A proposal has been submitted to the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to establish a new special parks & recreation tax for Cleveland-area residents who live in the vicinity of the McLemore Fire District.

We the undersigned oppose the Cleveland Parks & Recreation proposal to be considered by the Johnston County Board of Commissioners for the following reasons:

The Cleveland Parks & Recreation proposal is unclear.

• No details are provided on the specific use of requested funds 
• No mention is made of new revenue that will generated by park operations
• No forecast of future expense to support the park is provided

The Cleveland Parks & Recreation proposal is unnecessary.

• There are several public parks located less than 10 miles away
• Master planned communities in Cleveland already provide recreation facilities

The Cleveland Parks & Recreation proposal is too expensive.

• Due to a recent county property revaluation, many Cleveland area residents face double digit property tax increases for 2019. 
• On top of an increased tax bill resulting from property revaluation, households in the McLemore Fire District will be required to pay $110 to $200 more in property taxes on an annual basis for parks & recreation.
• Long time farm owners with larger properties face an increased tax bill for unneeded park services
• The added expense is an unwelcome tax increase for seniors living on a fixed income and residents who are already paying neighborhood fees for local recreation facilities.

The Cleveland Parks & Recreation proposal opens to the door to more tax increases

• The “special use tax district” created by the proposal establishes a legal mechanism to assess new taxes on Cleveland area residents separately from the rest of the county.
• The appointed district board may also have the power to issue new bonds, issue new notes and pursue installment financing on behalf of Cleveland residents.

The Cleveland Parks & Recreation proposal is a handout to the Greater Cleveland Athletic Association

• Costs associated with establishing and maintaining athletic fields are transferred to area residents who are not members of GCAA