How can the County spend your tax dollars more frivolously than they have in the past?

The new planned expansion of Sailfish Splash Water Park brought to you by Abbate Enterprises (Parks & Rec Department) which is 100% owned by the Board of County Commissioners…or, in other words, the taxpayers of Martin County.

Not content to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars currently, the newest addition to something that should never have been built will cost taxpayers $2 million for Phase 1 and eventually a total of $5 million. The money for Phase 1 will come from impact fees. High impact fees are one of the reasons why building a new home or business in the County is so expensive. But what does Abbate Enterprises care about money. They want to compete with the private sector but be subsidized by the taxpayer.

Between our new “Top Golf” fun at the public golf course and this Martin County extravaganza, the County is building losing entertainment ventures with abandon.

The season for the water Park is March 9^th through September 2^nd in 2019.  A day at the park will cost you $14.95 per adult and $12.95 per kid. A family outing with Mom, Dad, and the two kids, without anything else, is $58. Or, you can go to the beach and spend nothing! What are we doing here?

What happened to public recreation and not subsidies for amusement parks? What about all the kids that can’t afford this? What about those without a pool at home? Isn’t recreation and parks for the people, all the people, and not for just the few?

The private sector won’t touch a water park in Martin County for a very good reason, since it is a money pit! The County Commission is doubling down because one of their rationales is you need to spend more not to lose as much!

I can’t believe citizens think this is a good idea. I can’t believe taxpayers think this is a good idea. This is a vanity project and has no place in County government. Whichever Commissioners vote for this nonsense, after needing to borrow $45 million to fix fire stations, should be retired at their next election. The entire idea needs to never get as far as the dais.

It is time for Parks & Rec to concentrate on our parks and recreation programs. We should demand that the facilities we have currently be maintained and nothing new be built. This utter nonsense is a sheer disregard for taxpayer dollars. Contrary to the popular belief of some, County government is not a private business but rather a public trust.