What you need to know about Duluth's park fund referendum

DULUTH — On Election Day, Duluth leaders will ask residents to increase their annual investment in the city's massive park system, with spaces ranging from the popular Lakewalk and Rose Garden to the more obscure Cascade and Old Main parks.

More than 120 parks are found throughout the city, which include 40 playgrounds, about two dozen buildings and nearly 80 skating rinks, athletic fields and sport courts. City officials have cited declining playground and facility conditions and the role parks play in Duluth's economy as they've made their case in public forums.

Before you cast your ballot, here's what you need to know.

The ask: Approve conversion of the Park Fund levy to a fixed percentage of property value dedicated to parks funding, rather than continue paying the fixed dollar amount approved by voters in 2011.

Why: The flat, annual $2.6 million for parks approved in 2011, which didn't allow for the levy to increase over time as property values increase, is no longer enough to pay expenses, the city says.

"The city is dependent upon a funding source structured so it can never grow, to pay for park costs that continually grow," said Jim Filby Williams, director of parks, properties and libraries for the city.

Additional money — $1.6 million in 2023 if approved — would allow the city to invest in deteriorating community centers, playgrounds and athletic facilities. If voters agree to the change, 2023 property tax proceeds from the levy would grow to $4.2 million.

To figure out what you'd pay in 2023 if the increase is approved, multiply the expected value of your home by 0.000472654. To see what you'd pay in 2023 if the referendum fails, multiply the value of your home by 0.000290052. For example, the owner of a $200,000 home would pay $58 for parks in 2023 if voters reject the increase but would pay about $94 in 2023 if it passes. If your home changes in value, so would the amount you pay. The levy would end in 2048.

How the money will be spent: Beyond typical operations and park maintenance, the first year of spending would focus on improving priority neighborhood parks, including those in Central Hillside, and services such as garbage collection, mowing and restroom maintenance throughout the city. Work would address fencing, playgrounds and sidewalks, and money would be leveraged to seek more park-related grants, further boosting the fund. Over time, all parks would see investment.

"In the last decade, we have accomplished a lot in terms of improving conditions of Duluth's destinations parks — Hartley, Lakewalk, Enger, Chambers Grove," Filby Williams said, along with improving trails for outdoor recreation and the conditions of western Duluth parks.

The next phase of work would focus on neighborhood parks and those that cater to community athletics, he said.

What's at stake: If the referendum fails, the city will continue to collect $2.6 million annually. The city's only dedicated source of parks capital funding would dwindle to nothing in a few years as money set aside for long-term projects pays for daily operations instead, Filby Williams said.