I have a simple wish: let’s use the city’s existing resources to their full-potential before we invoke a forever-tax through the creation of a Municipal Park District (MPD).

A couple of Saturday’s ago, I attended a princess tea coordinated by the Sumer Parks and Recreation Department. The afternoon featured the artistic talent of princesses from A Simple Wish, a visionary’s small business in Puyallup. The event was delightful, complete with beautiful princesses singing songs and dancing. As I enjoyed the show, I noticed one thing: the princesses were dancing at Lake Ridge Middle school—not Sumner’s community building. Sumner has a community building—the Robert Miller Gym; however, the community center was not used for this event. Could this mean that a dedicated-community center cannot solve the city’s park and recreation problems? Please, excuse my sarcasm.

Supporters of the Bonney Lake MPD argue that Bonney Lake needs a dedicated community center to run a parks and recreation department. Proponents say a community center can only be erected if an MPD is established. Well, the Sumner Recreation department illustrated through the princess event, that a community center cannot host all of a community’s events. Sumner also proved that a parks and recreation department can coordinate successfully with a school district.

We, the tax payers, have already paid $20 million for the beautiful Lake Ridge MS renovation. We have already paid millions for Bonney Lake HS too. We should use those community assets to their full potential before building a community center.

So, why should we pine-after a NEW community center building, which would be funded by an MPD forever-tax, when we can use the extensive amenities that we currently have? We can create a small and inexpensive parks and recreation department with current revenue and grow the department with support of the community.

There are superior solutions to an MPD; ultimately, you will decide on April 23, 2013.

If you agree with me, talk to your neighbors about this issue, visit NoNewParkTax.com, and “like” Families For A Responsible Bonney Lake on Facebook.