Thursday, August 9, 2012
Excess revenues will go to taxpayers in a special service area of downtown Wheaton.
Property owners in a special service area (SSA) in downtown Wheaton will receive refunds after the SSA expired in April. Wheaton City Council passed an ordinance Monday refunding excess revenues for the SSA, which provided funding for the Downtown Wheaton Association through a tax levy on downtown property owners. The ordinance will allow for refunds of more than $94,000 to the taxpayers of record within the SSA, City Manager Don Rose said, in accordance with state statute. The city reported $94,408 in excess revenues will be distributed to the taxpayers in the special service area. DWA board member Frank Kohout told Council members the organization is working at updating their practice of compiling financial reports to provide more …
Friday, July 20, 2012
The new website makes it easier for business owners and prospective business owners to know
The Downtown Wheaton Association launched its new website Thursday, allowing users to navigate more easily and complete tasks online. Designed by Orangeflux, a Wheaton website development firm, the site is organized into three categories: Experience Downtown Wheaton, Open a Business and DWA Member Resources. Residents can also join the DWA's Shoppers' Club to stay up to date on downtown businesses, exclusive shopping offers and special events in downtown Wheaton. New features include an expanded business directory, social media integration (You can find them on Twitter and Facebook), an enhanced calendar and updated news.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The city issued a press release regarding a lawsuit filed by two downtown property owners last Wednesday.
The City of Wheaton will file a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges the city unfairly imposed a special service area tax on downtown property owners. Two downtown Wheaton property owners, Margarita Jimenez and Robert Sandberg, filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Wheaton and city officials last Wednesday. The suit alleges the city, Wheaton Mayor Mike Gresk and council members Tom Mouhelis, John Rutledge and Todd Scalzo acted in bad faith when they voted to pass the Special Service Area 7 (SSA #7) in December. Jimenez is the owner of El Zarape, 325 Front Street, and Sandberg owns property at 101 Front Street in downtown Wheaton. "The due process claim is meritless and the Federal Court has no jurisdiction to properly consider …
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
In a 4-3 vote council approves taxing plan that will fund the Downtown Wheaton Association.
Wheaton Mayor Michael Gresk cast the deciding vote Monday to approve the establishment of a new Special Services Area that will fund the Downtown Wheaton Association. The vote establishing SSA #7 mirrored the October vote that moved the process to the public hearing stage. Council members Jeanne Ives, Evelyn Pacino-Sanguinetti and Phil Suess opposed the plan. While the SSA has been approved, a legal challenge may be filed by those who opposed its creation. Last week opponents of the proposed SSA filed petitions opposing the creation of the taxing district that will fund the Downtown Wheaton Association. There were 86 petitions filed by property owners and 28 by electors, or proprietors renting the downtown properties—more than the magical…
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City of Wheaton City Hall
303 W Wesley St, Wheaton, IL
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Monday, December 12, 2011
City staff must validate the petitions before presenting them to City Council.
The fate of the Downtown Wheaton Association hangs in the balance after more than half the downtown property owners and business leaders that would be affected by a new Special Service Area filed petitions Friday opposing its creation. The taxes generated from the proposed SSA are slated to fund DWA promotional efforts to market downtown Wheaton for the next seven years, the duration of the SSA. Without those tax dollars, Keven Graham, past president of the DWA, said the organization could cease to exist. Right now though, Graham said Monday that the only thing his organization can do is wait and see if the petitions are validated and await the decision of the Wheaton City Council. According to the statutes governing Special Service Areas…
41.866069
-88.109812
City of Wheaton City Hall
303 W Wesley St, Wheaton, IL
/articles/ssa-opponents-file-petitions-against-new-plan
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/locations/6019471
Monday, November 21, 2011
The groupon applies to all participating downtown businesses.
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Monday, November 21, 2011
For the first time in Groupon history, the Downtown Wheaton Association (DWA) will offer a town-wide deal for 78 businesses, services, restaurants, shops and other local experiences located within downtown Wheaton Monday. Shoppers who buy the Groupon will pay $10 for $20 toward any purchase in participating downtown businesses. DWA Manager Max Williams said, “We are thrilled to be the first community in the U.S. to offer a Groupon for our entire downtown area. We believe this Groupon is a great opportunity to promote the Wheaton area as a desirable destination and show Chicagoland residents that our historic downtown area is ‘so much more than charming’, especially, during a time of the year when small businesses are competing with big …
Monday, October 10, 2011
Organization is marshaling forces to speak on behalf of the proposed Special Service Area at tonight's public hearing.
The establishment of a new Special Service Area in downtown Wheaton is a matter of life and death for the Downtown Wheaton Association, DWA Board President Keven Graham said. “That’s what will ensure, carry on what the Downtown Wheaton Association does as far as helping to promote downtown businesses, create foot traffic and other things we do. If it’s not approved, then all the events you see happening in downtown Wheaton will not happen,” he said Monday. In September Wheaton Mayor Mike Gresk touted the organization as an asset to the community and said without the organization, Wheaton would be a “lesser place” due to lower downtown property values. He echoed Graham's comments Monday that without funds from the SSA, the DWA would need to…
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Joe Jozaitis calls upon council to reject a proposed tax plan he calls confusing and unfair.
Wheaton resident Joe Jozaitis urged city council oppose the creation of a new Special Service Area in downtown, which would in part, financially support the Downtown Wheaton Association. During his address to council Monday night Jozaitis, a certified public accountant, criticized the legalities governing Special Service Areas. He called it convoluted and confusing to most people in and out of government. Additionally, Jozaitis criticized the fact that a failure to purge former downtown occupants who are no longer on any city taxing rolls can unfairly weigh the votes in favor of the new SSA due to the language in the law. Joszaitis added any businesses or citizens who are directly or indirectly receiving funds from the taxing district …
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Some downtown business owners support new Special Service Area plan, but some oppose.
Suggesting people “buckle up” for a tough debate, Wheaton Mayor Michael Gresk cast the deciding vote Monday to allow a public hearing on a new Special Service Area in downtown Wheaton. Gresk, a former president of the Downtown Wheaton Association—which is proposing the SSA—touted the organization as an asset to the downtown community. He said without the organization, Wheaton would be a “lesser place” due to lower downtown property values. But, recognizing that not everyone who owns property in the proposed SSA would automatically support the new taxing plan, Gresk encouraged those on both sides of the issue to muster their forces and participate in the public hearing set for Oct. 10. Gresk was supported by Wheaton City Council Members Tom…
41.866069
-88.109812
City of Wheaton City Hall
303 W Wesley St, Wheaton, IL
/articles/council-sets-public-hearing-for-new-downtown-taxing-plan
255468
/locations/5406689
Monday, September 19, 2011
Downtown SSA request is back on the table.
City Council meets for a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19 at City Hall. Approval of minutes from the Sept. 6 City Council meeting Approval of a special event permit for street closures for the Orchard Church’s UPC 5K: The race will be Saturday, Oct. 22 (Oct. 15 is alternate date) to promote the Giant Killers, Orchard Church's youth group. The entire event will last from around 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the church, 205 Parkway Drive and along Parkway, Washington Street, Cadillac Drive, Webster Avenue, the Prairie Path, Howard Street, Forest Street, Santa Rosa Place, Prairie Avenue and Scott Street. An Ordinance amending the Wheaton Liquor Ordinance of the City Code to allow an increase in a Class B liquor license for Smashburger, 1 …
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5:30 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
When you shake hands with Jim, you got to check your wallet and fingers to see if you still have them. more ›