"...the mayor is now hopeful the democratic process will prevail..."

It's a bit too late for that now isn't it? This isn't democracy at work; it's more a case of politics and backroom dealings. A private company has successfully lobbied for the right to tax the downtown businesses.

Will Mr. Gable's privately owned company have to report its income, expenses, and balance sheet to the rest of the downtown business owners and to city council? And if so, how often?

"...the mayor is now hopeful the democratic process will prevail..."

A reverse petition is NOT democratic.
A reverse petition is an instrument to skirt the democratic process while maintaining the appearance of democracy.
Nothing more than political chuck and jive to ramrod an distasteful and unethical policy.

Shh, bend over and don't make any noise, and you may get a kiss afterwords.

This situation is far from democratic and it will be interesting WHO on council gives their final vote for it because their term cannot come to an end quick enough. Does this mean if "we" as taxpayers want something done in our neighborhood the business community for that area will have to pay an extra levy to have it done such as "Hart, College Heights, South Fort George, areas"?

Whats next? A DBIA funded study on how to improve the downtown core?

Watching this council at work again with the downtown issues is a joke. They prove once again what a backwards town p.g. really is.Do something even if it is undemocratic just to give the impression you are actually doing something.

This is about an individual who needs to be incontrol of something and it seems this council cant see through the untruthes
that continue to come out.

Good luck P.G. you will need it.

Nothing will ever change here, it is that simple.

I am astounded at the nonsense that I read on this site. I have no idea who "faxman" or "habsfans" are, but if they have the courage to identify themselves, I'd be happy to discuss any DBIA issue with them. For those that are interested in the facts they are as follows:
The Prince George Downtown Business Improvement Association was incorporated as a non profit society in 1999. There is no membership fee, but in order to be a member you must either own property or be a tenant within the BIA boundaries. In keeping with the Societies Act of BC, the Society holds an Annual General Meeting each year and elects a board of 15 directors who are tasked with managing the affairs of the society throughout the year.
Each year the Society presents audited financial statements to the members at the AGM. Additional copies are available to society members through the DBIA office at any time.
In addition, the Society reports annually to City Council with a summary of its activities and audited financial statements.
I am currently and have been since 1999 a volunteer board member for the Society. Neither I or any of the board members have ever received any financial compensation from the DBIA for our efforts.
Kirk Gable

I apologize, Mr. Gable. I wish I would have bookmarked the article I read about six weeks ago that stated DBIA was a private company. I will try to find it, just to see if I understood what I read.

Mr Gable
Can you explain to me how taxing businesses down town is going to help them? What good is a beautiful street when no one is shopping on it due to the street people? I do not believe that your society has done anything wrong. You are trying to make the downtown area a better place. Not looking after the homeless, drug addicted and mentally ill is the problem. The reverse petition is also wrong and that is the issue here. Why not poll the citizens of PG instead or let them vote on it. That would be the democratic way to deal with such a sore issue. Congratulations though on your win.

Mr Gable:
You say the society is a not for profit, OK. That would mean that your organization is to Serve its members. Can you explain to the citizens that oppose your organization and its actions what the mandate is, what the strategy is, and What is in it for you and the DBIA. Nobody does anything without a return on investment. You have invested a lot of your self in this.

Nobody and no organization exists without a purpose. As I see it, the DBIA is doing what the city is doing and should be doing, albeit not well. So why should any group be subject to a unique to them mandatory business cost or tax that they clearly do not want?

As has been stated numerous times, a majority of the land holders and major tenants are not in Prince George, many not even in Canada and you wanted to have a short period for them to respond to an absurd form of reverse democracy. You counted on that didn't you?

If this had been conducted in a more transparent, truly democratic process, you likely would not have the hue and cry. Instead you repeatedly hounded the city council to cave to your demands. That is hardly a benevolent approach. I was always under the impression that a not for profit was benevolent by definition and nature. Your organization is now viewed with suspicion and and animosity because of those actions.

Congratulations, you have succeeded. You have alienated most potential supporters.

Correctly identify the problem
Correctly identify contributing factors
Address those items

Flower pots and paint will not drive customers downtown. IMO A safe, clean area with adequate FREE parking and some weather protection is the solution for a winter city, 6 months of snow with 4 months of not so sh!tty weather. Get those awnings back up and I will become an instant fan. Get some foot patrols moving through the entire DBIA to clear the street folk and MOVE ALL the support services out of the DBIA. If you have a soup kitchen, they will stay close by due to transportation challenges.

You do not need more surveys. Many commentors find any survey invalid because not 1 heard about any survey being conducted and they are generally structured to get a desired response. Go back and read this site for the last year. That is what we want. To do otherwise is nothing but an upstream struggle as you may be realizing.

