HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE Downtown Vitality ACt
H.228 / S.130: An Act to Promote Downtown Vitality
Sponsored by Rep. Cabral and Sen. Cronin
ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN VITALITY ACT
This bill would establish the Downtown Vitality Fund and allocate 5% of receipts from online sales originating in Massachusetts to support staffing and operations of business improvement districts, main street associations, cultural districts, and parking benefit districts in Gateway Cities and other low-income communities.
LANDSCAPE
Small businesses districts in communities across the commonwealth need vibrant, walkable areas to attract enough foot traffic to succeed in today’s challenging commercial environment. Online retail in particular has siphoned dollars away from local economies, contributing to economic and cultural displacement. An Act to promote downtown vitality (H.228/S.130) seeks to reinvest 5% of remote retailer tax revenue back into our Main Streets and downtowns, helping to level the playing field by promoting district management and creating strong local places.
Massachusetts has the foundation for success, with historic areas, urban squares, town centers, and rural villages. Yet we have lacked the governance and financing structures to manage these places adequately for 15-hour districts, 7 days a week. That is changing. A burgeoning network of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) has emerged over the last five years, and dozens of Cultural Districts have been established. Parking Benefit Districts represent a new management tool, and innovative public- private-civic partnerships have arisen.
However, the state lacks a funding mechanism to scale up this local innovation and create a system of management capacity on the sublocal or district level. An Act to promote downtown vitality would transform our state into a national leader and ensure that our communities, large and small, have a thriving, beating heart. We can do this in a way that values and strengthens our state’s diversity, builds entrepreneurship among immigrants and communities of color, and enhances our unique cultural business districts.
WHAT THE BILL WOULD DO:
Establishes a Downtown Vitality Fund managed by EOHED, funded with 5% of remote retailers (online) sales tax revenue
The Fund will disperse grants to establish, sustain, or provide technical assistance to district management entities in commercial areas, which could include:
Business Improvement Districts
Cultural Districts
Parking Benefit Districts
Other district management entities approved by the agency
Grants must be matched by local funding sources (guidelines to be developed by EOHED)
Priority districts include those:
Located in Gateway Cities and other low-income areas
Expanding entrepreneurship opportunities among underrepresented communitiesStrengthening cultural identity and preventing cultural displacement
Establishes a Downtown Vitality Advisory Board composed of 15 members who will advise EOHED on the fund and review its activities. Proposed members include: MassDevelopment, Mass Cultural Council, Business Improvement District representatives, Cultural District representatives, Municipalities (Gateway City and non-Gateway City), and Underrepresented communities
Expands the permissible uses of funds raised through Parking Benefit Districts to include district management activities and operations.
JOIN OUR ADVOCACY COALITION
MASSCreative Action Network is building a coalition of artists, cultural organizations, creative businesses, and sector allies to advocate for this necessary bill. We know that united advocacy works and we invite you to join our coalition today.
For Organizations and Businesses, we ask coalition members to:
Formally endorse the bill and allow us to use their names/logos on our bill advocacy materials.
Join the MASSCreative Action Network and the bill's sponsors at a press event to amplify the bill’s importance and build public support.
Testify at committee hearings and submit written testimony in support of the legislation.
Work to engage more state and local lawmakers to support the bill through meetings and outreach.
Share news, calls to action, and other advocacy efforts via social media and communication platforms.
Share your feedback on ways to strengthen the legislation.
CAN MY NONPROFIT ENDORSE LEGISLATION? Yes! Check out our guide for nonprofits interested in advocacy.
For Artists, Creative Workers, Advocates, and Individual Supporters, we ask coalition members to:
Formally share your support for the bill and allow us to add your name to formal letters of support.
Testify - or submit written testimony - at committee hearings supporting the legislation.
Share your support for the bill with your elected officials through meetings and outreach.
Share updates, calls to action, and other advocacy efforts via social media with your networks.
Share your feedback on ways to strengthen the legislation.
