Willow Branch Park conditions

[m74reeves]

Anyone know why 2 of the lamps are gone in the interior sidewalk of the Willow Branch park? I saw these knocked over (at 2 different times). Now they are gone and the lights in the middle of the park aren't working.

Also, does anyone know why the basketball backboards, hoops and baskets are now gone, too? I just noticed that today.  I think there are only 1 or 2 usable goals.

[Dog Walker]

Park maintenance funds have been cut every budget cycle for the past several years.  What you are seeing is a result.

Parks neglected, libraries closed, but we are going to have the biggest jumbotrons of any city in the world.  Big whoop.

[fsujax]

Because our mayor doesn't want to raise taxes. Call him and let him know how you feel. Looks like you are going to have to do what we try to do in Springfield. Just take care of it ourselves the best we can.

[cline]

^It's not just the mayor, the Jax general population doesn't want taxes raised either.  I guess it is hard for people to make the connection that in order to have "nice things" we may have to raise taxes.  Whenever raising taxes is mentioned all the ex-Tea partiers start crying. 

[Tacachale]

^Part of the reason we have a mayor is to make the tough decisions. This has not been a trait of the current mayor.

[avonjax]

We are of all reaping the reward of "NEVER RAISE A DIME OF TAXES." Rising costs effect us all but we refuse to raise the income of the city. Someday in the future our city will be an even bigger dump covered with weeds. The policy of no new taxes   (or raising the existing taxes,) didn't work in the past, (it didn't take long for Sr. Bush to recant on his famous war chant,) and it doesn't work now. But politicians know that raising any taxes in this current political climate is suicide. Maybe, just maybe when all the amenities that make our communities better for ALL are gone, we will realize you can't run a city without money. For me the jumbotrons, if paid for with money from funds dedicated to that end, are just fine. Maybe it will lure more business and people to Jacksonville and give us more exposure. It appears the only way to raise revenue is to grow the population.

[RiversideLoki]

Even when funds were decent, Willowbranch park was a dump. Seriously. Drug baggies and needles in the mulch. Broken equipment, trash everywhere. It's not just a problem of lack of funds, it's a lack of respect by people who utilize the park.

It's a beautiful park,and it deserves our love. Our children play there, basketball players play there, softball teams play there, kickball teams play there, Lee highschool marching band and football practice there. It's genuinely used to its fullest extent.

Maybe we should organize a park cleanup? I used to live right by that park but have recently moved to Ortega, but my daughter's mother still lives close and I want to see that park safe and beautiful for my daughter for years to come.

Save Willowbranch!

[Shwaz]

Park maintenance funds have been cut every budget cycle for the past several years.  What you are seeing is a result.

Parks neglected, libraries closed, but we are going to have the biggest jumbotrons of any city in the world.  Big whoop.

We're also going to have a 1st class stadium to attract a much larger array of national events. Isn't Khan pretty much covering the actual scoreboards himself with the city picking up the majority of the overall renovation to the rest of the stadium?

Wonder if Willow Branch park will host a NCAA National Championship game, Super Bowl or next Rolling Stones concert? 

We are of all reaping the reward of "NEVER RAISE A DIME OF TAXES." Rising costs effect us all but we refuse to raise the income of the city. Someday in the future our city will be an even bigger dump covered with weeds. The policy of no new taxes   (or raising the existing taxes,) didn't work in the past, (it didn't take long for Sr. Bush to recant on his famous war chant,) and it doesn't work now. But politicians know that raising any taxes in this current political climate is suicide. Maybe, just maybe when all the amenities that make our communities better for ALL are gone, we will realize you can't run a city without money. For me the jumbotrons, if paid for with money from funds dedicated to that end, are just fine. Maybe it will lure more business and people to Jacksonville and give us more exposure. It appears the only way to raise revenue is to grow the population.

And when does the tax freeze start? Local & federal taxes have all gone up... along with healthcare, utilities,  gas, milk & eggs. Most companies started freezing wage increases & 401K contributions as soon as the economy took a dive and most are still using the economy as the reason to keep them frozen. Salary increases are waaay off from annual inflation and we're expected to volunteer for additional taxes?

[Tacachale]

Something has to give. In this case, it's services and quality of life.

[peestandingup]

^It's not just the mayor, the Jax general population doesn't want taxes raised either.  I guess it is hard for people to make the connection that in order to have "nice things" we may have to raise taxes.  Whenever raising taxes is mentioned all the ex-Tea partiers start crying.

Its not that simple. A lot of times when you raise taxes, it lines the pockets of special interests. But granted Jax as a whole doesn't seem to give two shits about anything that's for the public (public spaces, parks, mass transit, etc). You see it everywhere you go here.

I too have noticed the parks becoming less & less desirable places to want to hang out. I personally think its done on purpose to make them more of a dump, attract the wrong elements & to justify even more why not to spend any money on them (just like transit in this town) Me & a friend biked by Hemming on Saturday afternoon & it looked worse than I've ever remembered seeing it. Trash everywhere, lots more homeless, none of the fountains looked like they ere working, etc.

Like I said, on purpose.

[Dog Walker]

Shwaz,  tax revenues have gone down, not up.  Property values starting falling in 2008.  Ours is a property tax based system.  Revenues went down.

It was suggested to the City Council that they could raise the millage rate so that collected taxes would remain the same and all of this stuff would not have to be cut, but they saw that as a tax increase although it would have been revenue neutral and wouldn't pass it.

Now the Mayor, instead of making the hard choices, demanded an across the board cut of all departments.  Cowardly and dumb!  All city services are not equally important and there should have been tough decisions made about priorities, but he wimped out.

[fsujax]

What's interesting is Clay and St Johns Counties have raised their milleage rates all by vote of the Commission and not a peep or outcry. Same goes for the extension of the gas taxes all raised by consent of their Commissions. Where is the outrage in those hard core red counties? it doesn't really exist. I think our Mayor and City Council are just spineless to do what is needed. They are giving into some kind of fear of something that I believe doesn't really exist or at least to the extent they believe it does.

[fsquid]

What's interesting is Clay and St Johns Counties have raised their milleage rates all by vote of the Commission and not a peep or outcry. Same goes for the extension of the gas taxes all raised by consent of their Commissions. Where is the outrage in those hard core red counties? it doesn't really exist. I think our Mayor and City Council are just spineless to do what is needed. They are giving into some kind of fear of something that I believe doesn't really exist or at least to the extent they believe it does.

I believe it is because their populace seems to understand revenue neutral.  I'm sure their home values are falling.

[mbwright]

If the city wastes/mismanages money that they have now, adding more will not help the situation.  It will just be more money to waste, or hand out to your buddies.

[Shwaz]

Shwaz,  tax revenues have gone down, not up.  Property values starting falling in 2008.  Ours is a property tax based system.  Revenues went down.

It was suggested to the City Council that they could raise the millage rate so that collected taxes would remain the same and all of this stuff would not have to be cut, but they saw that as a tax increase although it would have been revenue neutral and wouldn't pass it.

Now the Mayor, instead of making the hard choices, demanded an across the board cut of all departments.  Cowardly and dumb!  All city services are not equally important and there should have been tough decisions made about priorities, but he wimped out.

So, home owners should pay more because they're mortgages are under water? All while costs sky rocket on every other form of 'cost of living' and wages are either non-existent or stuck in neutral?

What's interesting is Clay and St Johns Counties have raised their milleage rates all by vote of the Commission and not a peep or outcry.

Aren't they still below Duval County though, overall?

http://www.sjcpa.us/Millage%20Rates.html
http://www.coj.net/departments/property-appraiser/docs/2012-proposed-millage.aspx