With less than a month before the federal government runs out of money, and there being seemingly little progress in passing a Fiscal Year 2025 budget, the prospect of a federal government shutdown is once again likely. During a time when agency workforce reductions, funding freezes, and abrupt changes in federal policy priorities are already causing a high degree of uncertainty and instability for state and local governments, a shutdown by the federal government would only compound the negative impact of those disruptions. Because state and local governments do not have the ability to borrow like the federal government, with almost all of them having balanced budget requirements and limited borrowing authority, even minor disruptions can have profound effects on financially sensitive budgets. A shutdown would create significant challenges for communities already dealing with uncertainty and strained resources.
What does this have to do with playgrounds?
Spring is the time of year when most local governments start hiring additional seasonal staff in the parks and recreation departments to handle the increase in summer activity. These staff provide critical maintenance, programming, and safety services for local parks and playgrounds. When state and local governments feel fiscally vulnerable, these are often the first positions they eliminate or reduce. Those decisions can have significant impacts on the availability and accessibility of play infrastructure, especially during the summer when schoolyard playgrounds aren’t available.
Stalled payments from HUD’s CDBG program, the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program (ORLP), or any number of other federal funding programs that state and local leaders rely on will have immediate negative impacts on cashflows during this time of year. Those cashflow problems will not only delay projects already in the pipeline but cause local governments to defer other projects, including critical maintenance and preparation work, that was scheduled for their outdoor recreation sites and facilities as they seek to conserve resources during a period of uncertainty.
Finally, federal officials working with state and local governments on transportation, housing, and energy grid projects will not be able to perform their critical roles. This could delay permits, environmental reviews, and much needed technical assistance for initiatives that are central to neighborhood development plans and local job creation. The downstream effects from indefinitely pausing those projects will erode state and local governments’ bottom lines which can then degrade their ability to invest in amenities like parks, playground, and outdoor recreation over the coming year.
Avoiding a federal shutdown is crucial. It is equally critical to resume a sense of stability and predictability to how the federal government is conducting its business. Budget stand-offs, arbitrary funding freezes, and ambiguously worded directives signifying abrupt shifts in policy without clear guidance have real world impacts beyond the confines of the DC beltway. Ordinary Americans, who rely on their playgrounds, parks, and recreation centers to help provide activities for their families and children with little to no costs, are depending on their elected officials to put their needs ahead of unnecessary political brinkmanship. Hopefully, leaders of both parties—and across the Executive and Congressional branches—can come together and prioritize the needs of everyday families and kids before a federal shutdown takes effect.