People come from all over the world to experience the unique historic beauty, ambiance and events of Alexandria. I choose to live and work here, because of the preserved historic aspects of our city and the walkable access to many services.
As a resident and a business owner within the proposed BID, I am concerned that this BID has not been created based on discussions between more of those who actually live and work in this district. Many still do not even know of the existence of this proposal.
BID proponents claim they based this proposal on local BIDs citing the Rosslyn BID as one to emulate. In Rosslyn, the BID now also taxes residents within the district. Most small business owners do not want another cost added to the already high cost of operating here. Do the citizens of Alexandria who live within the BID truly want another tax?
City Council voted in a tax increase of $.057 on $100. Alexandria now matches Fairfax County as the highest base tax rate in Northern Virginia. By adding in another tax this BID dissuades young creatives from coming to work and create in our city and small businesses from staying. Why drive small business away?
This BID will be a non-representative governed entity. There are 734 commercial properties owned in the BID. The 40 property owners with most valuable property will have controlling voting power with one vote for every $1,000 paid in BID tax. This proposal is anti-small business and anti-small property owners.
BID supporters claim we need more events in our city to create more revenue. More events will be counterproductive as they will lead to conflicts with the residents’ interests (like parking and nighttime noise), a diminishment of residential property values and in time an overall reduction in property taxes collected for the city’s needs.
Let’s review:
This BID’s objectives are poorly defined.
It will first tax businesses then, if Rosslyn BID is their model, tax residents whether we like it, can afford it, or not.
It will hire and pay someone who does not know and love our town who could tell us a few years and way too many dollars from now, what to do to create more revenue.
How does this make sense?
Many of the BID proposed services are already being performed by city-funded entities. Why not allow the use of a larger city-owned meeting place and support a voluntary organization to make proposals to the city as to how to improve the business district? Voluntarily formed, voluntarily joined, voluntarily run, and voluntarily funded.
I hope City Council members consider the heavy burden of the new tax increase, the non-representative nature of this BID, the damage it will cause to small businesses, and vote this down.
The last thing we need is another tax for undefined services we do not need and did not request.
Mary C. Ray
Alexandria