1. Email Mayor Reed at mayorreed@atlantaga.gov, subject line “Please Don’t Cut Parks!”
2. Copy the below letter and paste it into your email
3. Click Send
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Dear Mayor Reed,

I write to express my support for Atlanta’s parks and to ask that you not cut funding for park maintenance.

You have been a strong supporter of Atlanta’s parks, working for the creation of a parks district, supporting a Constitutional amendment to support BeltLine funding, and endorsing the Act to Save Atlanta’s Parks (ASAP)! However, it will not be easy developing a budget during these extremely difficult economic times. Fortunately, park maintenance is part of the solution - a smart short-term and long-term investment that improves public safety and quality of life.

Park maintenance impacts public safety and tax revenue. Well-maintained parks like Piedmont and Centennial Olympic Park attract residents and businesses - and increase property values on adjoining land by an average of 20%. Poorly maintained parks are more likely to harbor criminal activity and drive residents away, increasing the cost of public safety while eroding the tax base.

Parks and recreation also play a vital role in supporting our youth. After-school activities can reinforce educational opportunities while promoting physical activity. The result is improved physical and mental health, as well as a stronger foundation for future success. Park conditions will have a direct impact on your “Centers of Hope” initiative, as the parks surrounding the centers will define the look, feel and perception of those centers.

Since you began your public service in 1998, the City of Atlanta eliminated 117 parks positions. Atlanta currently has about half the full-time park employees it had when you joined the General Assembly. Moreover, the City estimates that it would require $19.6 million to meet existing maintenance standards. The fiscal 2010 budget for the Office of Parks was $11.2 million. What few dollars the city contributes to park maintenance will have to go farther, as the City will add hundreds of acres of new parks through the BeltLine and other efforts.

Thank you for your consideration, your leadership and your service.