City Council
East Carson St. business owners ask to pay taxes for neighborhood improvements.
Business and property owners on East Carson Street have asked to pay extra property tax for neighborhood improvements. The proposed improvement district would raise an estimated $500,000 in its first year for public spaces, filling storefronts, and branding. It would start Jan. 1, 2027, and last five years. Still, council must authorize it, and a public hearing hasn't been scheduled yet.
Written by Amy Whipple
Businesses on the South Side have asked to be charged higher taxes in exchange for dedicated neighborhood improvements.
East Carson St. property and business owners requested the creation of a Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) for the South Side, which needs to be authorized by council.
The NID would levy additional property tax on businesses in a designated area to pay for promoting the area’s economic and general welfare. (Residential dwellings and nonprofit organizations are exempt from the extra tax.) The legislative package for the tax includes an estimate of $500,000 in revenue for the first year.
The money would be used for maintenance and improvements for public spaces, filling storefronts and branding development, among others.
The proposed area would run along East Carson St. from 9th St. to just past Hot Metal St. It also includes some businesses on streets parallel to East Carson. It is approximately the same area as the historic district, one of the largest Victorian Main Streets in the United States.
Council Member Bob Charland of the South Side said during the May 27 committee meeting that existing enhancement efforts have brought storefront vacancies from 24% to 16.5% in the past year.
The NID would go into effect Jan. 1, 2027, and remain for five years unless otherwise dissolved.
A public hearing on the proposal has not yet been scheduled.
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