Are Yakima Residents Willing to Pay Higher Taxes for Parks?

Are Yakima residents willing to pay higher property taxes to fund parks? That is the question Yakima leaders might soon be asking citizens to answer. Yesterday the city council discussed the formation of a parks district to maintain Yakima City Parks. The city is going backwards when it comes to funding parks, $400,000 over the last few years.

One option is a fifty cent tax on every $1,000 assessed value; that means an average $150 per home in Yakima would pay $75 more per year in property taxes. The city council will meet again in a month to decide what option put on the ballot. Nothing would change for at least another year.