According to an August 18th article in the IndyStar, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett is proposing a $12.7 million cut from this year's budget to stave off what he has described as "a fiscal crisis". CollegeAvenueIndy.org took note of a familiar mantra in the article which states , "In an era of property tax caps and declining federal grant money, Indiana cities are increasingly reliant on income taxes for revenue." Once again, the City's financial turmoil is blamed on property tax caps rather than on reckless public spending for boondoggles such as sports stadiums, mass transit projects, and a near term criminal justice center. The IndyStar article cites a 2016 study by the Trust for Public Land which found that Indy's park system tied for 95th out of 98 cities studied. According to the study, Indianapolis spends $26.34 annually (per resident) on its parks. In comparison, Louisville (which ranked 93rd in the study) spends $55 annually per resident. CollegeAvenueIndy.org wishes to remind Marion County voters that in November they will be asked to raise their personal income taxes to build the Red Line. According to IndyGo estimates, this would cost a local worker $130 per year. Yup... 5 times what the city plans to spend on its parks! CollegeAvenueIndy.org also wishes to draw attention to a financial sleight of hand mentioned in the August 18th IndyStar article suggesting that on paper, the 2017 Indy parks budget ($25.1 million) looks significantly larger than its 2016 parks budget ($15.6 million). In reality, the difference is due to a change in accounting, not additional spending. Apparently, and take note here, Indy parks maintenance has historically been handled by the Department of Public Works. Starting next year, those efforts will simply be reflected in the budget as a parks department expense. CollegeAvenueIndy.org wonders about the meaning of "reflected in the budget as a parks department expense". Could it be that IndyGo plans use the Department of Public Works budget as a slush fund to pay for the Red Line. Perhaps the answer lies in a February 9th, 2016 article in the IndyStar which states, "IndyGo would provide $21 million in local matching funds for the Red Line's first phase by using dollars from the Downtown tax increment financing district, the 'Department of Public Works' and an IndyGo reserve fund." Here's the link to the February 9th article. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/02/09/fed-budget-proposal-includes-75m-red-line-rapid-transit/80024296/ It's time to ask yourself... What's it gonna be? Parks or electric buses?