Mr. Randy Hawes states he is not against a revitalized downtown Mission, yet he proves otherwise in his letter in last week’s Record.
Mr. Hawes thinks that all the time and effort that have gone into revitalizing downtown Mission is nothing more than an expensive pipe dream. The revitalization plan is the result of extensive public consultation over the past two years and moving the highway off First Avenue was the overwhelming primary suggestion. Downtown businesses and volunteers have spent countless hours working with the district to make a revitalized downtown Mission a reality.
Mr. Hawes, the Downtown Business Association of Mission are not dreamers that throw money at plans that we never intend to fulfill. We are the residents and business owners of Mission who roll up our sleeves and turn plans into reality. Downtown property owners have been paying taxes without an infrastructure update for decades.
We at DBA are quite insulted by Mr. Hawes’ cavalier attitude to our efforts to change downtown for the better. Our current council has made incredible progress in regards to revitalizing downtown and these plans are very much in motion.
And in regards to your statement that revitalizing downtown Mission will “require taxing the vast majority in Mission who never go downtown,” we are guessing that the loyal Mission residents who visit downtown regularly to shop and eat, who truly believe in supporting local businesses, and who would like to see their tax dollars revitalize downtown, must disagree with you as much as the DBA does.
The Mission Downtown Business Association