I, for one, am glad Rob is back. I don't always agree with his opinions and conclusions, but I respect him for presenting his point of view. Not since Dee Richards (back in the day) has anyone made us think about the "what ifs" of a question that we may not have thought of. Sometimes its good to stir the pot to bring up all the small bits.
Scott makes a good point, both for Hayden and for Steamboat. We often concentrate on creating community when community already exists. The point of a creative district is to enhance economic development by featuring the "creative sector" within our communities. MainStreet recently gave up the idea of sponsoring the Easter Egg Hunt, a standing Steamboat tradition that the City could no longer afford, realizing that, while it was a feel good event for the community, it didn't generate any economic benefit for the downtown (which is our mission), and it would have used volunteer resources (which are in short supply) that could be better used for other events that generate business for the downtown or income for MainStreet. I know it sounds very mercenary, but what our communities need now is a shot in the economic arm. If we are going to do events, we need it to help our communities economically (as well as building "community"). The goals don't have to be mutually exclusive.
Love the idea of the once-a-month "help a friend" work parties! I would love to be part of a group like that. And I am going to go check my closet right now. The bigger message is to be aware of "pay it forward" opportunities. That's what makes this community so great.
When the US Department of Agriculture was initiated by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, more that half the people in America lived on farms compared to 2% today. It was deemed to be "the people's department", focusing on the lives of every American every day. As with any successful business, the department has evolved to not only focus on agriculture, but also on economic development, science, and natural resource conservation in rural America. (Check the USDA website.) By assisting the Friends of the Chief with a loan to rehabilitate the Chief Theater, an amenity that can help to anchor the arts as an economic driver in rural Steamboat Springs, the USDA is indeed keeping to its mission to encourage economic development in rural America. It's no longer all about agriculture, despite the name of the department. Perhaps it is time for the name to evolve as well to more clearly reflect current focus.
This article is incomplete and misleading, although what is stated is correct. Only residents who live within the BID district (basically commercial downtown) would get to vote but would not be required to pay. They are included in the voting process because the BID can affect things in the district where they live. A master plan of how the money would be spent must be created by the constituents and recorded with the state before the election could take place. The BID assessment would be on commercial properties and could be passed through to the businesses depending on what their lease with the landlord says. Monies from this assessment would be controlled by constituents through a representative board of property owners within the district. The money would directly benefit those pay through increased property values and increased vitality within the district.
To all of the previous posters and those who are just wondering:
As the title of the article suggests, MainStreet is CONTEMPLATING a TABOR election for the already existing Business Improvement District (approved in 2007 but the funding TABOR election was not successful by 6 votes).
All of the questions posed by "justasking" are valid questions, some of which have answers already and some that will be determined by the constituents as the process moves forward. The money will be governed by a BID board of directors made up of commercial property owners within the district. Tracy Barnett is the only paid staff member. All other functions are performed by volunteers - except a paid accountant and a paid minute taker for board meetings.
Aside from the basic overhead expenses (staff, postage, copying, phone, etc), a large portion of the budget goes to marketing downtown as a destination to guests who don't know there is a downtown. With the population changing every week, it is a challenge to draw people downtown from the mountain in the winter. Of the $140,000 budget, much of the funding comes from "pay as you go" programs for those that participate - money in, money out.
Not all of the entire budget would come from the BID. From current commercial valuation within the district, one mil would raise approximately $53,000. One project being undertaken is to determine what that would mean for the average property owner within the district.
As the process moves forward, the public and constituents will be educated on how the BID special improvement district functions according to the state regulations for such a district. The rules are not made up by the constituents, although the constituents can determine what projects they would like the BID to undertake. Each year a work plan must be filed with the state and approved by City Council.
On the question of the "relative handful" of tax payers taking on the tax burden, that statement is misleading. Because the BID funding would be a property tax on commercial (note the word commercial, not residential) properties, commercial property owners would be responsible for the tax. There are not a lot of commercial property owners within the district. As to who can vote on the measure, the voters would be the commercial property owners, the tenants of those properties (because the tax is often passed on to them through "triple net" fees from the property owners), and residents within the district (since what happens around them in the district can affect their way of life).
For more information of the general nature of Business Improvement Districts and what they can do, who they serve, and how they are governed, you can Google "Business Improvement Districts". The more people who do this, the more informed they will be as the process moves forward. You might also check out Durango and their BID which was once again approved by the constituents for a third time in 2010.
Don't you get it? If we don't have people coming to Steamboat Springs, you won't have money. Unless you are in the coal or gas and oil industries, you are just as dependent on visitors coming to Steamboat as are those who directly benefit. We would not need as many teachers, doctors, plumbers, landscapers (name a profession) if we did not have the tourist industry in Steamboat Springs. We would not have the amenities we enjoy (bike paths, restaurants, music venues, ski mountain, golf courses, (name an amenity recently built by or within the City) that would exist if it weren't for the tourist dollar. We all benefit. We should all pay to be sure that the lifestyle we enjoy continues.
We could always go back to writing checks. Wouldn't that be efficient and sustainable? Thank you to local banks (well, most of them) for choosing to not charge the fees.
Brent Boyer: Look at who's back
I, for one, am glad Rob is back. I don't always agree with his opinions and conclusions, but I respect him for presenting his point of view. Not since Dee Richards (back in the day) has anyone made us think about the "what ifs" of a question that we may not have thought of. Sometimes its good to stir the pot to bring up all the small bits.
