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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — Local cycling advocates are speaking out against a bond measure on Tuesday's ballot that would take funds reserved for bike trail maintenance and temporarily shift its use to repair Little League fields.
Advocates of the bond measure, called Measure B, are arguing that the money is available and could be used to give local kids a better place to play.
Measure B sets out to amend Measure S, a property tax approved by voters in 2000 to fund an ice arena, athletic fields and Tahoe Paradise Park facilities. The special tax — $18 per year for single-family homes — also generates $125,000 per year to maintain 25 miles of bicycle trails to be built after the measure passed.
But only 7.7 miles of trail have been built since September 2000, which leaves $86,500 in trail maintenance money unused each year. About $250,000 has already accumulated. Measure B supporters would like use that money to repair Little League fields on Rufus Allen Boulevard at Lyons Avenue.
The measure was placed on the ballot by the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority, consisting of a representative of the city of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County and the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District and formed to oversee spending of Measure S funds.
John Upton, who serves as staff to the JPA, said a series of meetings regarding Measure B was properly noticed and open to the public. Upton said no one voiced opposition, and the measure lacks a rebuttal statement on the ballot.
“I think within a few years the field improvements will be done,” Upton said. “Then we will have funding available for other purposes.”
Cycling advocates fear otherwise.
“These are the key things: Measure B does not have a plan, it does not have a budget, and there is no sunset clause for redirecting money,” said Ty Polastri, president of the Lake Tahoe Bike Coalition. “This is the same group that went over budget on the ice rink and over budget on the athletic fields, and now they want additional money to fulfill the dreams of Measure S.”
Upton said the ball field project at Lake Tahoe Community College did go over budget due to the installation of synthetic turf, which costs lets to maintain in the long run.
“The money for the new bike trails is absolutely guaranteed,” Upton said. “This is just a temporary opportunity to use the funds for the bike trails that don't yet exist.”
Tom Wendell, co-founder of the Tahoe Region Advocates for Cycling, which later became the Lake Tahoe Bike Coalition, said the JPA should have engaged local cyclists from the start since the funds were intended for bike trails.
“We would have loved to have been involved in the very beginning; that's why they're receiving such a push back from the bicycling community,” Wendell said. “Shame on us for missing it, but it doesn't get them off the hook completely.”
Wendell agrees that Measure S should be amended to account for a state budget that's unable to allocate funds for bike trails. But instead of repairing ball fields, Wendell said the money should be used to fix existing bike paths that are in disrepair.
He points to stretches of trail surrounding Campground by the Lake and Sussex and Lodi avenues, as well as the foot bridge parallel to Lake Tahoe Boulevard.
“It's not ‘we' the bike advocates,” Wendell said, “it's the people in the community, people who want to safely go from their homes to school and work and to the ball fields.”
If the measure passes, Wendell said he'll move on.
“We're not against baseball,” Wendell said. “If it passes, it passes. The voters have spoken.”
Advocates of the bond measure, called Measure B, are arguing that the money is available and could be used to give local kids a better place to play.
Measure B sets out to amend Measure S, a property tax approved by voters in 2000 to fund an ice arena, athletic fields and Tahoe Paradise Park facilities. The special tax — $18 per year for single-family homes — also generates $125,000 per year to maintain 25 miles of bicycle trails to be built after the measure passed.
But only 7.7 miles of trail have been built since September 2000, which leaves $86,500 in trail maintenance money unused each year. About $250,000 has already accumulated. Measure B supporters would like use that money to repair Little League fields on Rufus Allen Boulevard at Lyons Avenue.
The measure was placed on the ballot by the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority, consisting of a representative of the city of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County and the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District and formed to oversee spending of Measure S funds.
John Upton, who serves as staff to the JPA, said a series of meetings regarding Measure B was properly noticed and open to the public. Upton said no one voiced opposition, and the measure lacks a rebuttal statement on the ballot.
“I think within a few years the field improvements will be done,” Upton said. “Then we will have funding available for other purposes.”
Cycling advocates fear otherwise.
“These are the key things: Measure B does not have a plan, it does not have a budget, and there is no sunset clause for redirecting money,” said Ty Polastri, president of the Lake Tahoe Bike Coalition. “This is the same group that went over budget on the ice rink and over budget on the athletic fields, and now they want additional money to fulfill the dreams of Measure S.”
Upton said the ball field project at Lake Tahoe Community College did go over budget due to the installation of synthetic turf, which costs lets to maintain in the long run.
“The money for the new bike trails is absolutely guaranteed,” Upton said. “This is just a temporary opportunity to use the funds for the bike trails that don't yet exist.”
Tom Wendell, co-founder of the Tahoe Region Advocates for Cycling, which later became the Lake Tahoe Bike Coalition, said the JPA should have engaged local cyclists from the start since the funds were intended for bike trails.
“We would have loved to have been involved in the very beginning; that's why they're receiving such a push back from the bicycling community,” Wendell said. “Shame on us for missing it, but it doesn't get them off the hook completely.”
Wendell agrees that Measure S should be amended to account for a state budget that's unable to allocate funds for bike trails. But instead of repairing ball fields, Wendell said the money should be used to fix existing bike paths that are in disrepair.
He points to stretches of trail surrounding Campground by the Lake and Sussex and Lodi avenues, as well as the foot bridge parallel to Lake Tahoe Boulevard.
“It's not ‘we' the bike advocates,” Wendell said, “it's the people in the community, people who want to safely go from their homes to school and work and to the ball fields.”
If the measure passes, Wendell said he'll move on.
“We're not against baseball,” Wendell said. “If it passes, it passes. The voters have spoken.”
Polling places, vote-by-mail information
Find the story here: http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20091030/NEWS/910309981/1068&;ParentProfile=1056
