We're happy the say that among the hundreds of readers who participated in our poll, an overwhelming majority - 85.2 percent - answered, "Yes. Recreation is an important component of quality of life."
If Ind readers are any indication - you're not: Ind readers are a more refined, discerning, handsome population of wonderful, smart people - the city of Lafayette is willing to pay a little more in property taxes to keep funding at its current level for Lafayette Consolidated Government's Parks & Recreation Department, which operates 39 parks, 10 rec centers and three public golf courses. Eight of the parks are outside the city limits, although city taxpayers cover the cost of their upkeep.
Parcs & Rec Director Gerald Boudreaux told the City-Parish Council last Thursday that his department cannot continue to provide the current level of service on its current budget, much less on the 13.6 percent cut proposed in City-Parish President Joey Durel's 2012-2013 fiscal year budget. The tax, paid only by city of Lafayette property owners, is 1.92 mills. It was set in the 1960s and hasn't changed since then, even though the number of facilities Parcs & Rec operates has more than tripled since then.
That prompted us to pose a question to our readers via a poll (you can still participate in the poll; it's located to the right of this story near the top of the rail): "Would you be willing to pay more in property taxes to keep Lafayette's recreational opportunities at their current level?"
We're happy the say that among the hundreds of readers who participated in the poll, an overwhelming majority - 85.2 percent - answered, "Yes. Recreation is an important component of quality of life." The remaining 14.8 percent responded, "No. Parks & Rec is an unnecessary expense, especially during these lean fiscal times."