Archived Story
Recreation levy is investment for city’s youth
Published 9:05am Tuesday, July 31, 2012In today’s economy it is more important than ever to get the most “bang for your buck.” In that case, the Ironton Recreation Levy is a veritable fireworks display.
The half-mill, five-year property tax levy will be up for renewal this fall and hopefully voters will take the time to look at the tremendously positive impact made by this minimal expense.
It is important to note that this levy has been in place for many years and property owners are already paying for it. This is essentially just allowing it to continue. The levy — which generates a little less than $65,000 each year – pays for the maintenance of the city’s parks and helps fund youth sports including basketball and cheerleading.
At just $15.31 a year for a property owner with a home valued at $100,000, this is a very minimal contribution to the quality of life in Ironton.
Honestly, the levy could benefit from being increased but Ironton leaders know that would be a hard sell for citizens who have become increasingly frustrated with tax levies.
The city’s parks need some attention and improvements. The best way to accomplish this may be to shift more of the expense from the youth sports recreation programs to those who use them freeing up a little bit more money to invest in the parks.
Citizens should let the mayor and the parks director Brett Thomas know what they would like to see.
Getting this level of input will help ensure the recreation department is meeting the needs of the community and also help ensure the community will continue to help meet the needs of the department.
Here’s a thought…let the parents pay to entertain their own kids! This “It takes a village” crap has gone too far. Can’t afford to raise kids? Don’t have them.
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Parks and recreation are one of the most important amenities of any city or county.
Some of the nicest recreation places I have visited are in Cuyahoga County Ohio around Brecksville. I was amazed to find a recreation area in almost every subdivision in that county. Well kept, well maintained. Some were large fields for playing soccer or other activities, some had multiple tennis courts and public pools and a lovely sign at each. They were like mini parks. I thought the way most of them were laid out was a good idea since the park area was in the middle of the housing development so houses overlooked the park – it may have been planned this way to eliminate vandalism. Trees lined the outside perimeter of every park. Ironton might check with that Ohio county and see how those recreation areas are funded.
I talked to many of the locals from that area and they indicated that people there would not tolerate unkept yards, homes or trash in their community. The garden clubs had planted flowers everywhere and I could not find even a gum wrapper along the streets.
The Cuyhoga Valley National Park has four major bike trails for recreation in the county. Bikers can stop along the trail for repairs, to eat, or just site see (AND NO, I do not mean motorcycles or ATVs!). It’s a lovely place. The website for the National Park has a section on historic tax incentives for preservation as well.
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I would like to see the Recreation Department budget published in the Tribune. Reading articles in your paper raises questions about expenditures in this department. As far as I can tell, Ironton is the only community in the area that administers football, basketball and cheerleading for their youth. These teams in other communities are administered by and supported by THE PARENTS. The Ironton Soccer League is administered by and supported by THE PARENTS. The Soccer League charges $20 per child for participation and THE PARENTS staff the registration. The Soccer League receives NO levy money. The Ironton Recreation Department charges $20 per child for football and basketball and $30 for cheerleading. The Recreation Department staff holds the registration. If the Recreation Department cannot sustain itself with our levy money unless they also charge the fees to our children, then obviously the parents organizations, like the Soccer League, do a better job managing these programs for themselves.
Ironton is the only community in the area that has a levy on it’s citizens plus fees on the youth activities. Until this issue is publically addressed, I cannot support the continuance of the Ironton Recreation levy.
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