The simple solutions are often the most successful.

i for one have never heard of a society that "recruited" members by way of a reverse petition. maybe other societies should do that to people too, would really make things interesting.

Kirk Gable deliberately picked a time when half the businesse owners are out of town.
Everyone knows this DBIA scheme wouldnt work if enough time was allowed to get ahold of all business owners. I wish Dan Rogers would at least go sweep off the cigarette butts off the court house steps.
Its discusting, This whole DBIA scheme will deter businesse from starting up downtown. Im thinking Dan and Kirk have a hidden agenda, Maybe buy up the buldings when they go broke. More homes for the homeless.Oh and flowers for them too.I wonder if Dan will hire a consultant for that? With our tax dollars.

Hi, Kirk. or can I call you Captain Kirk? Many times I have written to suggest the city or you or the Chamber of Commerce to find out why people don't wanna come downtown. My suggestion was to send out about a thousand letters with a self addressed stamped envelope to a fair number of people in each coloured garbage zone pick up area, the letter containing one simple question. It would simply ask, "Why don't you like to come downtown?" After receiving the envelopes back, you read them and put the letters in separate piles and then act on the biggest pile first. Secondly, if you are a fan of nature, you will note moths are attracted to light. Like a candle or streetlight. The homeless and the like are like those moths. Turn out the light and they will go away. They don't die. They just go away. Reduce the soup kitchens, shelters and pawn shops and the needle exchange and watch them disappear. Ya gotta be cruel to be kind.

As an aside, we can be proud to say we have the DBIA to help raise taxes while Vancouver has Translink. Maybe Mr. Gables organization can start lobbying city hall for a parking space tax. Worked in Vancouver.

Ok Mr Gable: Exactly what is your plan to fix the Downtown? Would you like to detail the plan for us. According to the Mayor it will be great in 35 Years, what about those of us who would like to enjoy a cleaner and well organized and thriving downtown now. As most or should I say a lot of us won't be around in 35 years. Why is there a request for wages for a voluntary society? How are you going to keep businesses downtown and how are you going to bring businesses downtown? I understand one of the city councilmen was asked if he would place his business downtown and he sluffed it off by saying its not his market? That was not the answer requested. If the council is not interested in going downtown then why would other people have the faith to stay or move to downtown. I believe this should have gone to the people who do or do not want to support downtown to vote on it...Might as well pay for another consulting firm and waste more dollars to see if this would be the way to go.

If Dan the man were to sweep off the ciggie butts off the steps of city hall, he would be in trouble with the union. We don't need that, do we?

Harbinger,

Your over simplification of the age old problem of the homeless reminds me of the 19th Century history books I used to read....outdated!

I would suggest to you that your letter writing to everyone has been ineffective, judging by the state of our downtown. Might I suggest that you consider stepping forward and volunteering in a more substantial role with a physical presence.

Ron J Davis

I kinda believe in those reverse petitions. I vote with the absence of my feet downtown.

I would like to know when was the last time that all of the people that are complaining about downtown actually went downtown?

I work downtown, I go there every single day. Since the PG hotel has been shut down, the difference is astounding. I have noticed alot more people downtown and a lot less undesireables. All of this is the result of one downtown business stepping up to the plate and putting their money where their mouth is.

Downtown has too many irresponsible land owners that do nothing to improve their area. This is why I believe the DBIA is necessary.

I believe the DBIA is necessary and I also know that I will probably be attacked for
having an opinion that is not in line with the regulars here - but I am seriously sick of people constantly complaining and not offering up any solutions.

I have seen positive changes and for the first time in my 40 years in PG, I believe we are headed in the right direction. It may be a long road, but we are making progress.

"All of this is the result of one downtown business stepping up to the plate and putting their money where their mouth is.
" ... right, DBIA had nothing to do with this.

"Downtown has too many irresponsible land owners that do nothing to improve their area" ... wrong, that is why we have bylaws that our taxes pay for and pay for them to be enforced. This is a city issue not a separate entity that also costs the tax payers.

" I believe we are headed in the right direction" ... another useless bureaucracy is not heading in the right direction.

Raising taxes for the downtown business owners, taxes over taxes, that should really benefit the businesses that are strugling. For the future of downtown I can only see more boarded up store fronts. This new tax if council approves it is a sham. Remember Colin Kinsley and the councilors of the day rejected it. Since Dan and most of the rest don't have any backbone this will probably go through. for the past 40 years all they have talked about on how to improve the downtown. Study after study and we all know what the downtown looks like today. Keep on dreaming. You will be taxing the downtown businesses out of business.

The Mayor is incompetent!

Mr. PG, tell us something we don't know.:)