The Influence Of Tax Money On Sidewalks

Your post was informative and brings up the very valid point that limited financial resources are a barrier for a cash-strapped community that may not see sidewalks as a priority. Sidewalks can promote physical activity by enabling people to walk to school, work or recreationally (hsph.harvard.edu, 2016). Limited access to sidewalks and city transportation can certainly be considered a contributor to obesity, but convincing people to use tax money on sidewalks, which are not a basic necessity like food and shelter would be a hard sell. It may be too that the lack of sidewalks is only one part of the problem and that the socioeconomic status of the residents may be playing more of a role in their decision to use the recreational complex.
Although the scenario doesn’t state that once a person is at the complex that entrance is free, this would be unusual. Most towns and cities charge a fee or require a membership to for residents to use a recreational complex and unemployed people are not likely to spend money to exercise. A socioeconomic barrier would be very hard for the health educator to overcome.

In thinking outside the box, perhaps the health educator could persuade city officials to start a bike-sharing program that is underwritten by local, state and federal resources. Lack of sidewalks is an environmental barrier to exercise, but perhaps the health educator could get the “concerned citizens” to petition policy makers to apply for grant money to start a bike sharing program with dedicated lanes. Chicago has a bike development plan that is in part federally funded by the Department of Transportation and local businesses that get to sponsor and advertise at the bike stations. Bike programs do have a high start up cost but the cost may be less than sidewalks and an alternative way for residents to get exercise or go to work (Beitsch, 2016).