Health & Fitness
Is it time to end the Partnership for Haddonfield?
The Haddonfield partnership was created to aid all Haddonfield businesses. Is the partnership still doing what it was set out to accomplish?
Haddonfield Partnership is funded by a tax on property owners located within the business improvement district. The BID tax is ultimately passed on to and
paid by businesses and professionals located in the business interest district.
When the partnership was incorporated in 2004 it was established to enhance the entire business community of Haddonfield. However, the Partnership along with the Borough has narrowed their interests to promote only Kings Highway while taxing all of the business and professionals of Haddonfield including professionals and those businesses that exist off Kings Highway.
This is no fault of the hardworking volunteers on the Partnership, who dedicate their time freely and willingly to create a better Haddonfield. It is the doing of the Borough Commissioners and Administrator who oversee the Partnership and continue to neglect the value all businesses and professionals bring to Haddonfield.
The question at hand is “has the Partnership out lived its usefulness? Has the
time come to put an end to the Partnership?” Many vendors no longer stay open
for First Friday. Few attend THE Professional Networking Meeting, the retail
recruiter who is hired by the partnership to solicit businesses to locate in
Haddonfield is directed to focus on Kings Highway. The retail recruiter has not placed a new retail business off Kings Highway nor has the “retail” recruiter filled any professional’s office space.
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In these tough economic times where businesses and professionals are trying to stay afloat, the time has come to examine the value of the Partnership. I recognize once a tax is implemented to have the tax reversed is virtually impossible. I propose the money collected from the BID tax be divided up equitably. Money collected from professionals should be designated for professional promotion. Whether that is helping to rent office space, beautify the streets where professionals are located or advertise for the professionals. Money collected from businesses located off of Kings Highway should be dispersed in the same manner proposed for professionals.
