And of course "and collect a tax to support it" They never end. And nothing will happen downtown even if they do collect the taxes.

What a pile of 8&%$#@@#.
Through more tax on business and guess what? They move out of the down town! DAAAAA

The "hosts" in Vancouver have been met with opposition in that they have become the business associations own private police force with even less accountability than the existing police forces. Rampant abuse of street people and in general any one not fitting into their vision of who belongs downtown gets a very cold shoulder.

What is the ultimate object of revitalizing the downtown of PG? Is it to increase the number of businesses located downtown or to entice the consumer to shop downtown.
For the shopping consumer the convenience of ample free parking and product selection at the big box retailers and the stores located in the Westgate shopping center will continue to draw the purchasing public no matter what happens downtown.
For years the public had to circle the blocks downtown to find parking and then after returning from shopping would find parking ticket on the windshield. Free parking downtown is 20 years to late. Long time businesses downtown continue to leave. Morrison's mens wear and J and A Stereo come to mind.

"That budget is expected to increase by 2.5% to 3% per year."

They do not know what they are doing yet in 3 years from now, but they do know they will be increasing the tax.

Sort of flies in the face of the statement

"As for how much money will be collected, that will depend on the DBIA’s annual budget says Gable. “We borrowed an idea for Kelowna which , rather than set a specific amount per thousand of assessment, deals with an annual budget and collects the amount needed to meet that budget.”

"Too much discussion on how the boundaries were drawn", so make arbitrary decision. Damn the the torpedoes, full speed ahead!

No idea how much funding it will take, so no budget. Just spend then collect. Sort of like the Extortion method.

Their business plan is to hire some senior management staff and some boots on the ground for an issue that has never been raised.
All this by adding another level of taxation and government without any measurable benefit.

If they want to collect feedback, they should read a local news site where local residents are able to contribute comments.

It's all too simple.

1) Bulldoze everything flat right up to the tracks including those godawful tarpaper shacks on 1st ave.

2) Burn it all.

3) Dissolve useless crap like Initiatives PG.

4) Hire new planner

5) Start again.

This looks to me like spending money in order to been seen as doing something. I think we need a clear picture of what the goal is. Who, exactly decides that? I agree with the point made above regarding retailers downtown: we are a long way from enticing shoppers and thus businesses downtown.
What need, exactly are the host people going to fill? First aid?? You mean for the general public on the street? Do we need that? St john's already does events. Giving directions to tourists? Is that a dream or something? How many lost tourists are there downtown who are looking for directions other than 'how do i get out of downtown?'.
I hate to be negative on this one but this is just money down the drain. If money HAS to be put into downtown then put it into tangible assets: concrete and mortar and such.

I would argue that there was a business plan” says Gable who says the new proposal would spend dollars on the hiring of an executive Director, the hiring of an events coordinator and the operation of a “host” program.


That is where the tax dollars will go.
These two positions will take the majority
of the tax dollars

Some very good posts indeed.

Why do the "Executives" not see it this way ? (it costs money just to say the word 'executive')

Because as long as this problem continues, you have a few select fat cats (probably all of them friends since school) making a very generous, lazy living from pretending to do something about it.

Try a clumsy idea - idea fails, repeat next year...

It is relatively easy and cheap to clean up the downtown a bit....


.....just install bar stools and puke buckets on every corner, and put a urinal in every business' doorway so they don't keep peeing on the door and windows. This would also relieve the problem of business owners having to clean up urine and puke that has leaked under the front door from last night's festivities.

Maybe if these people were forced to live in a store front downtown for a month, they would get a clearer picture of what needs to be done.

Borrowing ideas from Sparklingcosmicfantabulous Kelowna is probably not the right approach.

Borrow ideas from Main and Hastings, pidgeon park, gutterville, skid street, back alley East-end Vanny.

Basically the last Association has failed to do what it wanted to do. That is normally seen as a vote of non-confidence.

New Bylaws, new name, new board of directors. Members from the existing Board are not allowed to run again for 5 years. That is somewhat of how it is done in other organizations this happens to.

Hosts is a euphemism for private security. These are public streets, not a part of a private shopping centre.

Here's a plan....don't worry about boundaries, don't worry about costs, don't worry about level of taxation.

As a matter of fact, don't worry about looking for executive this or that....don't worry about anything until you come up with a viable plan.

Come up with a feasible, viable plan that will grow wings and take flight.

Then, come asking for money to make it happen.

The Emporor of Prince George doesn't need new clothes, and we don't need to throw money at a problem on the off-chance that we might get some kind of a half-baked solution out of it.

"The presentation tomorrow is the first step in the effort to collect feedback and input on the plan."

So "they", whoever "they" are, have a plan.

"Those who were vocally opposed to the expansion plan last year have not been directly involved in the development of the new plan,"

hmmmmm ... now that is a good start, isn't it?

“We are inviting them to take part”

A bit late????? Isn't this what aboriginals have been complaining about? Consultation after the plan has been created? Then every point that is contrary to the plan is seen as a negative comment. There are enough out there who know that tactic. We should have moved beyond that by now.

"there will be two open houses set up following the luncheon, “There will be one on June 4th another on June 9th. These will be 4:30 to 7:30 at the Ramada, so people can offer their input.”

The "luncheon" is $20 per person. Why would anyone pay out of their own pocket for this?

"people can "offer" their input"

That means "they" will record the input and then continue what "they" planned in the first place and state that there there was consultation.