Businesses voice concerns, support for new district

A Kalispell City Council work session last week opened the floor for a final conversation between the public and council about new boundaries proposed for the downtown Business Improvement District.

Revenue from the tax district goes toward beautification projects, hosting downtown events and marketing.

Representatives from several business spoke both in favor of and against the proposal to expand the district.

“To have another tax added on to what I already pay is insulting,” said Dawn Marquardt, a business owner who opposed being included in the new proposed boundaries.

“If the mall doesn’t need to be in it, I don’t understand why I do,” Marquardt added.

Some opposing the new district suggested the district’s board go back to the drawing board. Chairman Jon Fetveit said there is no going back, and that after months of deliberation, the board had presented the best plan possible.

According to Fetveit, board meetings held once a month for the last 10 years were open for the public. He said almost no one came to meetings with negativity toward the district, even when the plans for the new boundaries went out to business owners about a year ago.

“It would have been nice to hear a lot of this while we were putting this together,” Fetveit said.

Karen Sanderson, owner of Brix Bottle Shop, said she believed the district had accomplished its goals and more.

Sanderson opened her business downtown about a year ago. Out of curiosity, she reached out to local appraisers and Realtors to see if her property value changed in that time.

According to the information Sanderson presented, commercial real estate values outside the district rose between four and 11 percent in the last two to five years. Properties inside the expanded district rose between eight and 13 percent in that time.

She said it was not just district properties that increased in value, but also their neighbors.

“Unfortunately, some, the minority, do not want to contribute to the cause of the district,” Sanderson said.

Sanderson said she considered the $200 to $300 assessment a small price to pay for the thousands of dollars of increase in her property value.

Jason Peters, representing Sykes Diner, disagreed. While Peters said he liked the concept of the district, he said he would never support it because the benefits Sykes receives feel disproportionate to the amount of tax.

Peters said Sykes currently pays around $3,400 a year in taxes from the district, which would increase to about $4,000 in the next couple of years.

“You’re at a point right now where you need to make a decision,” Peters said. “Put it on the next council meeting and put us all out of our misery.”

The council plans to vote on the issue in the next meeting on April 3 at City Hall.

For more information, visit http://kalispell.com/mayor_and_city_council/agenda.php.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.