the 2011 base) and provides about 75% of the district’s maintenance budget for 33 parks and approximately 2,100 acres.
She described the breadth of services the levy supports: mowing, athletic‑field maintenance, tree work, multi‑use trails and community programming. Castillo cited examples of recent and near‑term projects, including reopening a bridge on Buck Creek and a wait station project at Snyder Park, and highlighted the district’s role in regional trail connections.
City commissioners expressed appreciation and public support for the renewal. One commissioner noted that while the levy maintains funding at the 2011 level, citizens should weigh inflation and rising costs when they vote. The commission also noted it had previously passed a resolution showing support and encouraged citizens to vote in favor of the renewal.
If approved, the renewal would continue the park district’s current operations and maintenance funding for the next decade.
