Even over the phone, I could tell the sighs of attorney for the potential opposition group were rising to Al Gore proportions. The lawyer had objected to something I'd published in an IAPD newsletter.

This was my Ben Bradlee moment. My stubborn instance of standing by my contributors — who were right — frustrated that counselor to no end.

So he tried a different tack: "You're a publicly funded organization, right?"

"No," I said. "We're not a government agency. We're an association."

"But an association of publicly funded agencies?" he said.

I knew where this was going, but by this time I liked pushing his buttons. "Well most of our members ..." I began.

"You get your money from member dues," he said.

"Yes, we get some of our funding from dues, but..."

"Well, that's taxpayer money. So you printed this newsletter with taxpayer money. Isn't that right?"

"I have no idea," I said.

"What?" He said with fake courtroom incredulity.

"Sir, I really don't know what money our members use to pay their association dues. It could come from grants or their Friends of the Parks group for all I know. So I don't think it's in any way accurate for you to claim we used public money to ..."

"Goodbye," he said. And he never called back.

A few days later the IAPD released a study on the economic impact of local park and recreation agencies. Turns out, I was more correct than I'd imagined.

Taken as a whole, nearly half — 48 percent — of the operating budget of the state's local agencies comes from sources other than property tax support. Just over forty-four percent comes from fees and charges, while three percent comes from grants and donations. Many individual agencies receive more than half their operating funds from sources other than property taxes.

We all know why: Because we have to. Voters simply aren't much willing pass referenda these days. And, unlike, say, fire protection districts, our agencies are the units of local government that have the opportunity (and the talent) to use our assets to develop new revenue streams.

That's what this issue of Illinois Parks & Recreation is all about. I hope the stories in this issue give you new ideas and inspire you to boost the already large portion of your income that doesn't rely on property tax assessments.

And, now that I know better, I also kind of hope that lawyer calls me back.

RODD WHELPLEY
Editor

4 Illinois Parks and Recreation www.ILipra.org