Metro Parks Levy

One of the really neat things about Columbus is the Metro Park system. It's a series of pretty well-put-together parks that are *gasp* free to the public. Down in Cincy? The parks run by the County are really nice, but they charge you to get in and stuff. The libraries and the parks go a long way to making me feel ok living in Columbus.

How did Metro Parks get so nice? In large part thanks to a 10 year levy passed in 1999, for .65 mills. As the Columbus Dispatch noted in their endorsement of the levy, the MetroParks Board of Commissioners and the Executive Director John R. O'Meara (since 1998) have kept promises made in their operating plan for that levy. I see no reason why the system will suddenly fall apart.

As for the current levy, it is a REPLACEMENT, meaning it will not add to the current levy, which does expire at the end of the year. The new levy--if passed--will be larger than the last, by .1 mills. The cost per $100,000 of value is about $23 bucks a year. The Board of Commissioners (who are appointed by a judge, curiously enough) have already published their plan for the next ten years, depending on this funding. You can read the whole report here.

I feel this is a worthwhile levy, for it preserves nature within a fairly urban area. It allows the public of all stripes to go and enjoy a hike, a walk through an animal observation area, and to just escape the hustle and bustle of the city life for a while. Go look at the levy committee's website and browse around...then decide for yourself.