On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled his 2016-17 state budget proposal to a joint session of the state House and Senate. The address was different than any other in the Commonwealth’s history, as the Governor gave it at the same time that parts of the current fiscal year’s spending plan remain unfinished.

While the Governor did not mention any details in his address, the 2016-17 proposal includes an 11 percent increase in the personal income tax from 3.07 to 3.4 percent, an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.15 an hour, a natural gas extraction tax, and expanding the sales tax on some items. Wolf had proposed a number of these changes in the 2015-16 budget, but backed off as the negotiations continued.

One of the major unresolved issues for 2015-16 is education spending levels. The governor continues to demand $377 million more for basic education funding this year – a number that was reached in a budget framework agreement that crumbled in December. He added another $200 million in the 2016-17 budget proposal plus an additional $60 million for pre-K education

In response, Republican legislative leaders told reporters that the governor is acting irresponsibly with his spending demands.  Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said Gov. Wolf is “doubling down on his failures to provide leadership on accomplishing a bipartisan budget agreement by asking for even more taxpayer money without addressing the changes needed for long-term relief for Pennsylvania schools.”

On Monday, February 8th, Bloomsburg Town Council did not approve changes to parking meter enforcement times. The majority of Council members agreed to let a newly-formed sub-committee on parking discuss management issues and make recommendations. Members of the business community were on hand to restate their concerns and thanked Council for listening.

Prior to two votes on the issue, Council heard several statements opposing the changes, including one developed by the Chamber and co-signed by 51 business people, who are listed below. The first vote to adopt the changes as advertised did not pass with a 3-3 vote. A member of Council was absent. A motion was then made to re-advertise the ordinance, which included a number of changes to parking enforcement, but without the changes to enforcement times. That vote passed 4-2.

Prior to that meeting, the Town’s Community and Economic Development Committee agreed to create a parking sub-committee involving community stakeholders. The Chamber and Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc. have been invited to participate. “We look forward to working with the Town and other stakeholders to develop long-term strategies for parking management in Bloomsburg,” said Fred Gaffney, Chamber President.

Thanks to the members of Town Council for listing to the concerns of the business community, as well as those business people that signed on to the joint statement to express their concerns:

On Monday, January 25th, Bloomsburg Town Council voted to advance proposed changes to parking enforcement in the downtown. The Chamber and WHLM Radio presented results of polls that showed significant opposition to the plan. While increasing parking fees on Main Street was approved by resolution, a final vote on enforcement times is scheduled for February 8th.

The Town’s Administrative and Finance Committee recommended the plan to increase fees on Main Street and in the Square from 25 cents per hour to 50 cents per hour. The reason given by members of Council for this increase is to help pay for new parking meters. The increase was approved by resolution on a 5-2 vote.

Changing the enforcement times requires an ordinance change. Enforcement on Main Street would change from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday. The reasoning for this change is to deter people living in the downtown area from parking in public spaces, keeping those spaces available for business customers. Advertising the changes was approved 4-3. Council is expected to vote on the ordinance change at their meeting at 7 p.m. on February 8th.

The Chamber has heard concerns from a number of business and property owners that these changes could impact customer patterns and be harmful to businesses in the downtown. A poll was created asking if people supported or opposed these two changes. Of 299 respondents that provided their contact information, 77 businesses and property owners were represented. Of the total respondents, 90.6% oppose the fee increase, and 93.5% oppose the new enforcement times. The WHLM poll asked only about the parking fee increase. With over 500 responses to that poll, 77% were opposed to the fee increase.

Detailed results of the Chamber’s poll are available here.

Following the January 25th meeting, a meeting was organized for business and property owners in the downtown to discuss the changes. A joint statement was developed and has been forwarded to Council.

Downtown businesses and property owners are also strongly encouraged to attend Council’s February 8th meeting. To guarantee that your comments are heard prior to the vote, contact Amy Seamans at Town Hall at 570-784-7123 ext. 117 no later than Friday, February 5th at noon.

Members now have access to low interest loans of up to $20,000 through the Chamber. The maximum loan amount was recently increased from $10,000. Fixed and variable interest rates are also available. The changes were recommended by the Low Interest Loan Committee and approved by the Board in January.

Funds loaned by the Chamber can be used for a variety of business needs including renovations and equipment purchases. The Committee reviews all applications and makes a recommendation to the Chamber Board, typically within 30 days. For additional details, download the guidelines and application or contact Fred Gaffney at the Chamber.

