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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Sacramento County Grand Jury
• 2019-2020
Elk Grove Parks: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 10 findings
F1
Page 28
The current multiple funding mechanisms are neither effective nor sustainable for managing Elk Grove’s parks.
F2
Page 28
Public confusion and misunderstanding are evidenced by the need for extensive and repeated community outreach meetings and the mixed success in securing timely voter approval for needed revenue increases. Contributing to this confusion are: the division in roles for Elk Grove’s parks between the City of Elk Grove and Cosumnes Community Services District (CCSD); priorities among neighborhood and district-wide facilities; and the challenge of managing and understanding the park system as an integrated program.
F3
Page 28
The 19 different Landscape and Lighting (L&L) district assessment rates, varying by as much as a factor of four, cause significant inequities for Elk Grove residents in terms of payments they make and benefits they derive from Elk Grove parks. 27
F4
Page 29
The practice of contributing revenue from individual benefit zones to district-wide facilities as a priority ahead of funding parks within each benefit zone compounds the revenue shortages experienced by certain benefit zones.
F5
Page 29
The requirement in Proposition 218 to secure a public vote in order to increase funding in excess of a Consumer Price Index (CPI) index is an unwieldy restraint that impedes adequate funding to maintain, repair and restore Elk Grove parks.
F6
Page 29
The existing L&L assessment rates are insufficient to sustain maintenance, repair, and restoration for parks indefinitely. Specifically, in the short term, revenue from L&L assessment rates in BZ3 and BZ4 is insufficient to maintain, repair, and restore all parks in those benefit zones.
F7
Page 29
The emphasis on individual benefit zones and overlay districts creates a complex and costly administrative burden requiring fragmented budgeting and management, and voter approvals to generate adequate revenue.
F8
Page 29
The baseline budget for park maintenance, repair and restoration does not take into account, nor is it adequate to fund future park modifications or maintenance associated with new parks and programs.
F9
Page 29
CCSD’s practice of attempting to increase voter understanding and acceptance of financial responsibility for the parks program through various outreach efforts has had uneven results in terms of gaining greater voter participation and potentially influencing additional funding for this program.
F10
Page 29
The City of Elk Grove and CCSD have not collaborated effectively to reform and restructure the system.
Recommendations 7
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R1Page 29CCSD and the City of Elk Grove, with the support of Sacramento County, should establish a Regional Task Force to examine the feasibility of replacing the existing system of funding park maintenance. The Regional Task Force membership should include all public officials whose constituents are directly affected. Observers may include representatives of all other related and interested agencies and constituencies such as Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), public and private advocates, etc. This recommendation should be completed
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R2Page 29This task force should identify all relevant laws, ordinances, regulations, policies and procedures that might need to be amended, revised or abolished to replace the existing system with a more simplified, streamlined, equitable and sustainable funding mechanism, such as an annual assessment on all real property in the area based on the assessed value of each parcel. This recommendation should be implemented by June 30, 2021. 28
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R3Page 30CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should evaluate and report to the Regional Task Force on the effect of reversing the existing practice of first transferring new revenues to district-wide and regional facilities, before budgeting for local park maintenance. This recommendation should be implemented
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R4Page 30CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should analyze and report to the Regional Task Force on the added short-term and long-term costs of the additional staffing and consultant services required for the practice of budgeting and managing 19 individual benefit zones and overlay districts in comparison with budgeting and managing these zones on an integrated basis. That analysis should include an examination of the additional costs for any new parks and zones created over the next decade. That analysis should also examine the costs of conducting educational sessions, surveys and elections, as well as preparing Engineer’s Reports to authorize L&L assessment fee increases. This recommendation should be implemented
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R5Page 30CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should conduct and report to the Regional Task Force an integrated analysis of all current revenue and projected revenue over 10 years to be collected for park maintenance, repair and restoration over the same period. Such an assessment will help gauge the adequacy of current and projected revenue without regard to the fragmentation of those resources under the current management structure. This recommendation should be implemented
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R6Page 30CCSD and the City of Elk Grove together should analyze and report to the Regional Task Force on the 10-year growth of revenue permitted under the CPI growth factor, compared with a 10-year forecast of costs associated with park maintenance, repair and restoration. This recommendation should be implemented
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R7Page 30CCSD and the City of Elk Grove should adopt the plan developed by the Regional Task Force for implementation of a new system including relevant MOUs to enable agencies responsible for collecting appropriate tax revenues sufficient to provide park services and maintenance within all neighborhoods. This recommendation should be completed