DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS BACK WILLIAMSON ROAD TAX PROPOSAL

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 8, 1993                   TAG: 9304080101
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS BACK WILLIAMSON ROAD TAX PROPOSAL
Downtown Roanoke Inc., a merchants' and property owners' organization, has endorsed the Williamson Road proposal, citing its own success with a similar program.
Downtown taxpayers are billed an extra 10 cents per $100 of assessed value - for a total of $1.35 per $100 of value - generating $205,000 a year for Downtown Roanoke to pay staff members and furnish a variety of services, including business recruitment, festivals, shuttle buses and seasonal decorations.
The service district was established in 1986.
When the district came up for renewal in 1991, said Kim Kimbrough, executive director of the downtown group, 85 percent of the property owners said they favored continuing the district and making it permanent.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB