Batavia postpones tax area vote

The Batavia City Council pushed back discussion of a controversial special taxing area downtown on Monday night.

For the aldermen in favor of it, it was a chance to have more discussion on the topic and involvement in the process.

For many downtown property owners, it was evidence that the city didn't care about their businesses.

"This is an absolute farce," said Steve Scharnweber, one of the owners of the 1 E. Wilson St. building. "They want you to come to a public hearing, and the public spoke, but they weren't heard."

At issue is a 75-cent tax per $100 of assessed value for downtown property owners to benefit the Batavia MainStreet program and downtown infrastructure improvements.

Many business owners said they were against the tax, saying it was bad timing with bridge reconstruction, the tax should be applied citywide or that it should be business' responsibility to improve their property.

If the city closed a public comment session on Monday night, a simple majority of business and property owners would have 60 days to file a petition against it to kill the plan.

Instead, the council voted 8-6 to reconvene the public hearing on April 21 of next year.

Mayor Jeff Schielke said he would recommend that next year's budget include money to keep the MainStreet group afloat.

Aldermen who voted to push back the discussion said it would allow all interested parties to work toward an improved plan, and not have to spend extra funds to re-notify owners. In that case, the tax wouldn't be implemented until 2009, after bridge construction is finished.

"We do have to come up with some sort of plan," said Alderman Linnea Miller. "But we need to get more information."

Aldermen also had the option to repeal an ordinance already approved, which would have essentially killed the plan entirely.

Alderman Victor Dietz said if the city really wanted to work with property owners, they should do that.

"Our number one job is to provide leadership and direction," he said. "If we hang this over their heads for six months, we have failed in that."