This week’s things to know:

Nevada's low property tax rate pushing Sparks to grow its borders to sustain services

We're doing some fiscal analysis work for Fernley, NV where we are helping them look into how they can build out the remainder of their city in a manner that will generate sufficient revenue to cover current and long-term service costs. Our client (shout out to Tim Thompson!) sent me this article about the nearby community of Sparks, where they are having a discussion we see far too often: they're running out of land for new development and realizing what they've built doesn't cover rapidly escalating infrastructure and service costs. The state has had property tax cap legislation in place for a while, and the politicians (and residents in general) continue to scoff at raising taxes, so they are now working on some grand plans to expand their city's service area and build new roads so they can use more new growth to cover current costs. It's a classic example of the growth ponzi scheme and Strong Towns 101. When every development you build costs more to serve than it generates in revenue, you can't make up the gap by building more. You just make the problem worse for our kids and future generations.

-Kevin

Report: To close the park access gap, open up schoolyards

I've always been vocal about this, but now that I live in a neighborhood where I look at a school every day, I've become that person that rants about it over dinner. Our communities of all sizes are full of schools, with their ball fields, playgrounds, running tracks and room to roam - so long as you can get past the fences and foreboding signage loudly proclaiming that THIS PLACE IS NOT FOR YOU. We know the disparities that exist in cities around the nation when it comes to access to parks. We know the disparities that exist when it comes to public health, proximity to pollutants and the ability to experience leisure. Making neighborhood schools truly function for and benefit the neighborhood itself (and not just its children during prescribed hours) is a key step. Here in Texas where we experience frequent heat, yet continue to convert greenfields to asphalt and concrete, the arguments for greening school grounds are also strong. The Trust for Public Land is proposing a path forward for both initiatives, which is summarized in this piece by Grist. 

–AJ

Austin Residents Will Have 'Right to Return' In New Development for the First Time

Emily Nonko over at Next City has an interesting writeup on a development going into an area here in Austin (where I am based) that is going to be the first to fall under new rules passed by the City Council called “Right to Remain/Return”. In an historically black neighborhood with decades of mistreatment by local and state leaders (they ran I-35 through the middle of it, and a lot more) rules like this are an interesting way to look at how to begin the process to allow the community to thrive and grow. I’m generally skeptical of these kinds of program, they are often lofty and well-meaning but tend to fail when it comes time to deliver. I hope I’m wrong in this case. I will be following this closely and hope that this part of town is able to benefit from private investment being targeted specifically to benefit existing and returning residents.

–Marshall

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