At the Nov. 14 Hays City Commission meeting, the Commission voted 3-2 in favor of the Hays Mall Community Improvement District that will impose a 1 percent sales tax increase at the Mall to fund improvements.<\/p>\n
The CID, which has been discussed and changed over the course of the last several weeks was approved with changes after the Commission exited a 20 minute executive session.<\/p>\n
The additional provisions that were added and approved as part of the CID established 2 phases of improvements to completed by certain dates . Phase I improvements are to be completed by July 1, 2016 and Phase 2 improvements are to be completed by December 31, 2016. If the owner of the mall fails to complete the designated improvements by the deadlines, none of the $3 million will be distributed.<\/p>\n
Vice Mayor Eber Phelps and Commissioners Ron Mellick and Shaun Musil voted in favor of the ordinance<\/p>\n
\u201cInitially I was not in favor of the CID because I\u2019m not a fan of a business not using any of its own money to make improvements,\u201d Musil said, \u201cI\u2019m changing my vote because I\u2019m looking at the future of Hays.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cImproving the mall could increase Hays\u2019 pull factor, and potentially bring more visitors to shop in Hays,\u201d Phelps said.<\/p>\n
Mayor Henry Schwaller and Commissioner Kent Steward voting against the CID.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a $3 million investment without any guarantee of results, not my idea of good business,\u201d Steward said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t commit Hays residents and area residents to paying for this without something in exchange, because it isn\u2019t a fair exchange I will not be voting for it,\u201d Schwaller said, who also changed his original position on the CID prior to the vote.<\/p>\n
In addition to the CID, the Commission recognized city employees for 5, 10, and 15 years of service. A 5 percent guest tax was also approved, a 1 percent increase from the original guest tax. Funding was also approved for rehabilitation of the crosswind runway at the Hays Regional Airport. The rehabilitation will cost $95,349.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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