County give park workers authority to issue tickets
By Kyle LoJacono
Pasco Parks and Recreation Department workers and police officers have at least one thing in common. Both can now write tickets to enforce user fees for the county’s 11 regional parks.
County commissioners voted 4-1 on July 26 to give park workers the authority to write tickets to those not complying with the $2 fee to park at the regional sites.
The lone no vote came from Commissioner Jack Mariano, who represents much of the county’s park-intensive Gulf coast. Mariano has opposed the fee since it began last year and was less than pleased with giving authority to write tickets to parks workers.
“I hear from citizens and business owners around the parks on the water and they all hate the fees,” Mariano said. “It’s hurting business and driving people away from the parks.”
While the fees may not be popular, parks director Rick Buckman said they are the only way to prevent closing recreation facilities, either for several days a week or permanently.
“We’ve lost more than 30 percent of our budget during the last three years and we’re losing another $470,000 next year,” Buckman said. “We needed to find a way to come up with more funds for the department and user fees was the best way to do that.”
Commissioner Pat Mulieri said the fees are the best way to preserve services for the public.
“We had several public meetings last year to hear what the public wanted us to do,” Mulieri said. “Most people said they didn’t want parks closed. They didn’t want us to raise taxes on everyone, so it was determined the best thing to do was charge those who use the parks the most.”
The flaw in the system was parks workers had no authority to enforce the fees. The plan was for the department to raise $691,000 this year, but it has collected only 20 percent of that goal.
“All we could do was call the police like anyone else,” Buckman said. “That isn’t the best use of their time to come out and write tickets for parking violators at the parks.”
Buckman said he doesn’t want to see workers writing tickets left and right either.
“Hopefully people will understand there are consequences and just pay the $2 to park,” Buckman said. “It’s the best thing for the parks they enjoy and it’s cheaper than a ticket.”
Mariano suggested using part of the $1.1 million given to the county by Sheriff Chris Nocco, which was left over from this current fiscal year, to plug the shortfall. That money is currently pegged to help with balancing the 2011-12 budget.
“We just have to make the decision that we’re going to fund the parks the way we built them,” Mariano said. He then added, “I’m not comfortable with putting money into reserves when we’re cutting the parks.”
Mariano also made an attempt to convince other commissioners to increase taxes to pay for parks while eliminating the user fees.
Commissioner Henry Wilson expressed concern of adding another responsibility on parks workers already stretched to their limits by layoffs and other cuts.
“I’m concerned that our staff is already overworked,” Wilson said. “Is it going to take away from their day job? Are they OK with this?”
Buckman did say several parks workers are somewhat uneasy with writing tickets.
“But they understand it has to be done,” Buckman said.
For more information on Pasco parks, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.
Pasco parks with entry fees
- Withlacoochee River Park, 12449 Withlacoochee Blvd., Dade City
- Suncoast Trail, stretches from Lutz into Hernando though central Pasco
- Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd., Odessa
- Crews Lake Wilderness Park, 16739 Crews Lake Drive, Spring Hill
- Anclote River Park, 1119 Baillies Bluff Road, Holiday
- Anclote Gulf Park, 2305 Baillies Bluff Road, Holiday
- Key Vista Park, 2700 Baillies Bluff Road, Holiday
- Moon Lake Park, 8985 Lake Drive, New Port Richey
- Robert K. Rees Memorial Park, 4835 Green Key Road, New Port Richey
- Eagle Point Park, 4499 Strauber Memorial Highway, New Port Richey
- Robert J. Strickland Memorial Park, 6345 Clark St., Hudson
