Burlingame’s downtown business assessments approved

Some of the events the business district funds are Fall Fest in October, the holiday event in December and the Wine Walk. It also uses the funds to advertise on social media, distribute newsletters, interact with the city for matters that pertain to it and any infrastructure improvements in which it agrees to invest.

The businesses are charged a fee based on the zone and square footage of the company. This year’s costs ranged from $100 to around $600 for the businesses, according to Burlingame Finance Director Helen Yu-Scott.

Only three businesses protested this year’s assessment. In an email, Twelvemonth restaurant owner Bob Trahan said he is astounded by the city bills that come in piecemeal. However, it was later clarified the business district’s assessment is not a city bill.

“It would seem that minimally, as part of the planned approval process, when a project begins, like my restaurant, a full schedule of fees should be presented to me. As is, things like this assessment are coming in one by one, making any sort of budgeting impossible. Generally, it would be best if there was simply a higher tax rate that we business owners can easily understand and account for in our business plans,” Trahan said in an email to the city.

Mayor Michael Brownrigg asked city staff to create a list of all the private and public fees so a business owner could understand the cost structure.

Vice Mayor Donna Colson said it would be helpful to further inform potential business owners of what to expect when they run a business downtown or on Broadway.

“I want to be sensitive to business and the fact that especially restaurants are running on a pretty tight margin or in negative, so I think as helpful as we can be, I think would be important,” Colson said.