Forest Park pool has been a drain on Everett’s budget

Published 1:30 am Thursday, May 7, 2020

In a recent Herald editorial (“Everett faces painful cuts to survive downturn,” April 21) it was announced that Forest Park pool was to be closed through the year 2021.

This is but the tip of the iceberg and people should know the truth about the closure. Initially the pool was closed due to the coronavirus but the pool will not open when the quarantine is over. The mayor’s claim is it is because of revenue shortfall. This is true, but not in the way one would think.

The Forest Park pool has for years been run using taxpayer money to keep it operational. The pool, in my opinion, has never turned a profit or even broke even; it depends upon taxpayer dollars to remain open. This is not unusual; most public city pools run on subsidies. The problem with Forest Park pool subsidy, is the amount. In the past 4 years the subsidies have neared $2 million dollars. The city also is spending an additional $2.5 million dollars to aid in the construction, operation and maintenance of the new Everett YMCA. This competition may result in even higher subsidies.

The city has done little to remedy this hemorrhaging of subsidies. It is much easier to raise taxes and fees than to develop revenue generating programs or become more efficient.

Mayor Cassie Franklin may state the decision to close Forest Park Pool was a hard one to make. Not true, it was a very easy decision. It was necessary to stop the hemorrhaging.

Steven Lay

Everett