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Cambridge business groups ask council to redirect tourism dollars to neighborhood associations
Summary
Leaders of neighborhood business associations urged the City Council to repurpose municipal tourism funding toward local business improvement groups and event support, arguing local groups run day-to-day programming that drives foot traffic and benefits small businesses.
Denise Jillson, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association, told the Cambridge City Council on Sept. 8 that Policy Order 116 — which would define the city’s financial role in supporting large-scale events hosted by Cambridge nonprofits — and Policy Order 117 — which would redirect municipal tourism dollars to neighborhood business associations — should be adopted to help neighborhood organizations afford public programming.
“These events require thousands of dollars in funding,” Jillson said, and “over the years the responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of the organizers who have been primarily the business associations.” She noted the council recently appropriated $25,000…
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