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East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors authored Measure K has so far been coasting toward the March 5th primaries with few coming out in opposition and wide-scale support. 

But how voters will respond to the parcel tax that will cost $12 per year per single family home is still difficult to say. 

Rosemary Cameron, asst.. general manager of public affairs for the East Bay Regional Parks District, said a poll was conducted last fall and illustrated substantial support for the Measure. But Cameron also stated, without further elaboration, that polling indicated a substantial need to educate voters. 

Measure K will be on the March 5 ballot, and if approved, it will bring in $8.4 million annually to pay for maintenance and operation cost of East Bay Regional Parks. 

Park District directors unanimously approved the the details of the measure at their meeting on Oct. 16 in Oakland.  

“Over the past ten years, the District has grown in size by 31 percent," General Manager Pat O'Brien said. “During the same period, funds for maintenance and operations have grown slowly in constant dollar terms.” 

Cameron says that a survey conducted by the park district showed that approximately 14 million people use the various parks and trails on an annual basis. 

“Our survey research indicates that 90 percent of the people in the East Bay use our trails and parks. So what we can say is indeed the regional parks are well used,” Cameron said. “One thing that is really significant about this measure is the specificity of it. There are 531 different projects that will be funded by this measure.” 

Fifty of those projects will be in Tilden Park.  

The Alameda County Taxpayer’s Association, a watchdog group looking out to ensure that public agencies are not overtaxing the citizenry has come out in support of Measure K, Cameron says. 

“So that should tell you how well of a written Measure it is,” she added. 

“The District has taken a number of steps to improve its efficiency in all areas," O'Brien said. “However, continued efficiencies are unlikely to provide sufficient savings to continue developing and opening land banked properties. Therefore, a parcel tax measure is recommended as a means to seek the necessary revenue.” 

“This is really in response to our success," said Director Ted Radke of Martinez, referring to the District's ability to raise and leverage funds for land acquisition and capital improvements since passage of its open space bond Measure AA in 1988.  

The proposed tax is a dollar per month per single-family home, 69 cents per month per apartment unit. A 50 percent discount will be available for low-income seniors. K also comes with a 12 year sunset law. 

Contact reporter: 

devona@berkeleydailyplanet.net