Fwd: Act to Support Atlanta's Parks
Adam Brackman
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dusenbury, George <geo...@parkpride.org>
Date: May 7, 2007 5:10 PM
Subject: Act to Support Atlanta's Parks
To:
Cc: "Pride, Park" <park...@parkpride.org>
On Tuesday, May 8, the Atlanta City Council will begin its work on the fiscal 2008 budget. This is a crucial period for Atlanta's parks, and I am asking you to express your support for the proposed budget, which contains an important increase for parks operation and maintenance. Not only will the increase allow the City to better care for the parks in your community, it is essential to attracting foundation funding for the creation of new parks and trails, including along the BeltLine. As no major City has a smaller percent of its land dedicated to parks, this funding is desperately needed. There are three ways that you can help.
5 Minutes of Your Time. E-mail the Atlanta City Council to express support for the proposed parks budget. For your convenience, below is a sample e-mail and contact information for all Atlanta City Council Members, including an easy cut and paste list of e-mails (if possible, please paste into"Bcc"/blind copy). I ask that you cc Park Pride on the e-mails that you send so that we can keep track of this effort.
15-20 Minutes of your time. Write a letter to the Atlanta City Council to express support for the proposed parks budget. This is particularly important if you represent an organizations such as a "Friends of the Park" Group, Conservancy or sports/environmental group. For your convenience, I have attached a template for a support letter. Please complete the letter and mail, e-mail or fax it to me (contact information below). Park Pride will deliver your letter to every Member of the Atlanta City Council.
About an Hour of Your Time. Attend one (or more) of three public meetings on the budget.
* 7:00 PM on Thursday, May 10, at the Atlanta Civic Center -- public hearing* 7:00 PM on Thursday, May 17, at City Council Chambers -- public hearing* 1:00 PM on Monday, June 4, at City Council Chambers -- scheduled Council vote on budgetPark Pride will provide all park supporters a green Park Pride T shirt to wear as a show of support at the meetings and take home as a souvenir. We also will provide talking points for those who wish to speak (attached). Due to the short time frame, please let me know as soon as possible if you (or you and a friend) can help Atlanta's park system and the quality of life for her residents by attending a meeting.
Two hours of your time can help make a tremendous difference in your qualify of life. I hope that you will be able to lend your voice to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen social ties, build communities, spur economic development and reduce crime. Please take action to support Atlanta's parks.
Executive Director
Park Pride
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, 8th Floor
(404) 817-7970
Atlanta's parks and recreation budget fell from $44 million in 1976 to $26 million in 2004. Staff was cut from nearly 900 to fewer than 300.
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I write to ask that you support the Mayor's proposed fiscal 2008 budget for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Few public functions so thoroughly impact our quality of life. Good parks improve mental and physical health, clean the environment, spur economic development, strengthen communities and reduce crime. In short, parks help us all live healthier, happier and longer lives.
Between 1976 and 2004, the City's budget for parks and recreation fell from $44 million to $26 million. Over that same period of time, full-time staff was cut from nearly 900 to fewer than 300. With the leadership of City Council and the Mayor, park funding has increased by about $3 million total over the past three years. This is an excellent start, but there is still tremendous work to be done. Atlanta's Office of Parks has developed a multi-year plan to meet BeltLine operation and maintenance standards in all parks by the year 2010. This year's budget is an important step toward meeting these standards. I hope that I can count on your support.
Sincerely,