Park comment out of context
Martin_Shepherd
2008-08-18 13:43:03
In communicating my concern over cuts to Fairfax County Parks to Ms. Winnie Shapiro and Supervisor Sharon Bulova, I can assure you that neither support the proposed cuts to lakefront parks. The quote attributed to Ms. Shapiro in in your article "Park programs in jeopardy" on Aug. 13 was taken totally out of context from a 3-hour meeting. What the entire park board ended up, very reluctantly, accepting was a list of the severe impacts to parks that would result from a budget cut next spring of 15 percent.
Fairfax County will have a large budget shortfall for next year, and every department has been asked by the County Executive to provide a list of what might have to be cut if additional funds cannot be found. A series of public comment meetings have been scheduled on the budget this fall. Supervisors need to hear what residents value the most before they decide where to take budget cuts.
Interested parties may go to the county website at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/budget/publicmeetings.htm to see the schedule. Fairfax County residents must weigh in with their superviosrs and let them know where priorties lie. We need the
public's help in telling the Board of Supervisors how important our parks are.
Martin Shepherd