Newberry makes plans for half-million in tax revenues

In 2008, voters approved the Wild Spaces & Public Places (WSPP) initiative – a half-cent countywide sales tax to protect natural resources and improve public recreational facilities.

On Monday, Newberry got down to the details of what the city would be doing with its share of the money raised from the tax.

The tax is currently projected to raise about $30 million, but only a small portion of that money will go to Newberry. Half of that money goes to the county, and the other half is split among the county’s nine municipalities, based on population.

All said in done, Newberry’s cut is roughly $528,000. The two projects so far slated for this money are the development of Triangle Park and the building of a multi-purpose center at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Architect Paul Stressing laid out four options for the commissioners to choose from for the layout of Triangle Park. Each layout included similar features – an amphitheater, picnic area, garden and playground – but with small variations in arrangement.

The current construction plan for the park includes several phases – starting with more basic features and expanding later on as more money becomes available.

According to the June 8 WSPP progress report, Newberry’s current projected budget for Triangle Park is $350,000, which would not be enough to complete all of the planned phases for the park.

Also, the money may stop rolling in, as WSPP is set to expire at the end of 2010 and would need to be put up for another vote in the election this November to continue. The recession already reduced the projected money from the tax from about $40 million to about $30 million. The recession may also put the brakes on renewing the program, as cash-strapped citizens may be less likely to vote for tax increases in tough economic times.

Commissioners also briefly discussed the other WSPP-funded project, the Martin Luther King Jr. multi-purpose center. The center is planned to be an area for residents of all ages to gather in the community.

The next step in the process is for Stressing to take the recommendations of the commission and complete the models to their specifications. Then the project can be accurately priced and will come back to the commission.

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Cont: Recession may put brakes on funding