only on decorahnews.com: New proposal is being made to solve the SSMID funding shortfall

Members of the Downtown Decorah Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (or "SSMID") Board meet Wednesday morning and will be told that a possible solution is being discussed to correct a $15,000 funding shortfall for the board.

An ordinance establishing a new Self Supporting Municipal Improvement District in downtown Decorah and West Decorah got approved by the Decorah City Council last year, but the City Clerk's Office did not get the ordinance recorded with state officials in time to meet the deadline to collect the property taxes. 

That means $15,000 in SSMID taxes won't be able to be collected as planned in 2011-2012.  Money raised by the levy helps to fund amenities such as flower baskets, benches, trash receptacles, bicycle racks, trees, kiosks and Christmas lights.

The city's Finance Committee will meet October 18th to again discuss the situation.  At least one city council member will suggest giving $7,500 to the SSMID Board now--and then send out letters to property owners within the SSMID, asking them for voluntary donations to make up the remaining $7,500 in revenues that would have been raised.  A number of downtown property owners have told city officials they would voluntarily pay the same amount of property tax that would have been levied under the SSMID legislation.