65B - SERVICE FINANCIAL REPORT - Laserfiche WebLink

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Although fee adjustments are possible, the goal is not to simply generate new revenues through fees, but to ensure a sustainable system into the future by using tax revenues and fees in the most appropriate ways, supplemented where possible by grants, donations, partnerships, and other sources of alternative revenues. Paying taxes supports "core services," whereas fees and charges account for activities and services benefiting individuals. Cost saving strategies are also considered. The new practices will allow the agency to allocate its resources wisely and provide valuable information for decision making and setting priorities for improvements and changes to the system. CORE SERVICES Core services satisfy an agency's values and vision, typically benefiting all community members, or are seen as essential to the lives of under -served populations. It is not necessary that an individual participate in a specific recreational or cultural activity, or even step into a park setting to receive benefit. Having a nice park and trail system with trees, open space, and recreational amenities available in the community adds to home values and a quality living environment and provides opportunity for partaking in activity, as well as contributes to clean air and relief from urban density. To achieve these and other outcomes, an agency invests its tax dollars in these core services. Ie11491y/eU01F-A.1g�i611ALTA "sustainability" is a very popular and perhaps overused Figure 5: A Sustainable System word. Often, the users have in mind only one of the three basic elements of sustainability- Financial and Economic, Environmental, and Social and Recreational - making it challenging to come to any kind of consensus when others may be focusing on one of the other elements. In order to manage the system of parks and recreation, all the elements of sustainability must be balanced. The financial resources must be adequate to maintain the system into the future; the environment that we love so dearly cannot be "loved to death;" and the people must be allowed appropriate use of the system to properly connect to and understand the value represented, creating stewardship while also promoting the other benefits of physical activity and mental/emotional engagement. When all three are attended to, a dynamic, yet sustainable, system is possible. SUPPLEMENTING TAXES WITH FEES Parks and recreation services provide value to the community as a whole in terms of economic, environmental, and social benefits. Tax dollars support these "core services." Beyond those benefits realized by all residents, the agency is also able to provide specific activities and services benefiting individuals. There are not adequate tax dollars to completely support this level of activity, and it is appropriate and common to charge at least minimally for these services. For example, if an individual participates in a youth athletic league or a senior program, there are certain levels of skill building, social engagement, or entertainment that accrue to that person, while it can still be argued that there is a benefit to the community as a whole through the social capital and health gained by keeping active and in touch. This warrants covering at least a portion of the cost of a program or activity through an individual fee. Other opportunities, such as the rental of a space for a private party, would warrant a fee to cover the entire cost of providing that space. 20 LL. 65B-24