Montrose - Daily Press

MONTROSE  — A south-end developer has a new incentive method to recruit new retail business to the area and expand the retail sales-tax base.

Recently, the Montrose City Council approved changes to its sales tax ordinance that allows the developer to place a PIF, or Public Improvement Fee, on Oxbow Crossing and River Landing tenants.

“In the last 10 years, we are the only one (large retail shopping center) in the state to be developed without a PIF,” Matt Miles, Montrose developer of Oxbow Crossing and River Landing, said.

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A PIF is not a tax, but a fee that is imposed on business owners or tenants in a certain area identified in the PIF. In this case, it is Oxbow Crossing and River Landing shopping centers. The developer requires tenants to collect a PIF on their customers’ sales transactions to pay for the improvements on their site. The fee collected repays the capital costs incurred by the developer for the construction of public improvements in the PIF area such as curbs and sidewalks, and road development, according to city staff.

For the full PIF contract, see the city’s Web site “archive” at www.cityofmontrose.org. and view the Sept. 19 city council meeting packet. (See related story.)

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Comments

What wrote on Sep 30, 2009 9:57 AM:

" Now...remind me why we are doing this for Oxbow/River Landing and not Main Street. It seems to me the Oxbow area has plenty of retailers doing fine. They are out there paying that high of rent for a reason. If they are not doing fine, then they should realize what high of rent will do for you. I just wonder if the city has thought about where their revenue is going to come from. The busy part of town is getting a credit against their tax. The old part of town does not have business. Horse Pucky! I am discouraged. "




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walks like a duck wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:55 AM:

" fee or tax, does it really matter what you call it, the consumer is paying it, it removes their buying power just like the falling dollar, inflation is a tax, this is a tax for the developer recoup the losses incurred on the bad decision to build. a reward for bad decision making. This PIF is what will be proposed by the downtown business improvement district to further line their own pockets and subsidize their own greedy interests at the expense of taxpayers. "




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angery tax payor wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:38 AM:

" PIF call it what you want it is just another way get money from the consumer. The developer should be responsible for sidewalks, curbs, ect. "




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Great Idea wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:17 AM:

" This is a great idea. We need more buisnesses to close in montrose since the rest are doing so well. When is this town going to realize how anti business they are. Does everyone not realize that this attitude is why the recession has hit us so hard. But then again, that is what the "antibusiness" city planners are all about. "




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D.E.ROSE wrote on Sep 30, 2009 6:47 AM:

" CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT TO BUT SURE SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER TAX TO ME- OF COURSE THE BUSINESSES AFFECTED WILL HAVE TO PASS ON THE ADDED COST TO THE CONSUMER- WHAT ELSE CAN IT BE????? "




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