Light rail transit is coming to University Avenue in St. Paul beginning in 2010.
Light rail construction will disrupt and obstruct the day-to-day operation of small businesses on University Avenue. Small businesses will lose revenues because they will be forced to close for construction or customers won’t have access. After construction, most of the on-street parking that many small businesses depend on will be eliminated; fees and taxes will increase; new competition will arise; real estate speculation could take place. No wonder small business owners are afraid of light rail. Their jobs and livelihood are on the line.
How will small businesses on University Avenue survive? How will light rail benefit these small businesses when it could kill them off? How can we make sure that small businesses will survive and thrive with light rail transit?
The thousands of small businesses on University Avenue create jobs and contribute to the local economy in thousands of ways. Our neighborhoods along University Avenue depend on these small businesses. They provide products and services that the community needs. They make our neighborhoods better places to live.
The mission of the Save Our Businesses & Jobs is to make sure that no one goes out of business and no job is lost because of the impact of light rail transit. This can only be done if there is a comprehensive business mitigation and assistance program in place.
We also want to make sure that there is awareness of the problems light rail transit will create for small businesses and that light rail officials are accountable.
Support our cause by ordering a “Save Our Businesses & Jobs” sign. It’s only $10 (the cost of making one sign). This is a good way to bring awareness to this critical issue. Our email is SaveOurBizJobs(at)gmail.com
You can also support us by calling or writing these public officials and telling them to save the jobs and businesses on University Ave that light rail will impact:
Peter Bell
Chair of the Metropolitan Council
651-602-1390
fax 651-602-1358
email: peter.bell@metc.state.mn.us
The Met Council is responsible for building the Central Corridor light rail line on University Avenue.
Chris Coleman
Mayor of St. Paul
651-266-8510
email: mayor@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Mayor Chris Coleman is your main elected official in St. Paul responsible for business needs.
Lastly, you can support the thousands of small businesses on University Avenue by continuing to patronize them through light rail construction.
Contact the Save Our Businesses & Jobs Committee:
1 comment:
when ask by a reporter the spokeperson for met council say that there will be no "hand out" to businesses on university..what an intelligent(hideous)remark coming from someone at met council especially someone getting paid to be a spokeperson..get your fact right we never ask for an "handout" we are asking for business mitigation..money that we will lose during and after construction..we are not asking for FREE money
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