As currently presented, the $40 million Riverfront Park portion of the $60 million bond issue for parks and streets is a bad idea. Here’s why:

1. It is not comprehensive for the very purposes it is intended, namely, to make Spokane and the downtown area more attractive to both people who live in Spokane and potential visitors. A much broader plan that would better accomplish these goals would include new features and upgrades to Manito Park, Spokane’s actual premiere park (TravelAdvisor.com award, Spokesman-Review, June 26).

2. It does not have a realistic, well-grounded vision of the overall current and future purposes of parks.

3. It refinances current debt as if refinancing is a free ride. It is not a free ride. Debt paid off, is money made available that can be put to municipal use elsewhere or simply saved so taxpayers have more to spend on other things.

With approximately $10 million diverted to Manito in the bond plan, the people of Spokane would get something new that is more to the heart of the purposes of the proposed bond: It would be a true additional economic stimulus for Spokane, and therefore be worth the long-range refinancing.

Larry Vandervert

Spokane