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Mayor Reid highlights modest tax growth and launches downtown ambassadors and storefront matching program
Summary
In his mayor’s report the mayor said sales-and-use tax rose 3% year over year in April, announced a Block by Block downtown ambassadors program with eight full-time ambassadors and a storefront improvement matching program offering 50% matches up to $15,000.
Mayor Reid delivered a financial update and announced downtown and community investment programs during the Montgomery City Council meeting.
Reid said sales-and-use tax collections increased 3% in April compared with the same month a year earlier, which he said amounted to more than $412,586 in additional revenue year over year. He reported lodging-tax collections showed a sharp month-to-month anomaly because one hotel submitted two months’ payments in April; lodging tax was up about 21% in April compared with the same period in fiscal 2024. Gasoline-tax receipts were reported to be up about 8% year over year for April, and alcoholic-beverage tax revenue showed roughly 7% year-over-year growth.
As for downtown initiatives, the mayor announced a Downtown Montgomery Ambassadors program run by Block by Block that will deploy eight full-time ambassadors to provide environmental maintenance, hospitality and business outreach, patrolling on foot and bicycle and using a smart tracking system. Keiser Property Group donated an operations space, and the ambassador program is supported by the city and the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. Reid also described an “Open on Main Street” storefront brand initiative, managed by the Department of Community and Economic Development through Access Montgomery and Main Street Montgomery, offering a 50% matching grant up to $15,000 for storefront upgrades; applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
Reid recognized recent community-center ribbon cuttings and said the Sheridan Heights Community Center renovation included roughly $2,900,000 in improvements, including a renovated gymnasium, ADA upgrades and a new gaming room. He invited the public to the grand opening of Fire Station Number 10 at 9 a.m. Friday, May 9, on South George Street. He also thanked parks and recreation, planning, inspections, permitting and engineering staff and community partners for work on the projects.
The mayor framed the announcements as investments in downtown vitality and neighborhood amenities; no council action was required on the announcements.
