SALEM Officials put park levy on ballot

The department is getting less from the city's cash-strapped general fund.
SALEM -- City voters are being asked to help overcome a decline in funding for the parks department by passing a 1-mill, five-year additional levy.
The measure would produce about $200,000 annually, said parks Director Steve Faber. Faber said he was uncertain what the levy would cost the average homeowner.
The levy is needed to make up for the parks department's getting less money from the city's general fund, he said.
In past years, the parks department has received up to $125,000 from the general fund to aid in operations.
But with the city struggling financially, the department received only $50,000 from the general fund in 2003.
It's unclear what 2004 funding will be because a final annual budget has yet to be adopted.
The parks department relies on money from the general fund plus the nearly $200,000 it gets annually from two other levies: 1 mill and 0.5 mills.
Should the additional 1-mill levy pass, its revenue would enable the department to continue maintaining park facilities and would help meet the increasing cost of gasoline and utilities, Faber said.
The levy also would permit the department to improve park pavilions by installing aluminum siding, new grills and electric outlets.
If the levy fails, the pavilion project may have to abandoned and maintenance may be reduced, Faber said.