ADVOCACY
Voting in the 2020 election showed that people are willing to pay more taxes to deliberately improve the value of local outdoors spaces that enhance their quality of life.
Voters Overwhelmingly Supported Park Funding Ballot Initiatives in 2020 By Elvis Cordova
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The COVID-19 Factor
Voters in 48 jurisdictions throughout the country had the opportunity to determine the future and purpose of their local outdoor spaces. Collectively, voters across the country approved approximately $3.7 billion (tinyurl.com/ydhfexhc) in new public funding measures for projects that encompassed land conservation, outdoor recreation expansion, wildlife habitat protection, improvement of water-quality initiatives, climate-
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic brought the realization that parks and outdoor recreation facilities are an indispensable aspect of people’s lives. Moreover, COVID-19 exacerbated an already alarming chronic disease — substance use and the mental health crisis — while plunging many communities and individuals further into poverty, social isolation, food insecurity and general uncertainty. Parks and recreation facilities have offered a solution to many of those societal challenges. As a result, local parks and trails have experienced a noticeable increase in
he national general election of November 2020 was a historic one, with nearly 70 percent of the eligible U.S. voting population casting their votes. This figure represents the highest voter turnout rate in 120 years. The main draw for the 2020 election was for the U.S. presidency. However, other significant factors actually motivated voters to get out and vote in record numbers — including control of the U.S. Senate, election of state governors, state constitutional amendments and local ballot initiatives for dedicated park funding measures.
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Parks & Recreation
resiliency measures and park enhancements designed to expand local access. What’s really captivating about these funding measures is that they increased taxes. While most mechanisms for these tax increases were forward-looking, the results all reverberated with the same message: People are willing to pay more taxes to deliberately improve the value of local outdoor spaces that enhance their quality of life. NRPA research supports this sentiment, find-
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ing that more than 4 in 5 people agree that parks and recreation is an essential local government service.