The Chamber and Visitors Bureau’s Board of Directors are recommending the following slates of candidates for election to their respective boards:

Nominated to serve on the Chamber Board:
3-year term
Mark Gardner, M&T Bank
Marc Nespoli, Fuel Fitness
Jeff Watson, Carriage Manor Builders
Karen Wood, Service 1st Federal Credit Union

1-year term
Diane Ljungquist, Berwick Hospital Center
Jim Micklow, Press Enterprise
Tim Wagner, Wagner’s Trophies

Nominated to serve an unexpired, 3-year term
Denise Stone, Geisinger Health System

To be appointed by the Chair for a 1-year term:
Travis Petty, Borough of Berwick
Jeff Whitenight, First Columbia Bank & Trust Co.
Sharon Wilkin, CSS Industries

Nominated to serve a 3-year term on the Visitors Bureau Board:
Matt Hickey, Holiday Inn Express, Bloomsburg
Chris Hill, Pine Barn Inn
Al Luschas, Derr, Pursel, Luschas & Naparsteck, LLP
Lauren Martz, Town of Bloomsburg
Adrienne Mael, United Way of Columbia County
Stacy Ososkie, Knoebels Amusement Resort
Joe Scopelliti, BIDA

Members will vote to elect new board members at the combined Annual Meeting, scheduled for February 11th at Rolling Pines Golf Course & Banquet Facility. An alternate ticket or tickets may be nominated by at least fifteen members by posting a ticket at the Chamber’s main office at 238 Market Street, Bloomsburg, at least five days prior to the Annual Meeting. New board members will begin their terms on April 1, 2016.

The Chamber attended Bloomsburg Town Council’s meeting on December 14th to request that any changes to parking enforcement in the downtown be part of a comprehensive strategy for managing parking. A plan being discussed would increase fees for parking meters and change enforcement times. The Chamber and others expressed concerns over the potential impact on customer patterns and businesses.

The Chamber learned of the plan to change the fee for parking at a metered space from 25 cents per hour to 25 cents per 30 minutes, and enforcement would change from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, to 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays and 10 until 2 on Saturday. The fee increase is to help cover the cost of the new meters, according to Council. The reasoning for changing the enforcement times is to deter college students living in the downtown from taking up public parking that could otherwise be used for customers. The changes would be implemented first on Main Street with the replacement of meters, followed by other areas in the downtown. At the Council meeting, the Town’s solicitor clarified that any such changes would have to be through an ordinance and/or resolution, which have not yet been developed.

The Joint Governmental Affairs Committee of the Chamber and Visitors Bureau discussed these proposed changes, and has a number of questions about how they were developed, including any data that was used to support this plan. Also, there are concerns about how these changes could impact consumer patterns, which could harm existing businesses as well as future business development. Several other downtown businesses attended the meeting to express similar concerns.

In March, a parking study was presented at the Greenly Center as a student research project by students and faculty in the Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences (EGGS) and the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Additional support for the study was provided by the Columbia County GIS Office, the Town of Bloomsburg Police Department, Downtown Bloomsburg Inc., and the Bloomsburg University Center for Community Research and Consulting. Downtown Bloomsburg Inc. and the Chamber had asked at that time that the study be carefully reviewed before any changes to parking management be made.

“Parking concerns in Downtown Bloomsburg have been discussed for many years,” said Fred Gaffney, Chamber President. “We believe that finding long-term solutions to these issues requires a comprehensive approach with substantive data including metered and permit parking, in lots and on streets.”

The matter will now be referred to a Town committee for further discussion and the Chamber will be participating in those meetings.

The Chamber will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for Edith’s Kitchen in Downtown Danville this Friday at 4 p.m. Edith’s Kitchen will be serving light refreshments after the celebration. Their special for the day will be all you can eat fish and homemade crab cakes served from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

The holiday shopping season has already begun! Take some of the stress out of what to get the people on your list while helping support local businesses.

Chamber Gift Certificates offer the gift of choice for family, friends, and employees. The Certificates can be accepted at any member business and are processed just like a check at full face value. Recipients can use them for a night out, spa treatment, or home essentials.

Certificates in $10 and $25 denominations can be purchased during normal business hours at the Chamber office on Market Street in Bloomsburg. Other denominations and large orders are available by calling 570-784-2522 and allowing 2-3 days for processing.

Chamber members now have access to a group-buying option for processing credit and debit cards.

This new member benefit program is with Ignite Payments – Preferred Client Group. Ignite Payments is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Data Corp, one of the largest credit card processors in the U.S. Pennsylvania-based customer service specialists are available to help members understand new EMV “smart chip” and other requirements.

There are no set up fees, hidden charges, or termination fees. Participants do not need to change their financial institutions for deposits or other banking services. Existing equipment can often be reprogrammed.

Before the holiday rush, call Ignite Payments – Preferred Client Group at 877-470-8472 for program details to see if this new program can increase your profitability!