25 signatures reached
To: Justin Brannon, Mathilde Frontus, Eric Adams, Andrew Gounardes, Nicole Malliotakis
Say No to 3rd Ave BID - Listen to the over 400 people that are angry!
https://newrepublic.com/article/130188/business-improvement-districts-ruin-neighborhoods
This is not the only way to improve the neighborhood. the most pressing needs include fixing homeless crisis on 3rd ave, reduce crime, lower property taxes, confine truck deliveries to certain hours. A BID will not do this. Don't double dip - you collect taxes already to do what you want to pass down to the BID to do. Then you put the same failed leadership of 3rd Ave Merchants to be in charge of the BID. Speak to the over 400 homeowners, tenants and business owners who have signed "NO" to the BID. If you pass this BID you clearly made up your mind BEFORE putting this together and are only pretending to request votes. Bay Ridge does not want another BID. Heck 5th Ave doesn't want a BID- so many of those business owners have come to us to ask for help to crush that BID.too often BIDs have turned against the businesses they were meant to serve, making the cost of entry into a new area even higher for local merchants, or lacking the transparency needed to instill trust from the community.
Wiseman’s film, which was made during the summer of 2014, showed local businesses and activists rising up against a BID expansion that would change their neighborhood forever. Since then, the activists have won several victories against the expansion, including a community agreement that gives community members and small business owners more of a say. But the BID is still short on votes, showing wide distrust for an effort that began several years ago. For once, a community has recognized a BID for what it is: a concerted effort to further empower the powerful.
Why is this important?
Over $1000 per property owner a year
Starting Budget: $560,000
Starting Salaries: $250,000.
It’s being said that BID opposition is propaganda – we don’t know the facts. So lets have ONLY the facts about a BID.
BID board members are employees – they get a salary
A BID is a TAX – an assessment tax, meaning the government enforces collection. If you don't pay your TAXES, you will be fined and a lien be placed on your property
A BID’s budget is NOT CAPPED – EXPENSES ALWAYS GO UP – hence a BID’s budget will always be approved for an increase. NY Chinatown BID gets a Massive Increase in Money!
The 3rd ave BID's budget is over 50% for salaries/management! – $560,000 total with $240,000 for salaries!
A BID has NO measurement for success – a BID has no measurements – its all “feelings”. You CANNOT choose to NOT pay for a BID – it always consumes your money.
A BID's supposed services have zero impact on our businesses. Do lights really cost $560,000 a year? Has any BID increased anyone business enough to justify millions and millions of dollars spent? Do benches generate more business or act as a bed for the homeless?
A BID does NOT increase property values – it increases your property taxes! Why would higher taxes increase your property value?