May 10, 2012 at 6:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steamboat, Hayden lose out on creative district designation
Scott makes a good point, both for Hayden and for Steamboat. We often concentrate on creating community when community already exists. The point of a creative district is to enhance economic development by featuring the "creative sector" within our communities. MainStreet recently gave up the idea of sponsoring the Easter Egg Hunt, a standing Steamboat tradition that the City could no longer afford, realizing that, while it was a feel good event for the community, it didn't generate any economic benefit for the downtown (which is our mission), and it would have used volunteer resources (which are in short supply) that could be better used for other events that generate business for the downtown or income for MainStreet. I know it sounds very mercenary, but what our communities need now is a shot in the economic arm. If we are going to do events, we need it to help our communities economically (as well as building "community"). The goals don't have to be mutually exclusive.
March 10, 2012 at 6:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joanne Palmer: It's time to make a difference
Love the idea of the once-a-month "help a friend" work parties! I would love to be part of a group like that. And I am going to go check my closet right now. The bigger message is to be aware of "pay it forward" opportunities. That's what makes this community so great.
March 7, 2012 at 7:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Business owners planning Routt County Redneck Olympics
Brilliant!
March 5, 2012 at 7:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hill Blackett: USDA loan
When the US Department of Agriculture was initiated by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, more that half the people in America lived on farms compared to 2% today. It was deemed to be "the people's department", focusing on the lives of every American every day. As with any successful business, the department has evolved to not only focus on agriculture, but also on economic development, science, and natural resource conservation in rural America. (Check the USDA website.) By assisting the Friends of the Chief with a loan to rehabilitate the Chief Theater, an amenity that can help to anchor the arts as an economic driver in rural Steamboat Springs, the USDA is indeed keeping to its mission to encourage economic development in rural America. It's no longer all about agriculture, despite the name of the department. Perhaps it is time for the name to evolve as well to more clearly reflect current focus.
February 26, 2012 at 7:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jack Weinstein: Downtown tax to be discussed
This article is incomplete and misleading, although what is stated is correct. Only residents who live within the BID district (basically commercial downtown) would get to vote but would not be required to pay. They are included in the voting process because the BID can affect things in the district where they live. A master plan of how the money would be spent must be created by the constituents and recorded with the state before the election could take place. The BID assessment would be on commercial properties and could be passed through to the businesses depending on what their lease with the landlord says. Monies from this assessment would be controlled by constituents through a representative board of property owners within the district. The money would directly benefit those pay through increased property values and increased vitality within the district.
January 25, 2012 at 7:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Mainstreet Steamboat Springs contemplates district property tax
To all of the previous posters and those who are just wondering:
As the title of the article suggests, MainStreet is CONTEMPLATING a TABOR election for the already existing Business Improvement District (approved in 2007 but the funding TABOR election was not successful by 6 votes).
All of the questions posed by "justasking" are valid questions, some of which have answers already and some that will be determined by the constituents as the process moves forward. The money will be governed by a BID board of directors made up of commercial property owners within the district. Tracy Barnett is the only paid staff member. All other functions are performed by volunteers - except a paid accountant and a paid minute taker for board meetings.
Aside from the basic overhead expenses (staff, postage, copying, phone, etc), a large portion of the budget goes to marketing downtown as a destination to guests who don't know there is a downtown. With the population changing every week, it is a challenge to draw people downtown from the mountain in the winter. Of the $140,000 budget, much of the funding comes from "pay as you go" programs for those that participate - money in, money out.
Not all of the entire budget would come from the BID. From current commercial valuation within the district, one mil would raise approximately $53,000. One project being undertaken is to determine what that would mean for the average property owner within the district.
As the process moves forward, the public and constituents will be educated on how the BID special improvement district functions according to the state regulations for such a district. The rules are not made up by the constituents, although the constituents can determine what projects they would like the BID to undertake. Each year a work plan must be filed with the state and approved by City Council.
On the question of the "relative handful" of tax payers taking on the tax burden, that statement is misleading. Because the BID funding would be a property tax on commercial (note the word commercial, not residential) properties, commercial property owners would be responsible for the tax. There are not a lot of commercial property owners within the district. As to who can vote on the measure, the voters would be the commercial property owners, the tenants of those properties (because the tax is often passed on to them through "triple net" fees from the property owners), and residents within the district (since what happens around them in the district can affect their way of life).
For more information of the general nature of Business Improvement Districts and what they can do, who they serve, and how they are governed, you can Google "Business Improvement Districts". The more people who do this, the more informed they will be as the process moves forward. You might also check out Durango and their BID which was once again approved by the constituents for a third time in 2010.
December 25, 2011 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Ride through Steamboat a nostalgic 1 for some
Nobody would have blinked an eye in the Buttonbush, Cave In, Thunderhead and Shortbranch days.
December 13, 2011 at 8:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Do you plan to vote in favor of Referendum 2B, a 0.25 percent sales tax to supplement the winter air service program at Yampa Valley Regional Airport?
Don't you get it? If we don't have people coming to Steamboat Springs, you won't have money. Unless you are in the coal or gas and oil industries, you are just as dependent on visitors coming to Steamboat as are those who directly benefit. We would not need as many teachers, doctors, plumbers, landscapers (name a profession) if we did not have the tourist industry in Steamboat Springs. We would not have the amenities we enjoy (bike paths, restaurants, music venues, ski mountain, golf courses, (name an amenity recently built by or within the City) that would exist if it weren't for the tourist dollar. We all benefit. We should all pay to be sure that the lifestyle we enjoy continues.
October 20, 2011 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
National banks announce new fees; local institutions not changing
We could always go back to writing checks. Wouldn't that be efficient and sustainable? Thank you to local banks (well, most of them) for choosing to not charge the fees.
October 1, 2011 at 8:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )