Local parks will receive thousands from state in wake of Prop. 12 passage
LG to receive $276,000; Monte Sereno gets $39,000
Funds surprise some
By Gloria I. Wang
Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga are slated to receive thousands of dollars of state money for their public parks. The funding was made possible when California voters passed Proposition 12 in 2000.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation on April 6, announced awards of varying amounts totaling $388 million to each city in the state depending on population. Los Gatos will receive $276,000, Monte Sereno $39,000 and Saratoga $284,000. Santa Clara County, in total, will receive more than $12 million.
Proposition 12, a bond act, was passed in March 2000. The act was co-authored by Assemblyman Fred Keeley and former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa--current mayoral candidate for the city of Los Angeles.
Proposition 12 provides funds not only for local parks, but also for state parks, wildlife and land acquisition and nature conservancies. More than $2 billion will be raised from the bonds. "It's the largest park bonds in the history of the country," department of parks and recreation spokesman Steve Capps said.
Capps said that the funding process requires groups to apply for and receive approval for a project from the state. Cities can also proceed with working on a project and then apply for reimbursement, as long as the project fits under the state's guidelines, which have yet to be determined.
Jim Piper, assistant town manager of Los Gatos, speculates that the $276,000 will be included as a funding source when the town discusses next year's capital improvement program. A tentative program, which maps out a guideline for town improvements for the next five years, will be presented at the May 7 town council meeting. That way, Piper says, the public will have a chance to propose possible projects.
Oddly enough, many town officials say they have no knowledge of the proposition or the funding. Tim Boyer of the Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Department, says that he has never heard of Proposition 12. Los Gatos Parks Commission Chairwoman April Maiten and Vice Chairwoman Sherrie Richter claim the same.
Similarly, Monte Sereno Finance Officer Sue L'Heureux says she did not know that the city was to receive $39,000. L'Heureux did say, however, that whatever parks money Monte Sereno is given is traditionally passed over to Los Gatos, since Monte Sereno residents use Los Gatos parks.
The city of Saratoga, like Los Gatos, plans to include Proposition 12 funds when the capital improvement program is brought before city council, late this summer. The $284,000 is "good news for the folks in park development," said City Manager Dave Anderson. Anderson said that the parks commission has come up with some improvement ideas for the 10 neighborhood and community parks in Saratoga.
John Cherbone, Saratoga's director of public works, said that the money could be used on "practically anything that you see in a park." Cherbone lists playground and pathway improvements, tennis courts, bathrooms and lighting as some of the potential projects.
Anderson also says that there are limits to what the money can be used for. "I couldn't build city hall with it," he said.
According to Capps, the state will take the next few months to spell out and conduct public hearings on the conditions of approval for a project and to instruct different jurisdictions how to apply for money.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
