Title
Authorization to Pay Invoices for 2021 Downtown Enhanced Municipal Services District (Ordinance S-47103)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to pay all invoices received from Downtown Phoenix, Inc. (DPI) through the Phoenix Downtown Enhanced Municipal Services District (EMSD) Agreement, in an amount not to exceed $3,662,705 for work related to the calendar year 2021 Downtown EMSD budget and work plan through Dec. 31, 2021. Further request to authorize the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
The City Council authorized formation of the Downtown EMSD in 1990 to provide enhanced public services, above and beyond the level of services provided in the remainder of the City. The City contracts directly with DPI to implement the work program of the Downtown EMSD, including the Ambassadors program, streetscape improvements and maintenance, the Clean Team program, marketing, event promotion, business assistance and transportation services. Pursuant to State law, each year a budget must be approved for the Downtown EMSD. This action is the final step in the annual budget process to authorize the Community and Economic Development Department to pay DPI for services rendered in calendar year 2021 under the Downtown EMSD contract.
Financial Impact
The City's total estimated annual expenditure for this program is $1,197,007, which includes:
- $339,491 from the General Fund (which represents an approximately $37,679 decrease from 2020);
- $503,959 from the Phoenix Convention Center;
- $120,379 from the Sports Facilities Fund;
- $8,409 from the Genomics Facilities Operations and Maintenance Fund; and
- $224,771 from collections from tenants on City-owned properties.
An additional $789,756 is collected from other government-owned properties including Maricopa County, Maricopa County Stadium District and the State of Arizona. The remaining $1,675,941 of funds are collected from private property owners through an assessment on their property tax bill. The total amount for the 2021 calendar year budget is $3,662,705.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Workforce and Economic Development Subcommittee recommended for approval:
- The Work Plan and Budget on Sept. 23, 2020, by a vote of 3-1.
The City Council approved:
- The 2021 Downtown EMSD Estimate of Expenses, Assessment of Expense and set the Public Hearing Date of Nov. 18, 2020 for the hearing on the estimated assessments (Resolution 21871) on Oct. 21, 2020; and
- The 2021 Downtown EMSD Assessment Diagram (Resolution 21872) on Oct. 21, 2020.
Public Outreach
On Oct. 21, 2020, the City Council set the date of Nov. 18, 2020 as the date for the public hearing on the Downtown EMSD assessments. On Oct. 22, 2020, a total of 27 days prior to the hearing, which is greater than the legally required 20 days, all property owners were notified by mail of their annual assessment cost by the Street Transportation and Community and Economic Development departments. In addition to the budget and work plan being recommended by the Workforce and Economic Development Subcommittee on Sept. 23, 2020, DPI has sent letters to all property owners, and the Downtown EMSD Board approved the 2021 budget at its June 2020 board meeting. To answer any questions that property owners in the Downtown EMSD might have, Community and Economic Development Department staff made themselves available virtually for an hour prior to the Nov. 18, 2020 public hearing. Notice of the public hearing was also published in the Record Reporter as specified below. No further notification is required after the public hearing.
Revised published dates: The Record Reporter
- Oct. 28, 2020
- Oct. 30, 2020
Location
The Downtown EMSD is generally bounded by Fillmore Street on the north, 7th Street on the east, 3rd Avenue on the west, and on the south by the railroad tracks south of Jackson Street.
Council Districts: 7 and 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Jeff Barton and Mario Paniagua, and the Community and Economic Development and Street Transportation departments.