Attendance at the Plaza concerts has been modest at best.
It's a new day in Trenton. You'd think it would be a new day in Plainfield, too.
Yet Mayor Robinson-Briggs proposed that the Council expand funding for the 'Music in the Plaza' concerts, despite failing to provide either a plan or documentation that the concerts have any measurable impact on downtown business.
The Mayor might just want to look over her shoulder. Not only is the Council in a questioning mood, Gov. Christie is also paying attention. The Hunterdon County News reported online Friday (see here) that the governor had vetoed a portion of the Urban Eenterprise Zone Authority's January 13 minutes dealing with funding a UEZ program in Hillside --
"We will continue to red-flag any potential for profligate spending by boards and authorities," said Governor Christie. "New Jersey's fiscal situation demands a new level of accountability to prevent the waste and overspending we've experienced for too long."Gov. Christie is signaling that Urban Enterprise Zone funds need to be used wisely, and that is the issue I have commented on before in relation to these concerts (for last summer's two concerts, see here and here).
No detailed, concerted case has ever been made for exactly how these concerts are to benefit the downtown business community, and no measurements of their effectiveness have ever been offered.
On that basis alone, the Council should decline to fund them further.
As I pointed out regarding the second concert, having a concert, car show and movie in the evening -- after the County office building's workers have gone for the day and ALSO after most downtown businesses have closed -- just doesn't make sense when stacked against the alleged purpose of the events.
The two concerts on August 7 last summer drew an attendance of 34 at the noontime one (counted about 1:10 PM), and 32 in the evening (counted about 6:45 PM), both times including sponsor employees, and at noontime, about a dozen or so city employees (see here).
We are in a severe retail recession. Merchants downtown are hanging on by their fingernails. Half a dozen or so stores have failed in the past year -- most recently Ms. Shana's Gifts & Flowers and Value Man. If the UEZ money isn't spent to help downtown businesses in a measurable way, it shouldn't be spend. Period.
Councilor Burney wrote over the weekend that the merchants should 'have some skin in the game' -- that is, invest in the effort (see here).
There is no evidence I am aware of that the proposal to use UEZ monies for the concerts was ever subject to even a straw poll among the merchants.
As for the SID, it has produced an event -- a street fair, on a weekend -- that was (compared to the plaza concerts) hugely successful, and drew traffic into their stores.
Is there a role for UEZ funding of some sort of concerts downtown? And what about the County office building employees?
I think yes, but under much more stringent and well-focused conditions.
CONCERTS
Concerts as a method of drawing traffic to downtown businesses should be --COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING EMPLOYEES
- On the weekends -- probably best from Noon - 4 on Saturdays and/or Sundays;
- On the street or street corners -- the Plaza is nice, but doesn't put the foot traffic where it needs to be, directly in front of the stores;
- On Front Street -- not on 2nd Street (as with the Car Show) -- since this is where the traffic is;
- Near both Park and Watchung Avenues;
- Music should reflect shoppers' interests and expectations;
- Merchants -- including restaurants -- should key into concerts with specials or street/kiosk sales.
The idea of luring employees out of the building needs to be rethought. No doubt many do come out at lunch time already to eat and/or shop for small items. But employees often have rushed lunch hours and very little free time to lounge around enjoying a concert.For now, though, the Council should refuse to fund the Mayor's 2010 proposal at all.
If the need is to bolster the building employees' interest in the area retail and dining opportunities, perhaps another tack should be investigated.
Why not develop a program of weekly circulars to be circulated within the building (with permission) keyed specifically to coupon offers for merchandise offered by the downtown merchants. This might take some thought, but could generate what is needed most by the merchants -- repeat traffic by the office workers buying needed items and services in their stores.
If there was to be some activity in the Plaza, why not think about a once-a-week Food Festival, with the local restaurants offering a variety of quick lunch specials at mid-day DIRECTLY FROM KIOSKS, sans concerts.
If it is so worthwhile, let her get private funding for it and conduct it as she pleases.
That way she can save herself the embarrassment of having Gov. Christie veto her proposal.
- The Hunterdon County News: "Governor partially vetoes UEZ minutes" | Home page here.
- Plainfield Today --
- 8/7/09: "Music in the Plaza TODAY" -- Rescheduled concert offered on scant notice.
- 8/26/09: "'Fast and Furious' flick not only issue in Plaza concerts"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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4 comments:
Actually I think it would be nice to have Governor Christie veto her spending..simply so we could hear Jerry scream to high heaven how George Bush has screwed Plainfield.
UEZ funds can be used to provide free parking that would make a big difference to residents and retailers.
We need to compare the costs of funding the Parking Authority with the revenue generated.
Current staff can be added to the police department where they can assist with other traffic control issues and implement measures to keep people from parking all day.
After receiving a parking ticket from a meter with a weak battery, I only go downtown when parking is free. I like to patronize local business, but it took over three hours on two separate days to get a ticket dismissed that the Parking Authority admitted was issued in error.
Notification and confirmation of the error did not result in automatic dismissal of the ticket. I had to wait in court and go before the Judge who questioned why the ticket had been allowed to stand after the meter was verified as not working properly.
I could have lost my license.
State officials and local business owners will respect a request to use UEZ funds for free parking downtown.
As a business owner, I do not see any benefit to having the concerts. I can think of a lot of other things to better spend the money on. How about we start by installing trash containers up and down Front, Watchung and Park Aves. You would think by the amount of litter in the downtown that we were living in a 3rd world country. (yes I could go there, but am going to pass). How about planting some trees in the missing tree rings. Trees add major value to the appearance of the city, are good for the environment and provide needed shade to our concrete jungle. Just a few thouhgts of where we could better spend the money. The the future, when the economy turns around and we have more money, go for a concert or 2, but not now. Sorry Sharon, but we need a better focus.
Since it seems that our mayor couldn't plan a successful bake sale, I propose that the City Council not give any funding for concerts or music events and allow the mayor to solicit local business and rich politicians to pay for these events. Even the corny music at the July 4th fireworks in Cedarbrook Park is a farce. Everyone makes fun of the canned music and I bet we pay someone a lot of money for it.
We need a mayor who is in touch with the reality we're in today. She wasn't last year, so why should she be this year.
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