Last year, we allocated additional resources for parks and recreation facilities, street repaving, sidewalks, signage, traffic calming and neighborhood roadway enhancements. This year’s budget provides an additional increase of approximately 11% over fiscal year 2004.

The transportation program for neighborhood projects alone increases an additional 16% over the FY04 program, which was increased last year by 55%. This includes funding for street repaving ($775,000), sidewalks ($1.3 million), signage ($550,000), traffic calming ($587,500) and roadway enhancements ($1.7 million). Funding at this level will also further reduce the backlog for street repaving and signage replacements, and the the sign program includes upgrading and replacing all school signs and markings over a three-year period. There are 97 public schools in the City of Tampa.

Parks and recreation will receive funding for improvements at 33 facilities and funding for the planting of 1,000 trees throughout the city.