City of Salem taxes downtown businesses without representation

Taxation without representation. Them was fighting words back in Revolutionary War days.

They should also be in 2013 -- for businesses in downtown Salem, Oregon which have to keep paying an Economic Improvement District assessment even after city officials took away their ability to have any say in how that money is spent.

Salem Cherry Pits and Petals tells the sorry tale in "The City is asking for another year of EID funding." Excerpt:

We should ask City Council to stop collection of the EID assessment as of June 30, 2013.  We no longer have any accountability for how the funds are spent, as was promised in the EID renewal information.  There is no contract between the City and downtown tax-payers for responsible use of the funds, no budget approval method, no reporting required, and no accountability.

If you would like to send an email to city council, asking them to stop collecting the EID assessment as of June 2013, please use this email address:

[email protected]

Comments

[Curt]

Here is the staff report:

http://www.cityofsalem.net/CouncilMeetingAgenda/Documents/272/7b.pdf

The names I recognize on the steering committee include: Mary Lou Zeek, Gayle Doty, and Casey Campbell. I don't see how that group is somehow less "representative" than any other group that has been awarded the EID contract in the past.

[Brian Hines]

Curt, there is a big difference between...

(1) A downtown organization that has a contract with the City to vitalize the area, with open meetings, clear goals, and accountability, and:

(2) A group of people hand-picked by the City Manager that meets in undisclosed locations and has no contract, no goals, and no accountability.

Imagine if the Mayor dissolved the City Council, then picked a few people from the old Council to advise her on running Salem dictatorially.

Would that be the same as the old City Council? Think about it.