Politics & Government

City Speeds Up Funding for Business Improvement Districts

The La Jolla Village Merchants Association and the 16 other Business Improvement Districts in San Diego will receive funding quicker under a new ordinance.

City Council voted unanimously today to change the way money is distributed to Business Improvement Districts. The districts were created by businesses to promote 17 geographic areas in San Diego including La Jolla.

The city collected assessments on 12,000 companies and reimbursed each district, but the business groups claimed that bureaucratic inefficiency leads to cash-flow problems, with revenues often delivered after events that they had to fund.

Changes allow assessment to go straight to each Business Improvement District, which will have to file reports to the city on their expenditures. 

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"The business community asked us to help out and we responded,” said Councilwoman Sherri Lightner, who represents La Jolla. “Streamlining the process should help these districts flourish, which is good for our local businesses and for our neighborhoods. The key is to have proper oversight in place to make sure these tax dollars are being used properly and effectively."

According to city staff, the first payments that will go right to the districts will be in October. 

Find out what's happening in La Jollawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We in government should be helping them in what they do,” said Councilman Todd Gloria.

Councilman Carl DeMaio said it was a great day “because we’re cutting red tape at City Hall.”

City News Service contributed to this report.

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