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Meg & Dave |
decision is ineptOn Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo City Council voted to spend money it doesn’t have on a project the city doesn’t need. Mayor Dave Romero and council members Andrew Carter and John Ashbaugh voted to award a $150,000 contract to pave a section of Mitchell Park. Shortly after the passage of Measure Y, the city had discretionary money to improve services. That money is gone. The city now has a major budget deficit. To pay for the paving of the park, the city will have to reduce existing services, including infrastructure and safety programs. Additional neighborhood police officers that were part of the original tax initiative plan have already been cut.
Opponents have questioned paving as a solution for better access to the Senior Center. They also have raised concerns about the lack of study to support any parking need; the elimination of a planned community garden; and reduced green space in the downtown.
More than 700 residents signed a petition asking the city not to pave the park. The parking lot proposal also was rejected by both the Cultural Heritage Committee and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
-*Last week, The Tribune ran a viewpoint by
Eugene Jud, former member of Cal Poly’s Civil and Environmental
Engineering Department. Eugene recommended a less costly and
less invasive design. His primary point was that without a
study, it would be impossible to design a plan for access that
would meet the needs of the Senior Center. The city does not know how many street parking
spaces are available, how many seniors use the center, how many
drive, how many have handicap placards, how many would use
public transportation and, more importantly, how many would use
the center but currently don’t have access. Yet with all the opposition and no real data,
Dave Romero, Andrew Carter and now newly elected John Ashbaugh
held steadfast to the notion that they are somehow helping
seniors by paving the park. Yes, 30 seniors did ask for a
parking lot. Apparently, that is all that is needed to lay down
asphalt in a park. This is not fiscal responsibility. It is not
informed decision making, and it is certainly not representing
the greater needs of our community, including the needs of our
seniors. This is spending money you don’t have to pacify a small
vocal group. This is inept city government. What is most important is that paving the park
does not solve the fundamental problem. It makes it worse. As
the value of the Senior Center in this location increases, so
will the desire to expand. The Senior Center has no place to
expand, except into Mitchell Park. Dave Kuykendall is the Save Mitchell Park Webmaster.
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