On November 6th, a proposal called Measure II will be appearing in this year’s ballot in Millbrae. This measure would pass a bond to provide 12 million dollars in finance to rebuild the recreation center that tragically burned down in 2016. This past August, the city council voted unanimously to pass this bond, allowing the measure to appear on the 2018 ballot. The 12 million will be added to more than 9.5 million dollars from insurance proceeds, developer contributions and committed capital project funds. Other sources of funding are the sale of surplus city property and capital contributions from potential operators. This funding is projected to raise 8 million dollars. However, if passed Millbrae home owners will pay an estimated $56 more on their tax bills. This causes hesitance in Millbrae owners for some believe th at insurance settlements should be able to pay for the recreation center. The recreation center was around 50 years old so the insurance settlement was only about 6.2 million dollars which is not enough.
The proposed Recreation Center would consist of lounges, classrooms, conference rooms, a kitchen, a fitness studio, a game lounge and much more within about 25,000 square feet. The center strives to be a multigenerational gathering point, and with the many facilities they may achieve that. A timeline projects the opening of the recreation center in 2021 and projects the building of a gym and renovation of Central park in the future.
The building of the proposed recreational center comes with many pros and cons, varying in effect. The building would provide a place for the Millbrae Community to gather together. The facility would also come with many additional benefits target towards Seniors and Youth, such as Summer Camps and Senior Social lunches. In addition, the property value of homes would rise. For residents looking to sell, this is a major benefit because they will likely sell for more, but this poses a problem for the area. The Bay Area is already one of the the most expensive places in America to live, with a comfortable living price of $123,000. If the price rises it would effectively lock out even more future consumers and residents.
On the ballot it states that “A yes vote is a vote in favor of authorizing the city to issue up to $12 million in bonds at an estimated tax rate of $8.70 per $100,000 of assessed value to fund the restoration of Millbrae Recreation Center following fire damage in 2016.” The other option on the ballot says that, “A no vote is a vote against authorizing the city to issue up to $12 million in bonds at an estimated tax rate of $8.70 per $100,000 of assessed value to fund the restoration of Millbrae Recreation Center following fire damage in 2016.”
Make sure to look out for Measure II this November 6th. The proposal affects the you and the rest of the Millbrae community directly. Remember to vote for this measure and others like it to ensure a better future for Millbrae.
