Store owner Cathy Dobson, of Dobson's Antiques, discusses her opposition to the El Centro business improvement district fee Monday at her downtown El Centro store. (FERNANDO ACOSTA JR. PHOTO / July 19, 2010) |
Dobson’s Antiques owner Cathy Dobson hasn’t seen any bang for her buck from El Centro’s downtown improvement district.
While she still pays the fees, she finds that it’s a struggle to get anything, even trash cans, out in front of her store on Main Street in El Centro, she said. Those fees, though, have cost her business as some of those that sell within her store have to pay more than $100 to do business.
She’s lost 10 out of 20 sellers in her antique store, and several have told her it’s because of the extra fee, she said. It’s unfair to have those fees for stores downtown when no others in the city have it.
“I don’t want it,” she said. “I think it’s a waste of money. I don’t see any improvements downtown.”
A lack of revenue and a decrease in participation has caused the El Centro City Council to consider disbanding the downtown business improvement district.
The council will look at the issue at today’s meeting, though disbanding the district is only one option, said Councilwoman Sedalia Sanders, who has met multiple times with the district board. The option to disband would not be for the 2011 fiscal year.
With recent decisions at the state level to raid local cities’ redevelopment funds, options like disbanding the district are being looked at, she said. The redevelopment fund gives $10,000 to the district a year, and the state is taking more than $2 million.
“These funding sources we once had are no longer there,” she said.
The council will be holding a public comment session for those who want to speak for or against changes for the business improvement district.
The business improvement district, which covers businesses on Main Street between Fourth and Eighth streets, works to improve businesses downtown by putting on events, keeping up maintenance and putting up flags each season.
Projects that the district has done include getting more trash cans that look better than the ones placed out there and pushing for planters in front of stores, said Jason Jackson, vice president of the El Centro Downtown Business Association.
The district tries to do all it can, but it has become increasingly difficult as some stores don’t put in money, he said. The expected revenue is $34,000 a year, but the district only brings in $14,000 to $18,000.
The city contributes the $10,000, but the district is still limited in what it can do because of its budget, he said. For example, it has looked into putting better lighting downtown to help the look and prevent break-ins, but estimates have come in around $350,000 for the four-block stretch.
It would be to the benefit of the city to keep the program going and start enforcing the ordinance that calls for businesses in that stretch of downtown to pay, he said. Currently there are no teeth to make the businesses do it.
The district helps contribute to the quality of life of all residents by providing events and bringing people downtown, he said. Without it, residents wouldn’t have as many things to do like the annual ice cream social set for next week, he said. The district promotes downtown as it competes with other areas in the city.
“It’s not all about the (Imperial Valley) Mall,” he said. “It’s not all about big box stores.”
Downtown is the heart of the city, added Brooks Jewelry owner Larry Bratton. It needs some type of group to look out for it.
The current group does the best it can with what it has, which is less than what was originally expected, he said. He was president of the downtown association when the business improvement district was originally approved, and it included Broadway and State streets as well as Main Street.
In his mind, if the council votes to disband the district, hopefully there will still be a downtown association as there was before the district, he said. It would have to ask businesses for money instead of the self-taxing program that the district has now.
That tax hasn’t been enforced, which has led to a lack of revenues, he said.
The downtown area has a lot going for it, with great architecture and covered archways spanning blocks, he said.
“It’s a nice downtown, and I think people want to go back to their roots,” he said.
IF YOU GO
- El Centro City Council meeting
- 6 p.m. today
- City Hall, 1275 Main Street
>> Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
While she still pays the fees, she finds that it’s a struggle to get anything, even trash cans, out in front of her store on Main Street in El Centro, she said. Those fees, though, have cost her business as some of those that sell within her store have to pay more than $100 to do business.
She’s lost 10 out of 20 sellers in her antique store, and several have told her it’s because of the extra fee, she said. It’s unfair to have those fees for stores downtown when no others in the city have it.
“I don’t want it,” she said. “I think it’s a waste of money. I don’t see any improvements downtown.”
A lack of revenue and a decrease in participation has caused the El Centro City Council to consider disbanding the downtown business improvement district.
The council will look at the issue at today’s meeting, though disbanding the district is only one option, said Councilwoman Sedalia Sanders, who has met multiple times with the district board. The option to disband would not be for the 2011 fiscal year.
With recent decisions at the state level to raid local cities’ redevelopment funds, options like disbanding the district are being looked at, she said. The redevelopment fund gives $10,000 to the district a year, and the state is taking more than $2 million.
“These funding sources we once had are no longer there,” she said.
The council will be holding a public comment session for those who want to speak for or against changes for the business improvement district.
The business improvement district, which covers businesses on Main Street between Fourth and Eighth streets, works to improve businesses downtown by putting on events, keeping up maintenance and putting up flags each season.
Projects that the district has done include getting more trash cans that look better than the ones placed out there and pushing for planters in front of stores, said Jason Jackson, vice president of the El Centro Downtown Business Association.
The district tries to do all it can, but it has become increasingly difficult as some stores don’t put in money, he said. The expected revenue is $34,000 a year, but the district only brings in $14,000 to $18,000.
The city contributes the $10,000, but the district is still limited in what it can do because of its budget, he said. For example, it has looked into putting better lighting downtown to help the look and prevent break-ins, but estimates have come in around $350,000 for the four-block stretch.
It would be to the benefit of the city to keep the program going and start enforcing the ordinance that calls for businesses in that stretch of downtown to pay, he said. Currently there are no teeth to make the businesses do it.
The district helps contribute to the quality of life of all residents by providing events and bringing people downtown, he said. Without it, residents wouldn’t have as many things to do like the annual ice cream social set for next week, he said. The district promotes downtown as it competes with other areas in the city.
“It’s not all about the (Imperial Valley) Mall,” he said. “It’s not all about big box stores.”
Downtown is the heart of the city, added Brooks Jewelry owner Larry Bratton. It needs some type of group to look out for it.
The current group does the best it can with what it has, which is less than what was originally expected, he said. He was president of the downtown association when the business improvement district was originally approved, and it included Broadway and State streets as well as Main Street.
In his mind, if the council votes to disband the district, hopefully there will still be a downtown association as there was before the district, he said. It would have to ask businesses for money instead of the self-taxing program that the district has now.
That tax hasn’t been enforced, which has led to a lack of revenues, he said.
The downtown area has a lot going for it, with great architecture and covered archways spanning blocks, he said.
“It’s a nice downtown, and I think people want to go back to their roots,” he said.
IF YOU GO
- El Centro City Council meeting
- 6 p.m. today
- City Hall, 1275 Main Street
>> Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
