City voters would voluntarily increase their property taxes a second time in recent years if they approve a bond question aimed at spending on more parks and trails in Santa Fe.

A $14 million package of parks construction and renovation and new trail connections and upgrades is one of three questions on the March 6 city ballot. If approved, the measure would authorize the city to borrow money repayable through property taxes on homes and businesses. It's the same source voters agreed to tap in 2008 for a $30 million parks bond package.

Work on the dozens of projects in the 2008 bond program is largely complete, but city officials say the second round of construction spending for public spaces will help put newly developed regions on par with older areas.

While the older bond paid for upgrades at existing parks, more than a third of the proposed new spending would be for a new park. In 2008, 70 percent of those casting ballots voted in favor of the bond proposal.

This time around, even with a smaller proposed bond issue, voters might be more resistant, says District 1 resident Richard Gale.

While Gale plans to vote in favor of $5 million in bonds for police and fire stations, he said he won't vote for parks and trails.

"I'm generally skeptical about how those guys are handling the finances that deal with the public," Gale said. "If they can build all of this stuff and maintain it, then why was it a year ago that we didn't have any money?"

Gale said he believes the city should be "more stingy," given the economic climate.

Others have raised questions about how much the park upgrades will cost the city in ongoing maintenance. A report presented by the city manager on Monday said the proposed projects won't add to the bottom line for maintenance already required for the city's 100 parks and miles of trails.

Councilor Patti Bushee, a member of the city Finance Committee who is up for re-election on the March 6 ballot, said that figure did not seem accurate.

"I don't feel this is a fair assessment down the road," she said. "It just feels like we are not being totally honest about this."

Meanwhile, backers say all the city's residents should take responsibility for inequity among recreation opportunities in the four council districts.

Barbara Mueller, who already cast her absentee vote in favor of the bond proposals, said that even though she lives on the north side, she doesn't doubt the need for more recreation spending in other parts of the city.

"I don't mind paying extra on my taxes so that people on the south side can have a park and trails," she said. "It will make everyone healthier, and it's going to make it a better city."

The biggest single item under the proposal is money to begin a regional park planned for 98 acres on the western end of Tierra Contenta. City planners are calling it SWAN, for "southwest area activity node."

Councilors have a $19 million master plan for the park but plan to use about $5 million from the proposed bond to establish the basic features such as a multipurpose sports field, family picnic area, lawn, basketball court, playground, an access road and parking.

The next largest item included in this proposal is $4 million to implement part of a five-year wish list adopted by the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization and the city's Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee. Items on that list include adding and striping bike lanes, installing "sharrows" on street pavement to replace bicycle awareness signs that have worn out, and building trail connections.

Councilors also earmarked $2 million from this proposed bond question to connect sections of a trail along the Santa Fe River by building a grade-separated crossing at St. Francis Drive, a project that didn't make it on the advisory committee's list but was on a Santa Fe River corridor plan the city adopted more than 20 years ago.

Finally, $3 million from this bond proposal would be spent citywide on improvements at parks not updated under a 2008 bond issue approved by voters. Each of the four City Council districts would see two to six parks get attention, and four regional parks also would get upgrades, including skate park renovations at Franklin Miles Park, a $410,000 water feature at Ragle Park and $275,000 for a concession stand and restrooms at Salvador Perez Park.

The rest of the list includes:

• $126,000 in District 1 for erosion-control plants at the Cross of the Martyrs, a drinking fountain at Thomas Macaione Park and resurfacing of basketball courts, irrigation upgrades and Americans with Disabilities Act updates to the playground at John Griego Park.

• $487,000 in District 2 for lights and a skate feature at De Vargas Park West, a parking ramp and irrigation-system upgrade at Patrick Smith Park and completion of renovations at the Water History Park at the base of Upper Canyon Road.

• $498,000 in District 3 for a new park at Colonia Prisma, landscaping in Arroyo Sonrisa Park, an open turf area at Las Acequias Park, a walking path at Los Hermanos Rodriguez Park and playground equipment for Los Milagros Park.

• $445,000 in District 4 for a fence around prairie dog habitat at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, a new basketball hoop and resurfaced court at Herb Martinez Park, arroyo stabilization and a new pedestrian bridge at La Resolana Park, a shade structure, trail connection and turf reconditioning at Monica Lucero Park, complete renovation of Rancho Siringo Park, drainage work and park furniture at Escondido Park, and a master plan for a new park in Nava Adé.

Contact Julie Ann Grimm at 986-3017 or jgrimm@sfnewmexican.com.

Bond question: "Shall the City of Santa Fe issue up to $14,000,000 of general obligation bonds to acquire land for, and to plan, design, build, equip, renovate, and improve public parks, bike-pedestrian trails and related infrastructure?"

Key projects: First phase of a large regional park in Tierra Contenta, trail improvement projects prioritized by the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee, construction of a St. Francis Drive trail underpass at the Santa Fe River.

Estimated tax impact on a $300,000 house: $34 per year. (Two other bond questions will appear on the March 6 ballot -- $5 million for public safety and $3.8 million for environmental projects -- bringing the total estimated tax increase, if all three questions are approved, to about $54 for a home valued at $300,000.)

Big picture: The city of Santa Fe is already repaying general obligation bonds it issued after voters in 2008 approved $30 million in spending for parks. The principal now stands at $27.7 million. Under the current repayment schedule, which calls for the first bond issue to be retired in 2028, the borrowing will cost taxpayers $10.4 million in interest. If all three new proposals are approved, the city's total general obligation debt would be at about $50.5 million and wouldn't be paid off for 30 years. The general obligation bonding capacity is $144 million.

For more information: The city has posted spreadsheets and other details about the bond proposals on its website at www.santafenm.gov. Click on "March 6 Opportunity Bonds" on the left.