Creating a special benefits district at Patterson Park to pay for operations and maintenance is an intriguing funding mechanism given the limitations of the Recreation and Parks Department’s current budget and the inability for private fundraising to bridge this budget gap.  Creating a special benefits district for a park is not a novel concept.  In fact, a number of park systems throughout the country use special benefits districts to help fund park systems.

At Patterson Park, the creation of a special benefits district to fund operations and maintenance merits strong consideration.  First, Baltimore already has experience creating successful special benefit districts for communities and businesses.  Extending these districts to parks does not require creating an entirely new tax structure.  Second, a special benefits district can be crafted to apply a low burden on those who benefit from improvements to Patterson Park.  Third, a special benefits district can provide a consistent revenue stream that allows for the long-term operations and maintenance planning recommended in Patterson Park’s Master Plan.  Lastly, there is strong evidence that the community will support creating a special benefits district to improve Patterson Park’s maintenance and operations structure.  With these fundamental elements in place, Patterson Park is a prime candidate for a special benefits district.

The next series of blog posts sets forth the data supporting each of these advantages along with indications that a special benefits district would have both political and community support.