David's Blog

Monday, June 30, 2014

Sharing Our Street Repair Bill

Imagine, for a moment, you are a Duluth City Councilor. You have the power to decide how Duluthians will fund our much-needed street improvement plan. The annual price tag for the plan is approximately $7 million.

You understand that Duluth property owners pay for our city streets. You must decide how to distribute, amongst these property owners, what will certainly be an unwelcome and unpopular expense.

Angry homeowners have been letting you know how upset they are with the potential of paying more taxes, or a fee, for street repairs. You must determine how much each home owner and each commercial property owner will pay. Add to your challenge the fact that you are up for re-election in November. What would you do?

You are a conscientious councilor. You have done your homework. Your research illustrates there are 24,200 residential units in Duluth. If each homeowner or renter is a registered voter; these constituents could represent 24,200 voters.

Conversely, there are only 3,815 commercial properties in Duluth. If each commercial property owner is a registered voter; these constituents represent just 3,815 voters. They are only 16% as large as the home owner voting group.

I suspect you are motivated to keep this unpopular expense as low as possible for the 24,200 homeowners. Yet, to do so, you must concurrently vote to have the remaining 3,815 commercial property owners pay proportionally more.

At the time of this writing, the City of Duluth is preparing to implement an average street maintenance fee of $5 per month for each home and apartment. Conversely, it will soon implement a monthly fee of $20 for small commercial properties, $90 for midsize commercial properties, and $250 for large commercial properties. Ouch. The owner of a commercial property may soon be paying $3,000 more each year for the street improvement plan.

It is easy to see why business owners will pay more. Doing so allows home owners to pay less. It is fair? I believe that most homeowners are happy to have business owners pay proportionally more of the tab; business owners not so much.  

As an advocate for the Chamber's 1,100 members, I simply want every Duluthian to understand how businesses lift up our beloved community one tax and one fee at a time. Businesses pay more for all of our city services. In doing so, home owners pay less. I am hopeful that our community's collective awareness of this simple fact will increase. Additionally, it would be wonderful if our community's appreciation for our businesses and our business owners correspondingly increased.

Have you hugged a Duluth business owner today? Now you will understand if you see a Duluth City Councilor doing so. 

David Signature



David Ross, President & CEO

posted by David Ross at 9:37 AM
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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Let's Finish Strong - Vote Duluth

Our beloved Zenith City - located on the Greatest of the Great Lakes - may soon be identified as Outside Magazine's Best Outdoor Lifestyle City in America. We are in the final stretch of a contest that started with Outside Magazine's 64 favorite towns in the country. Duluth and Provo, Utah are the two remaining contestants.

Voters will decide who wins. The contest ends Sunday, June 15, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. When I voted earlier today, Duluth was in the lead with 44,368 votes compared to Provo's 33,181.

We must tenaciously fight to retain this lead. We can do it - if we finish strong. To finish strong, we need your vote. Simply link to the online voting site by visiting VoteDuluth.com. Voting is quick and easy. Conversely, when we win, the positive results will be enjoyed for several years.

Being selected as the best town in America will illustrate how the rest of America has come to know what we have known for years. Duluth is a remarkably beautiful place brimming with outdoor recreational activities. The rest of our great nation is increasingly aware of what we have valued for many years, our abundant green space and our wealth of freshwater resources.

Let's finish strong, Duluth. Vote today at VoteDuluth.com.

In support and in optimism,

   
David Signature



David Ross, President & CEO

posted by David Ross at 12:25 PM
1 Comments

Monday, June 02, 2014

Duluth Shines Brightly



Our shining city on the hill is shining brightly.

Construction is beginning on several building projects in our Historic Downtown. The maurices Headquarters building is underway. Construction will soon begin on the Duluth Transit Authority's Multi-Modal Center. These are the largest of the several projects that are being constructed this summer. They combine to represent the largest investment in the history of our Downtown.

Additionally, Duluthians are working. Duluth has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. This is even more encouraging when we realize that Minnesota has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

The good news continues. Two weeks ago, our community learned that Duluth will be fortified by the recent passage of the 2014 State Bonding Bill. Our Zenith City will receive funding for all three of our established legislative priorities: the Spirit Mountain Water Project, the Wade Stadium Renovation, and the NorShor Theater & Arts Center Restoration.

Spirit Mountain received $3.4 million from the State. It will be used to: acquire land rights, design, and construct a water system which will deliver water directly from the St. Louis River to the mountain. The water will be used for snow making purposes. This efficient and environmentally safe water source will allow Spirit Mountain to extend its ski season. It will concurrently allow more of Duluth's municipal water to be directed to homes and businesses on the far western end of our fair city.

For the past six years, the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with our city officials and our state representatives to advocate for State funding support to help revitalize the Historic Wade Stadium. Thankfully, the stadium received $2.3 million from the 2014 State Bonding Bill. Local workers will soon rebuild the stadium's magnificent brick walls. A new athletic field will be installed. This new field will be brightly illuminated by a new lighting system. This funding has saved the Wade.

The bonding bill also included $6.95 million for the restoration of our Historic NorShor Theatre & Arts Center. This restoration project will result in a 750 seat theatre, along with a new arts center and classrooms. This state bonding will contribute toward bringing this iconic community treasure back to our community. The NorShor will, once again, provide an elegant live performance venue that will serve Duluth and our surrounding region. The six story NorShor marquee tower will once again shine brightly within our downtown nightscape.

The above-mentioned developments are cause for celebration and optimism. It is an exciting time to work and live in Duluth. 
   
David Signature


David Ross, President & CEO

posted by David Ross at 7:55 AM
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