To the editor:

It is important to know the issues and where candidates stand before you vote, which is why I wait until Election Day. Early voting is great, but it is also good to make sure you have the information you need.

All the incumbent City Council members and the two incumbents running for mayor say they support small businesses, yet they all say they are for a Business Improvement District being pushed by the city and the biggest property owners and businesses in Old Town. It will raise property taxes 10 cents on everyone in the district.

Large property owners just shrug their shoulders, talk to their accountants and absorb the cost. Small businesses may not want to locate here in a high-tax zone, where they will pay around 8% more. When stores inevitably change hands, property owners might have a hard time releasing, and instead of property values going up, I predict it will be harder to sell, as every investor calculates all his or her costs of ownership.

Who is this BID for? You have to wonder. The BID effort has been led by the same consultant, MuniCap, that worked on the proposed Monumental Sports & Entertainment arena. The board of the BID will be self-selected and the organization will have no public scrutiny. The tax will be in place for perpetuity. The approximately $1 million raised every year goes to a group of private individuals to decide how to spend. And this City Council changed the rules without a public hearing to make it easier for those pushing for a BID to get to the 60% goal.

If you don’t want to see Old Town taxes raised and the heart of our city changed by something with long-term consequences, and you support small business and maintaining our historic charm, you should vote for Steven Peterson for mayor, and Charlotte Scherer and Kevin Harris for Council, the only three candidates against the BID boondoggle!

-Boyd Walker,

Alexandria