This Is It, PBID; It's Time For The City To Vote

At our next city council meeting, Tuesday, July 24, at 6pm in the city council chambers,  the city will vote whether to support PBID.

Let's recap the details of the $378,100 plan. 

$65,000 will be used to maintain the area.  That will include 3 days a week having a couple people sweeping sidewalks, and wiping down benches, 2 times a year power washing the sidewalk, etc.

$60,000 will be used for security.  This will include security personnel (rent-a-cops) during busy times of the evenings and weekends.

$100,000 will be used to market the village area.  Specific plans have not been identified.

$50,000 will be used to purchase ammendities such as Christmas Lights for the trees along La Mesa Blvd.  Note that $50k was the estimated cost to purchase all the Christmas lights needed, a one time expense, but each year the $50k will be collected.

$103,100 will be used to pay for administration of the plan.  Payroll, benefits, rent, equipment, etc.

Totaling $378,100 for the first year.  Allowing for a 5% inflation each subsequent year. (information taken directly from the PBID Management Plan).

This PBID, if passed, will be locked in for 5 years before it can be renegotiated.  Small adjustments of 5% or 10% can be made between buckets of money, but overall, the plan stays until the 5 years are up. Major changes cannot be made without going back to the stakeholders for a vote again.

The individual assessment of this PBID is a complicated equation of:

linear footage fronting the street

square footage of entire property

square footage of building

...each with a different billing rate.

The end result:

smaller office spaces will be billed $800/year

while others including La Mesa Antique Mall will be billed nearly $4,000/year

some restaurants and professional service companies will be billed $6,000/year

even residences within this area will be billed $25/year

All of which is subject to the 5% inflation per year.

City of La Mesa will pay $60,000, some argue that the city already pays maintenance, security and adminstration costs, why double bill the tax payers?

These assessments are too expensive for many property owners.

Some people are happy to pay their assessments, but when you vote in favor of PBID, you are hurting your neighbors who cannot afford their assessments.

La Mesa needs to come back to the table, remove the fluff from this PBID Management Plan, in order to lower these assessments.  We should look to our neighbor to the east and lessons learned when you go too big on a PBID.  Stores will be empty.  La Mesa already has several empty stores that have been vacant for months.  Times are tough.

La Mesa should start small, prove that PBID is the right tool.  We can always add more in the future.

Finally, this plan affects every tax paying citizen of La Mesa, since the city is paying into this plan with your tax dollars.  If you want a voice then you need to attend the city council meeting, stand up and voice your opinion.  Let the city council know where you stand on this issue.  Tuesday night is your chance to be heard.