|
Planning, design, permitting and construction of all the new parks is funded by Park Impact Fees, the Real Estate Excise Tax, grants and donations. Maintenance and operations of the new parks is funded by the property taxes collected by Greater Clark Parks District program.
Greater Clark Parks District Property Tax
In February 2005, voters living in the unincorporated urban area of Clark County passed a property tax levy that created the Greater Clark Parks District. By state statute, the funds collected by the district can be used to finance long term park maintenance and operations, as well as provide capital funding for development.
The Greater Clark Parks District's property tax rate is 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. This equates to approximately $54 a year if for a home valued at $200,000, or $81 a year for a home valued at $300,000.
The tax rate was set at a level to accommodate the expected maintenance needs of all the parks, trails and ball fields for the first ten years. After ten years, the program will be evaluated to see if the rate of inflation requires a change in the levy rate. If an adjustment is required, the Board of Clark County Commissioners has the authority to raise the rate up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value without an additional vote of the people.
All the parks, trails and ball fields included in the Greater Clark Parks District program must be maintained for the long term, so the levy has no expiration date.
Park Impact Fees
These fees are collected whenever a new residential development is constructed. Clark County first established these fees for purchasing new park property in 1991, and then re-established them to pay for park development in 1996. Park Impact Fees are collected and spent within 10 specific Park Improvement Districts located within the city of Vancouver and the unincorporated urban area of Clark County. The fees collected in a particular district are also spent within that same district. Some of these districts cross city/county lines. The state requires that all Park Impact Fees be spent within six years, or be refunded to developers.
The Real Estate Excise Tax II
This tax was first established by the city of Vancouver and Clark County in 1996. In 2002, the tax was re-established and is referred to as Real Estate Excise Tax II. Both were created with support from the Home Builders Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Realtors. These taxes are collected whenever a property is sold in Clark County.
Revenue from Real Estate Excise Tax I was divided between parks and transportation. Revenue from the current Real Estate Excise Tax II is divided between parks and community development. The portion going to parks is spent on designing and constructing new urban and regional parks, and on improving existing parks. Taxes are collected and spent within three geographic areas: the city of Vancouver, the unincorporated urban area of Clark County, and rural Clark County. Although revenue collected within the city of Vancouver can only be spent there, the revenue collected in the unincorporated urban and rural areas of Clark County can be shared in order to best address the park development needs within these two areas. Revenue collected in the unincorporated urban and rural areas of Clark County cannot be shared with the city of Vancouver.
Grants and Donations
Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation regularly applies for various grants to help supplement its budget. Since 1997, the department has received over $8 million in grants and donations for park development and improvement projects.
City and county neighborhood associations and citizens can help fund park development or improvement projects by applying for local grants, providing private donations, or conducting fundraising efforts. The Parks Foundation can assist individuals and groups with setting up tax-exempt accounts to accept donations and grant money.
|
