City will pick up half of $115,000 annual tab

Hess business owners get a break on policing costs

Hess Village businesses are getting a break on policing costs — but not quite the deal they were expecting.

At Tuesday’s planning committee meeting, councillors narrowly approved a plan that would see the city split paid duty costs with the business owners 50-50. Pending final approval from council on Friday, the pilot program would last two years, beginning retroactively at the beginning of this year’s patio season.

Right now, Hess Village business owners bear the full brunt of paid duty costs, which has averaged about $115,000 annually over the past four years.

However, the issue proved contentious at Tuesday’s meeting. The deal originally proposed by downtown Coun. Jason Farr called for the city to pick up 65 per cent of the paid duty costs, plus administrative fees, for four years. He repeatedly stressed Hamilton is the only city in Canada — and “possibly North America” — that passes these costs onto business owners.

“This is 100 per cent everywhere else, and I’m asking for 65 per cent here,” he said.

Though Farr spoke passionately about the value Hess Village brings to the downtown, his council col- leagues were concerned about setting a precedent that could leave the city on the hook for bailing out other organizations on paid duty costs. Coun. Brenda Johnson argued if council approves this program, Santa Claus parades and summer f airs would seek the same treatment.

“They are all responsible, rain or shine, for paid officers,” she said.

Ultimately, Coun. Matt Green suggested the two-year, 50-50 pilot. Farr, Green and their colleagues Doug Conley, Robert Pasuta and Aidan Johnson supported the pilot, while Johnson, Maria Pearson, Chad Collins, and Judi Partridge were opposed. The issue of who will pay for administrative costs was tabled until Friday’s council meeting.

Councillors also heard a delegation from Dean Collett, who owns Koi and Sizzle on Hess Street. He argued Hess is no longer just a party hot spot for young adults and that any suggestion to the contrary is as a result of “sensational headlines that the media likes to focus on.”

Collett argued the negative stereotypes and the high policing costs are damaging business. The number of establishments open in Hess Village has dropped from 17 to 12, he said.