118 Business View - February 2016
Kelton explains. “And we are currently still looking for
other funding sources to increase that, as well. Luck-
ily, within our existing ad valorem tax structure, we
do have the capacity to cover this $80 million bond
over 10 years. Anything additional to that, we would be
looking at an increase in property tax rates.”
Carl White is San Angelo’s Parks and Recreation Di-
rector, tasked with managing the city’s parks and
playgrounds; its two recreation centers; its sports and
aquatic venues; its convention center; its performing
arts venues; Fort Concho, the city-owned and -oper-
ated National Historic Landmark; and Fairmount Cem-
etery, the final resting place of San Angeloans since
1893. His department’s capital projects budget has
been subsidized by a half-cent increase in the local
sales tax that was voted in by the public some years
ago.
“And that has provided funds for major projects such as
a large sports facility, renovations to different facilities
like the Coliseum and Convention Center, some work
at Fort Concho, and some park development projects,”
White says. The Department’s to-do list comes from a
master plan, based on public surveys and meetings,
which gets updated every five years. “The master plan
guides us in terms of new park projects or develop-
ments,” he says. “So what we build is what the public
has told us they want.” According to White, additional
funding to meet his challenges comes from the city’s
general fund, federal Community Development Block
Grants, and some local and state grants.
INFRASTRUCTURE
