Three hundred-and-eighty-three thousand, three-hundred-and-seventy-five. That’s the weight — in pounds — of the amount of trash the DLBA Clean Team removed from Downtown sidewalks last year. That total amounts to an average of more than 1,000 pounds, a half a ton, of trash per day that goes uncollected by regular city services, HOAs servicing their grounds, or good citizens simply picking up a discarded newspaper.

Our family often enjoys long walks around the Downtown, so we have the opportunity to experience the services provided by the PBID on a regular basis. As we push strollers through Downtown’s neighborhoods, it is the things we don’t have to worry about — like clean sidewalks or feeling safe — that make our many great outings possible.

That level of personal security is made possible through the PBID and we believe that these services have become an expectation of those living in or even visiting Downtown. For the last 14 years, these services have been paid for by a few yet have been enjoyed by all. While some may claim that it is “someone else’s job,” we believe that we all share a civic responsibility to maintain and improve our Downtown neighborhood.

Our proposed assessment is $34.54, per year. That pales in comparison to our HOA dues and amounts to less than $3 per month to ensure that three hundred-and-eighty-three thousand, three-hundred-and-seventy-five pounds of trash don’t impede the path of our children’s strollers and litter the image of Downtown — that’s a miniscule price to pay for peace of mind. We’ll be voting yes on our ballot.

Sincerely,

Andy and Allison Kripp
Harbor Place Tower residents since 2004