Lacey and Tumwater eying metropolitan parks districts similar to Olympia's

The metropolitan park district, a taxing district that is used to fund, acquire and maintain parks, is all the rage in Thurston County.

Olympia has one, Tumwater could have one if voters approve it in November, and Lacey City Council will consider a metropolitan park district at its meeting this Thursday. If approved by the Lacey council — and later approved by voters in November — the district is expected to raise $2.7 million annually via a property tax of 47 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

Based on a $300,000 home, the owner would pay $11.75 a month, or about $140 a year in property taxes toward the district.

The Tumwater district, which the Tumwater City Council agreed in June to put before voters this fall, is similar to Lacey’s, asking property owners for 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or about $130 a year for a home valued at $287,000, said Ann Cook, a spokeswoman for the city. It would raise $1.5 million annually for parks.

The Olympian wrote about Lacey’s proposal on Sunday and it received some strong reaction on social media, as well as from the Libertarian Party of Thurston County, which raised concerns in a news release about an increase in property taxes in the context of the rising homeless population.

Chris Rohloff, a spokesman for the group, expects that if voters approve the district in Lacey, landlords will pass that property tax increase on to their tenants in the form of higher rent.

“Increased property taxes become rent increases and rent increases lead to housing insecurity and homelessness,” he said.

If approved by Lacey voters in November, the city has some serious spending in mind. In the agenda materials for Thursday’s meeting, the goal of the district is to maintain its “parks, create new parks and recreation amenities, and enhance Lacey’s position as a sports community and sports destination.”

One idea is to spend $16 million on a 40,000-square-foot indoor sports facility, with $750,000 in annual maintenance costs. A feasibility study is under way on the sports facility, and it is expected to be complete in September.

The Libertarians cried foul on the timing of the study and a potential November vote.

“The fact that the city’s study about the viability of an indoor sports complex won’t be completed until September, with the vote in November, seems like putting the cart before the horse,” Rohloff said. “The only responsible choice during a homelessness crisis would be to study any project that will raise housing costs thoroughly before presenting it to voters.”

Olympia voters approved a metropolitan park district in 2015. It raises about $3 million a year.

Lacey City Council will consider the park district at 7 p.m. Thursday at Lacey City Hall, 420 College St. SE. The council will take public comment on the park district proposal.

This story was originally published July 23, 2018 at 5:04 PM.