5/2/14 - Despite objections from many in the business community, the Brighton City Council Thursday night approved the map for a proposed special assessment district whose revenues would go to promote downtown Brighton. The over $80,000 generated from the SAD would be used to promote the downtown as a place to shop, dine and enjoy recreation. The revenues would go to the Principal Shopping District, which has been funded the last few years by the Downtown Development Authority. Now the DDA says it can no longer afford to bankroll the PSD, which was originally funded through a special assessment district, which expired after three years and was not renewed. Under the plan, property owners in the downtown area would pay the tax with the rate based on their location. As a result of council action Thursday night, 15 of 17 properties in Zone 2 (along West Grand River) have been eliminated from the proposed SAD. At Thursday's meeting all but two of the building owners in the downtown area objected to the proposed SAD, saying that after such a hard winter, they just canât afford it and fail to see the benefits. Mayor Jim Muzzin cast the lone dissenting vote on a motion to approve the revised assessment district map. Muzzin says the PSD has done well for several years on a budget of $50,000 a year, and the proposed assessment would be too costly for some business owners. City Manager Dana Foster tells WHMI that council will vote at the May 15 meeting on whether to place the proposed assessment roll in the city clerk's office for public examination and mail notices to all affected property owners. A final vote will be needed at the June 5 meeting to confirm the assessment roll. The SAD could have been stopped in its tracks, had more than 2/3rds of the affected property owners representing over 50% of the affected property objected. However, that threshold was not met by Thursday nightâs deadline. The PSD will meet in monthly session next Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at city hall. The council's action Thursday and the mayor's request to consider lowering the proposed rate are likely to be discussed. (TT)
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