NID Alternatives Discussed

A Neighborhood Improvement District, but it isn't just a Downtown issue.

That was something nearly everyone a public workshop session Tuesday evening to gather public input on the NID could agree on.

Most present, including elected city officials, expressed the opinion that the costs of funding the Easton Main Street Initiative and the Ambassadors program should be borne by the entire city, with the possibility of businesses who benefit directly from the programs possibly paying a bit more.

“We are one city,” said Mayor Sal Panto, a resident of South Side. “It's my Downtown too. I don't mind giving my dollars to that.”

Councilman Ken Brown, who has been actively talking to Downtown residents and property owners over the past several weeks said their opinions should be paramount.

“I think it's very important we make this a democratic process going forward. I think as council members we need to keep in mind all suggestions from the public,” Brown said, adding, “This is not a Northampton Street project. It is and should be a city project.”

Councilman Mike Fleck, who has been collaborating with Brown, agreed, saying the city should consider creating a community development fund instead of a NID, which would be more flexible and could help fund programs and projects in other areas of the city too, such as .

Suggestions from both officials and the public ranged from raising property taxes citywide by 1 mill to cover the $300,000 the programs need, to raising parking meter fees to $1 per hour, levying charges on businesses who benefit most from the services to earmarking amusement tax revenues all were heard. A combination of options is also a possibility.

Vice-Mayor El Warner said she was supportive of “some sort of NID or BID” but said there are serious issues with the proposal as it stands, particularly who pays, who benefits and who would control the .

“I do think if the Downtown property owners are paying for services, the should benefit,” Warner said. “I think if you're taking money from people for services, it's important they determine what they are. I think the governance needs to come from the people contributing the money.”

She said paying for the EMSI and Ambassadors out of the city's general fund or raising taxes in lieu of the NID proposal was an unattractive option.

“Something like raising the parking rate feels better than raising general taxes to me,” Warner said. “Though that's always controversial too.”

She added, “I think before we talk about raising taxes, we need to be talking to Lafayette College about a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes).”

While the college funded the first few years of the Ambassadors program and has made other contributions to the city despite it's tax-free status, a PILOT would allow the city to determine what the contributions are spent on.

Panto also said he liked the idea of funding the programs through parking revenue.

“I would like to stay away from the NID,” he said, adding that if the issue were pushed with a lack of popular support, the ordinance creating it could be challenged by a referendum, which wouldn't take place until next May's election, leaving the programs without funding.

“I don't know how people would vote,” Panto said.

Mike McFadden, a former Easton mayor and Downtown property owner, said whether a NID or another source of funding, the people footing the bill should benefit.

“If I'm paying in, maybe there's something the city can do for me, like giving me some 'get out of jail' cards for parking tickets. That wouldn't cost anything (out of pocket),” he said. “If I'm paying out some money, I should get something in return.”

The idea of the whole city bearing the cost and the possibility of the programs being able to assist in other areas of the city as a result was a good one, said Weed and Seed director Laura Acetta.

“I'm delighted to hear people talking about 'one city,” she said. “What happens in the West Ward definitely affects Downtown.”

Acerra suggested Weed and Seed start a thrift store and help pay for the programs with the profits.

“The neighborhood needs it. Give us an empty shop front,” she said. “I'll make you $100,000 in six months, guaranteed. Guaranteed.”

Easton Upholstery owner Chuck Adams said cost of the programs should be borne by the entire city, and some of the funding should be used to enhance and maintain the entrances to Easton, better benefiting everyone.

Fran Pinter, of agreed., saying that raising the parking rate could hurt businesses.

“The businesses that have been here more than 25 years, they put money into equipment," Pinter said. "They put money into maintenance, and people don't always realize that. You can be looking for work and staring at three-quarters of a million dollars on your floor.” 

He added that not only do many businesses offer quarters for the meter, they often pay parking tickets for valued customers, which adds up.

One audience member suggested the Ambassadors find sponsors to help subsidize costs, with advertising space for those that do being made available on the equipment.

A combination of funding sources might help distribute costs more effectively, participants agreed, and establishing a neighborhood improvement district will limit what the city can do with the programs.

“Poverty. We have it coming up to our ears and there's nothing in this plan about it,” McFadden said. “There's so many things (the NID proposal) didn't address. That's why I got upset as a resident.”

“This is a five to six week period where we can chat honestly about it,” Panto said. “We're going to have three more meetings on this, and then we're going to vote (in October) for what we think most people will support.”

Three more public input workshop sessions are scheduled, all to take place in the mayor's conference chambers on the sixth floor of city hall. They are on Tuesday, July 12, at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 21, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, July 23, at 9 a.m.