Downtown Chattanooga Alliance Still Not Decided On Charging Non-Profits

  • Tuesday, September 8, 2020

The Downtown Chattanooga Alliance (formerly Business Improvement District) has still not decided on charging non-profit organizations the annual fees that others in the district must pay.

Steve Brookes, executive director, said it had been hoped to have a resolution for the board to consider this month. However, he said that will be pushed back to October.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Second Presbyterian Church, the Downtown YMCA and United Way have asked that they be exempt from the assessments.

None of those have been billed to date.

Officials said some $900,000 in assessments did go out. About $800,000 has been received.

The city of Chattanooga has been doing the billing. Daisy Madison, city finance director, said the city has not had to add any staff for the work. She said the city gets two percent of the collected amount and is making some profit on the deal or - at worst - breaking even.

Mr. Brookes said for the first time the group is fully staffed - 16 including himself.

Steve Hunt, chairman, said the group "is a small business, and we rent from a Chattanooga landlord."

He said its "ambassadors" are "making a big difference" in the downtown area by keeping it clean, removing graffiti and helping connect some individuals with needed services.

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