Lafayette’s Proposed Downtown Assessment District Update

The City of Lafayette has, since 1979, shared the cost of maintenance for downtown medians, sidewalks, and lighting with property owners, wherein landowner's contributions are collected through an assessment district.  However, since costs have continue to rise over the years and landowner contributions have not, the City's share has burgeoned to the point now of being not sustainable.  As a result, the City has proposed a new assessment district that would largely solve the problem by imposing a new, fairer formula for collections and imposing a maximum 3% annual cap on cost increases.  All downtown property owners were invited to attend a May 3^rd meeting on the matter, and perhaps 30 did attend, along with staff and Councilmember Brandt Andersson.  The participants were largely positive about the direction that the City is going, and a straw-vote show-of-hands suggested that at least those in the room would be supportive of the new district.  Next step:  ballots go out later this month and will be collected and tabulated in July.