If approved, the levy will restore the parks budget to pre-disaster levels. The levy will restore full operations at the very popular Eastmont County Pool, restore a full maintenance schedule on the parks and ballfields, and allow the purchase of some new equipment. There will be no other financial measure in the region this year more deserving of a yes vote. The parks system in any city, but especially in East Wenatchee, provides untold benefits worth many times the tax bill. The advantages are social, environmental, and economic.
Parks provide a community gathering place, green open space, and attract visitors.
The visitors, whether they come to ride a bike path or bring a team to a swim meet, leave money behind. Just ask local merchants. The parks department can ask for a levy that lasts no longer than a year. In a sense, this change will provide the ultimate in accountability. The department's entire budget, and possibly its existence, will hinge on a yearly vote.