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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Tuesday fire damages Shady Cove home ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Portland parents criticize officials over lead at 2 schools ... Tuesday fire damages Shady Cove home ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Portland parents criticize officials over lead at 2 schools ... OUR VIEW Our View: Rec center shouldn't mean increased fees Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A recreation complex for Medford, including a gymnasium and an aquatic center, would be a welcome addition to a community that lacks both — but not if paying for it means taking general fund money from existing city services or further increasing systems development fees. Parks and Recreation Director Brian Sjothun gave the City Council a "wish list" of projects prepared by his department. A recreation center topped that list and seemed to also draw the most interest from council members. Sjothun says he thinks such a facility could be as successful as U.S. Cellular Community Park, which features baseball, softball and soccer fields and attracts teams from far and wide for tournaments. A basketball facility could accommodate city league teams as well as hosting regional tournaments, and a competitive swimming facility could be a big draw as well. All of this is in the conceptual stage. No location has been chosen, no detailed plans have been drawn up and paying for it remains a big question mark. Voters turned down a proposed property tax levy to build an aquatic center four years ago, and this is a more ambitious idea than just a pool. If a recreation center could be built without asking taxpayers to cover the cost, it would be much more likely to happen. What shouldn't happen in this case is yet another increase to systems development charges. Those are fees added to the cost of new housing construction to reimburse the city for the increased cost of providing sewers, streets, storm drains and other services to new developments. Those fees already total more than $3,400 for a single-family home, at a time when housing affordability is a major issue. A better idea could be waiting for the Medford Urban Renewal District to be dissolved in 2018. That would free up approximately $1 million a year that now goes to pay off MURA bonds. If the city can maintain existing services without that money, the council could issue revenue bonds and use that existing tax money to pay them off. No one's taxes would increase, and the community would gain a new public facility. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501