In addition to the Mordecai article, I was also quoted in a separate Midtown Raleigh News article on the new parks fees.
Many parks fees had not been raised for several years, parks board members noted. For example, the citywide youth sports registration fee has been $12 since 2004.
“This is an opportunity to make adjustments that have been needed for a while,” said board chairman Mark Turner. “I didn’t feel they were necessarily drastic … The variety of programs and offerings are still a very good deal for the public.”
via Raleigh raises fees for youth sports, park rentals – News – MidtownRaleighNews.com.
I’m usually pretty happy with Matt Garfield’s coverage of parks stuff in Raleigh. But this article seemed unnecessarily inflammatory. It made it sound like the bad economy prompted the parks staff to go hunting for new fees to charge.
I think Matt didn’t realize until I mentioned it to him that the Parks board adjusts the fees every year.
I also emphasized that the fees being raised were the ones that outside, commercial entities paid to use the facilities, not the general public. I also stressed that the vast majority of fees did not change.
I could write a correction letter to the editor but I haven’t heard any public discontent so I’m leaning towards just rolling with it.