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From:Greg Greenway <br />To:publiccomment <br />Subject:Public Comment: Item 4, Aug 17 Council Special Meeting <br />Date:Friday, August 16, 2024 3:08:24 PM <br />You don't often get email from seaportindustrial@yahoo.com. Learn why this is important <br />[Please read if you have time under Item 4, Public Comment. Thank you.] <br />August 16, 2024 <br /> <br />Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council Members: <br /> <br />On behalf of Seaport Industrial Association, I want to thank you for your hard work on <br />the City’s business license tax proposal, leading to your decision last month. In <br />response to community input, Council kept an employee-based model, lowered the <br />annual tax cap, and supported regular public review of the tax rates. <br /> <br />Industrial businesses in the Seaport area were concerned about the original proposal, <br />but you listened to those concerns and took our recommendations seriously. The <br />increased rates you approved for retail industrial business in the port area are <br />reasonable and equitable, and we appreciate your approach to phased <br />implementation. <br /> <br />We also want to commend staff – City Manager and team – for executing a <br />comprehensive engagement of the business community on a tight timeline dictated by <br />ballot deadlines. That required staff time and effort, strong relationships, community <br />participation, and good faith to listen and consider different options. <br /> <br />Thank you to Council and staff for designing an inclusive business engagement <br />process that led to a compromise position on a complex issue. <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br />Greg Greenway <br />Executive Director <br />Seaport Industrial Association