City Manager Asks Council To Not Pursue Business Improvement District

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The city manager of Alexandria has asked the city council to ditch a proposal for the Old Town Business Improvement District.

City Manager Mark Jinks told the City Council Tuesday that members of the BID Exploratory Committee said they cannot offer additional time to garner support for the proposal.

Small business owners strongly opposed the proposal, which would add on an additional real estate tax for businesses, Alexandria Times reports. The city says most of the revenue would come from the tax, in addition to grants and other sources.

A BID is an area where a nonprofit economic development organization delivers additional services to add on to those the local government provides. This could include branding, signage and marketing, using public places for events and improving streets and transportation.

The Council held a hearing on the BID and adopted a formal consideration process in June. This included business owners' vote on the proposal, a budget for the first three years, reducing the boundaries between Duke and Cameron Streets, and more. A majority vote from the business owners is needed for the proposal to stay alive.

“Successful BIDs almost always originate from the business community itself,” said Jinks at the city council meeting. “While government can be supportive of a BID, it is not appropriate for a government to lead a BID effort. With active leadership for a BID no longer evident, I do not believe we have this critical component for the successful creation of a BID, and do not recommend a BID be further pursued at this time."

Jinks still believes a BID would benefit residents and businesses but said "now is not the time." Read his full letter to the council here.

Do you support or oppose the BID? Let us know in the comments.

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Image of Cameron Street via MJO/Visit Alexandria