Eileene Kronenberg's April 12 letter to the editor, concerning bike paths along the new bypass, needs a response. She says that since only 800 people signed the petition to include bike paths and a linear park in the construction of the new bypass, those people ought to pay for it, at $8,750 per person. She also says that
because she claims to see so few bicycles useing the current bike paths, public money should not be used for these, either, and that existing bike paths should be abandoned.
Let's see how her criteria stacks up for the spending of the taxpayer's dollars in other areas. For example, parks. On any given day only a very small number of people are actually using them. Obviously this is a waste of large tracts of property that could be generating revenue. Perhaps we should fence them tight, man the gates and entrances, and charge a hefty fee to cover park aquisition and maintenance.
Or how about the public library. You will seldom see more then a couple of dozen people there at any given time. Abandon it! Or at least make the elite few who use it pay for it. And how many people actually use all that
open space that the taxpayer's money is being squandered on? Surely that land could be put to better use, such as strip malls.
And what about the community center? That is far too valuable a property to be given away so cheaply. Make those who want to use it pay the full cost!
Of course the foregoing opinions are ridiculous, but then so is Eileene Kronenberg's.
The proposed linear park and bike path will benefit everyone, whether she knows it or not.
Carson City is trying to attract light industry to this area to broaden our tax base and create jobs, and high on the list of things that people planning to relocate consider are parks, schools, and recreation, all
of which will benefit from the proposed linear park and bike path. Also, anytime someone chooses to use a bike instead of a car we all benefit.
There is less congestion, less pollution, less wear and tear on the public streets. Anything that can be done to encourage people to use bicycles is a step in the right direction, and those who have such vision should be
applauded.
