Would you support publicly funded public squares & fountains?

[Rwarky]

If your city government decided to build some public squares and fountains through public bonds, would you support these taxes? Furthermore, do you like the idea of public squares being built in your city?

[AuLukey]

While it can be argued either way that fountains and squares are money better spent elsewhere, they do bring a lot to the areas surrounding. Fountains are better suited in small parks, in plazas, and the center of traffic circles. Squares, aside from being space occupiers, take little cash annually in the form upkeep costs for electricity and minor maintenance. These types of fixtures are not extremely expensive and would hardly make a dent in the city budget. It would be nice to see a few more.

[suburban george3]

Usually squares, fountains, and other design asthetics are included in major project designs. Most modern skyscraper, civic buildings, and even highway projects take asthetics into account. Although some municipalities put a bigger emphasis on it than others.

As far as beautification related bond referendums, their passage depends on local prosperity at the moment and the citizens overall attitude towards their leaders. I said I would support publicly funded squares and fountains, but that too would depend on the economic health of the municipality I lived in.

[Charlotteman]

I support this idea 100%.

Cities should be BEAUTIFUL! Beauty doesn't come cheap.

It comes down to this: do ya wanna pay a little more in taxes and live in a beautiful city, or would ya rather get a tax cut and live in a city that looks like an East European city during the Cold War era?

I think Savannah has the example worth emulating. The series of round-abouts and tiny parks are just gorgeous!

[wscruiser]

Considering the current state of the local economy in the Triad area, I have to say no. As a city or county elected official, it would be really hard for me to support any type of bond to build a public square or fountain when there are more pressing financial issues that need to be addressed.

There are other ways to make street/roadside areas in your community very attractive with out spending a lot of local tax payer money. It will be a slower process, but over the years it will be much less costly for the local tax payer, and it will mean more to the community.

Get your local civic clubs and major companies to buy into the idea. Have them adopt spots throughout the area to cleanup. Assist them in planting flowers and trees in the areas.

Once the idea takes hold, you may be suprised what can be done with very little taxpayer money spent.

A good source for getting a fountain built may be as close as your local high school or community college. If either of them teach a brick laying class, they may would agree to build it as a class project.

Search for grants that are available to provide help in making your locations more attractive.

[sax184]

Yes. We already publicly fund big boxes and ugly frypits by subsidizing the construction of megahighways and interchanges that make their economics viable in the first place.

[cityboi]

City leaders in Greensboro were against building the huge complex fountain thats planned for the center-city park because of the yearly expense to maintain it. I think its worth it but anyway Downtown Greensboro Inc. will foot the bill for the fountain maintenance.