Editorial: Is Newark seeing fair share of park tax benefits?

After numerous levy failures, Licking County voters in 2012 granted the Licking County Park District badly needed tax support for infrastructure improvement and operating funds through 2017.

A key component of the campaign that ultimately connected with voters was a pledge to take over maintenance and care of the county’s extensive multi-use trail system — a crown jewel among the county’s amenities. Supporters also told The Advocate funds could and would be spent in the city of Newark.

In the three years since, the district has completed several items on an extensive five-year plan, the most visible of which is arguably a new dog park located inside Infirmary Mound Park near Granville, which was partially funded by the district.

Many projected path projects laid out in the five-year plan are still a year or two away from implementation, although some work has been completed, including 8,400 feet of path repaving near Alexandria this year.

With a renewal levy likely on ballots by 2017 and work already under way on formulating a second five-year plan through 2022, it’s important for park board members to ensure earlier campaign pledges are being met.

While the board has made many good decisions, we’re concerned pledges involving the city of Newark remain largely unmet.

Although Newark taxpayers are contributing approximately 20 percent of the more than $900,000 in tax money the levy generates annually, the city has seen relatively little direct investment back into the community.

We can only account for two projects to date, including an agreement to split $9,348 in costs with the city of Newark to crack seal 12 miles of paths in Newark and about $3,000 to construct a canoe launch this year in the Little Texas area. Any frequent visitors to the Newark paths know they need more than crack sealing.

That’s less than $10,000 in three years spent directly on the city of Newark, although city residents do clearly benefit from funds spent elsewhere. We don’t necessarily expect 20 percent of funds to be spent in Newark as city residents clearly use paths and parks outside the city.

Some may wonder if levy funds could be spent in Heath or Granville. While they could, those communities have not sought help as Newark has requested, according to county parks Director Bob Williams.

We are optimistic Williams, who was hired after the levy passed, understands the need to use county park funds to maintain and improve the paths in Newark as originally pledged. He believes the deal recently reached with Newark to split costs establishes a framework to make that pledge a reality.

While much good work has been accomplished, the district will need the support of all county taxpayers to secure a tax renewal in the very near future.