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Trim RPD Administration Before Gardeners! Attend Budget Meeting June 16th

The Mayor has asked all departments to cut three percent of their budget for the 2008-2009 budget year, which means a "$3.4 million reduction over the current year's budget for the Recreation and Park Department. The department's overall budget was $146 million this year, but the 8 percent reduction affects only the money it receives from the city's general fund." (SF Gate).

However, the Department is proposing major changes in fees, eliminating funding for the Open Space Task Force and NPC's ParkScan.org program, and will cut line staffing, although they did not follow the directive to trim mid-line management. (See articles below and RPD's budget info here.)

The Recreation and Park Department's Budget will be heard by the Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee on Monday, June 16th in the Board Chamber, Room 250, beginning at 11:00 AM. We urge park advocates to attend or to send letters to the Board with your ideas for the budget.

NPC suggests that the Department institute the many revenue-generating ideas the public has proposed in the last decade before they cut line staff, and that they start trimming their administration before they cut gardeners. For updated information on the Budget and Finance Committee's hearing schedule, please visit the Board of Supervisors' Budget Website.

As we indicated to the Mayor in our annual meeting, there needs to be an ongoing work group to investigate revenue opportunities carefully throughout the year, not just dismiss them due to lack of time during the budget negotiations. It would be nice if the Commission would take some leadership on this important issue for a change.

Articles about 2008-2009 RPD Budget
SF parks take budget hit
Rec and Park slashes budget by $3.4M per mayor's request