4/4/14 - The Brighton City Council Thursday night voted to proceed to the next step in a process that many downtown merchants hope will lead to additional revenue for the Principal Shopping District. The PSD was created in 2006 to promote downtown Brighton as a place to shop and dine. The PSD was given $100,000 in âseedâ money that first year by the City Council, and for the next three years operated on funding it gained via a special assessment district. After the SAD dried up, there was little interest in renewing it because of a poor economy, so the Downtown Development Authority funded the PSD beginning in 2010. But this year the DDA has a tight budget and has reduced its 2014-15 year PSD funding from $40,000 to $10,000. Thus the PSD Board is again looking at an SAD â this time one that would generate $90,000 per year for three years. Although the majority of retailers seem to support it, many businesses along West Grand River do not. Among those are Kate and Larry Lawrence, owners of Lawrence Auto Body. Kate Lawrence, a former Brighton mayor, told council those businesses receive no direct benefits from the PSD. Eight people in the audience commented, with five in support of, and three opposed to, the SAD. Council, on a 3-2 vote with two members absent, voted to approve a tentative resolution of necessity for a PSD special assessment district. City Manager Dana Foster says that sets the stage for a public hearing to be held on May 1st followed by a council vote on whether to confirm the SAD. Proponents of the SAD say that if approved, the PSD will bring its advertising and marketing campaign into Oakland and Washtenaw Counties and increase its promotion of special events like Ladies Night Out. But some on council say before they would support the SAD, the assessment paid by businesses along the east side of Grand River depicted in blue on the color-coded map would have to be reduced or eliminated. (TT)
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