DVI wants city to pay fair share of taxes to group; Boyer says don't count on it

[thelakelander]

Welcome back to Jax, Mr. Gordon...

By Max Marbut, Staff Writer

For the second straight year, Downtown Vision Inc. is asking the city to fund the nonprofit based on the value of municipal property, just as private property owners have done for 15 years.
Don't count on it, said Lori Boyer, the City Council member who serves as liaison to the Downtown Investment Authority, which approves DVI's budget.

DVI's leadership presented the group's proposed budget to the DIA on Wednesday.

In 2000, property owners in a 90-block Business Improvement District agreed to pay an additional 1.1 mills in ad valorem tax to fund DVI to support clean and safe programs, market the urban core and produce events intended to increase the value of Downtown.

The city is the largest land owner Downtown and its holdings represent 31 percent of the assessed value in the district.

For the past two years, the city capped its contribution at $311,660. That's about 0.7 mills, based on the value of the city property.

Jake Gordon, who took over as executive director of DVI two weeks ago, told his board Wednesday that it's time for the city to pay its fair share, since the city receives the benefits of the nonprofit's services just as private property owners do.

If the city were to pay the full 1.1 mills, the contribution to DVI would increase by about $170,000.

Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=545530

[CityLife]

The city should be embarrassed at how pathetically programmed the riverwalks are. If Parks and Rec can't get it done, then cut their funding and give a portion to DVI. In my experiences elsewhere, it is easier for a group with a more singular focus to program events than it is for a government entity that is focused on a much larger area.

[brainstormer]

Perhaps the city holding ownership of a third of the land downtown is a huge part of our struggle to redevelop the core. I don't see Jacksonville investing in itself nor paying its fair share under Curry. Mr. Gordon is going to have a tough time. But I sure admire having the balls to call out the city during his first month here!

[CityLife]

She said while DVI's efforts help improve the urban core, the benefit is limited to possibly increasing the value of private property and there is "little benefit" to the city.

"We're not in the rental market. We don't care if rents go up," Boyer said.

Have to think there is either more to that quote or that it was taken out of context....

[IrvAdams]

^^ Agree, would like to hear her entire take on this subject. It sounds like a snippet, taken out of context.