Now they’re working to overcome objections from downtown neighbors who aren’t convinced by the plan to self-impose a $1-per-day tax. At least 60 percent of those who would be taxed have to agree for the plan to move forward.
Led by the nonprofit Longview Downtown Partnership, proponents of the new tax hope to create a formal Business Improvement District, or BID. It would collect $365 per year from each business, property owner and nonprofit located in an area roughly bound by 12th and 14th avenues, Washington Way and Florida Street.
The temporary five-year tax would raise $148,000 per year, which would go towards four goals:
•Street beautification and maintenance – paid staff and volunteers would regularly clean downtown streets.
• Business recruitment and retention – creating programs to help existing businesses and draw new tenants to vacant spots.
• Marketing and promotion – using the Internet and other tools to promote the city’s core.
• Strategic partnerships – working with law enforcement, educators and business groups to coordinate and pool resources.
“The BID is the foundation and centerpiece of a revitalization effort,” said Janice Forbes, owner of Highlander Cycling Imports on Commerce Avenue and president of Longview Downtown Partnerships. “Downtown communities throughout Washington and the country who have taken a chance on a BID have reaped the rewards of progress and prosperity.”
Spokane, Olympia, Yakima and Tacoma all have BIDs in place, and in some cases business owners have opted to repeatedly renew the self-imposed taxes, which expire every five years.
But not everyone in downtown Longview is convinced by the BID plan, which would tax every business the same amount, whether it has annual profits of $1,000 or $1 million. Because the tax would be assessed on both licensed businesses and on property owners, businesses that own their own downtown properties would have to pay twice.
Some service-oriented businesses, like accountants and travel agents, have been unenthusiastic about the proposed BID because they don’t rely on the foot traffic that the downtown plan aims to generate, said John Anderson, president of Be Cause Business Resources and a supporter of
the BID.
Companies located on side streets have also said they’re worried they’ll get less of a benefit than those on major thoroughfares.
Those objections are one reason that the BID has not yet come together, despite initial goals to certify it by May, Forbes said. Now the group is targeting the end of July.
“It’s taking longer than we thought, but we’re diligently working at it,” Forbes said. People are either going to say, ‘Yeah, let’s do it, let’s give it a chance,’ or they won’t. I think we’ll probably give them a little bit more time, but there is going to be an end to this process.”
For his part, Anderson said he’s hopeful that wavering businesses and property owners ultimately agree to impose the $1-per-day tax.
“The boat of small business is going to rise and fall depending on how we collaborate together,” he said.
