A petition passed by some Rhinelander businesses members has received enough support to ask the city to dissolve the Business Improvement District.
A BID district enables municipal property owners to tax themselves a little more and use the money to make improvements. To end a BID, property owners have to show that owners with more than 50 percent of the valuation want the BID district dissolved. That happened late last week, when Rhinelander business owner and petition starter Jerry Shidell presented the needed signatures to city government.
What happens now is the city is obliged to hold a public meeting of the Plan Commission, tentatively set for March 2. During that meeting the Commission will look at the petition. Petitioners can also leave the effort by that date, placing the petitioners below the required valuation needed and dissolving the petition. If the Plan Commission finds the petition in order it can take action. The city council has no authority to override the petition, as it can only find it in order.
A large amount of the funding for Downtown Rhinelander, Incorporated comes from the funds for the BID.
