The Common Council voted against tax increases on Thursday to fund maintenance fees for businesses along the Connective Corridor route.

The council voted 6-1 against the increase. Business owners said in the meeting they were satisfied that their taxes would not increase for 2013-2014, but acknowledged that maintaining their businesses along East Genesee and West Fayette streets, as well as University Avenue would take extra time and effort.

The first phase of the project cost more than $10 million and was primarily funded by state and federal grants. Many affected property owners said they didn’t know they would have to pay higher taxes in order to pay for maintenance fees, and as a result were against it.

But businesses in the area will work together to maintain the aesthetic of the route, said Gene DiBartolomeo, owner of DiBartolomeo Engineering, located on the 700 block of East Genesee Street.

DiBartolomeo brought up Forman Park, located on East Genessee Street, as an example.

“The park has been there since 1839 and there have always been benches, trees and grass,” DiBartolomeo said. “If I, as one of 48 property owners, have to cut the grass once every two years, then I will.”

Like DiBartolomeo, Sarah Sack, an employee of Sack & Associates Consulting Engineers, said she owns several buildings on the route and has had to maintain the landscape for years. She said she doesn’t mind maintaining it because she wants her businesses to look nice, but said she already invests a lot of money.

She estimates that the Connective Corridor has drawn a 40 percent increase in traffic to the area.

Drawing more traffic was the goal of the Connective Corridor, according to the project’s website. The route is “a signature strip of cutting-edge cultural development connecting the University Hill with downtown Syracuse.”

Seven of the nine councilors were present, and some of the councilors said they appreciated hearing community members’ and business owners’ concerns regarding the tax increase.

Though Council President Van Robinson wasn’t involved in the decision, he told the roughly 50-member audience that he empathizes with the small business owners, but wants to ensure that the newly beautified area along the Connective Corridor is maintained.

As of this point, the Common Council is still looking into how to pay for the maintenance of the Connective Corridor.

Published on June 13, 2013 at 6:18 pm