The Williston Park Board decided to pursue the committee last Tuesday. Board President Larry Grondahl said in light of the passage of the city’s sales tax earlier this month, now is a good time to dig in and research the possibility of such a tax for the park district.
“I think it’s a good time for us to move forward, get a committee looking into it,” Grondahl said.
He added it’d be best for the committee to meet monthly.
The park board has tossed the idea of a sales tax around for several months. What it has decided so far is it won’t be a new tax. If citizens approve the matter, the tax isn’t to start until after the Williston Public School District 1 sales tax has ended. Revenue from the tax not only helps the park district’s budget, but part of it is to be set aside for grants to assist in improving parks and other recreation facilities in communities close to Williston. Another idea is to offer free park district programs for children, whether they live in the district or out of town, but still use the district‘s facilities.
If the sales tax is approved by voters, either all or most of the property taxes within the park district’s tax authority are to drop. Grondahl said one option may be just to drop the general fund mill levy and keep funds such as pension and health insurance.
Even in doing that, people would only pay between 3.5 percent and 4 percent of their property taxes to the park district, as opposed to the 8.5 percent they currently pay, Grondahl said. Williston Parks and Recreation Director Darin Krueger said the Friends of Parks and Recreation are interested in getting involved in the committee.
For more information about the 1-cent sales tax, call the Williston Parks and Recreation Department at 577-5141.
Comments
lifer wrote on Jun 30, 2009 9:35 PM:
Fed up wrote on Jun 29, 2009 5:57 PM:
get a clue wrote on Jun 27, 2009 10:45 AM:
As for those from outside of Williston I understand your complaints about payinf a sales tax for something within the city limits. But I also wonder if you make the same complaint of the city sales taxes in other communities? The fact of the matter is that we all wind up paying taxes for things that we do not get to take advantage of or use. How about those who do not have children? Should they then not have to pay property taxes for the school districts? How about Social Security, I have not received benefits and being a young worker do see how I will ever get some level of benefits the way the program is being run... so why should I have to pay that tax? And for those of you that say that you will shop online to not pay taxes... super! That is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. the cities, state, and feds have to raise the tax revenue somehow. By dodging or avoinding it one way just makes them look for new avenues the get your money. "
Really Concerned wrote on Jun 23, 2009 4:41 PM:
You have a group called Community Builders raising money to build a new playground and they have stated that they want to raise more funds to update other parks in the city. Why doesn't the Park Board work with this group to move forward instead of adding to the tax burden that already exists.
It's not that I am against parks and rec, in fact I think they are vital to a commuity. Yet I have yet to see how they have taken full advantage of what they have and of those that have tried to step forward and move things in a positive direction. Money doesn't solve everything. "
FrstKnt wrote on Jun 23, 2009 2:52 PM:
I also like your false advertising...it's not a new tax. Yes. It is. The school tax is supposed to go away - in other words end. This tax would replace it. You're not extending the tax to pay for school overages. This tax is for an entirely different purpose. Therefore - a new tax.
Williston should stop trying to make the region pay for their services, and start paying for things themselves like the rest of us do! "