MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Representatives of a pair of churches argued Tuesday that religious institutions should be exempt from a fee imposed on downtown commercial property owners.
The speakers were among a handful of people – both opponents and supporters – who spoke at a public hearing about a proposal to renew the Downtown Business Improvement District for another five years.
The district pays for beautification, graffiti removal, trash collection, marketing campaigns and provides other services that the city does not in a 75-block area downtown. The money comes from an assessment on 547 commercial properties and goes to a board of directors affiliated with the Downtown Mobile Alliance. Those fees vary depending on the value of the properties. The average fee is $890. The highest is $56,200. The lowest is just $9…