Business Improvement District
A business improvement district is a specific geographic area within a community where property owners are levied an additional tax that goes for a specific purpose. The idea has been raised in Charlottesville on at least two occasions but one has not yet materialized.
2003
Mayor Maurice Cox raised the idea at a budget work session on March 12, 2003. He said money raised could go to pay for mall improvements. [1]
2012 - 2015
In the fall of 2014, the Downtown Business Association of Charlottesville began investigating the creation of a Business Improvement District|business improvement district]] to help raise revenue to pay for additional services in and around the Downtown Mall. [2] Bob Stroh read a letter to Council on February 17, 2015. That night the idea was championed by Jim Neale, Ludwig Kuttner, Wes Bellamy and Louis Schultz. [3] However, the DBAC withdrew the idea in March 2015. [4]
Background
The idea was to levy a 13-cent property tax on land and buildings around the mall. However, the concept drew the opposition of many landowners. [5]
City's community improvement district
The City of Charlottesville had previously discussed the idea in December 2012. Economic development director Chris Engel documented city history on the issue in a memo. [6]
References
- ↑ Web. Charlottesville City Council meeting minutes, .pdf, Council Chambers, City of Charlottesville, March 12, 2003.
- ↑ Web. City Council supports formation of special downtown tax district, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, August 19, 2014, retrieved September 2, 2014.
- ↑ Web. Charlottesville City Council meeting minutes, .pdf, Council Chambers, City of Charlottesville, February 17, 2015.
- ↑ Web. Downtown business association withdraws tax district request, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, March 2, 2015, retrieved April 27, 2016.
- ↑ Web. http://cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/20225-tax-district-questions/, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 22, 2015, retrieved April 27, 2016.
- ↑ Web. Business Improvement Districts, Chris Engel, Memo to City Manager Maurice Jones, City of Charlottesville, December 20, 2012, retrieved April 27, 2016.