"It would be nice for us to encourage more evening restaurants and businesses and boutiques," said Page Flinn, a store owner in downtown Harlingen. "Make it a place with lots of attractions."
Many business owners like Flinn told Action 4 News the success of downtown Harlingen, for the last 20 years, has been thanks in part to the downtown improvement district assessment, which is a downtown property tax.
Beth Bringston explained, "So for every 100 dollars we pay .50 cents, then the city matches whatever that is so all that money sits in an account."
The money in that account helps pay for the district's projects and improvements.
But according to folks there things changed last year when city commissioners decreased the funding to one cent.
Flinn said they worry that those action shows that the city wont support them at all now that the tax is up for renewal on September 30th.
"We're worried the city commissioners will not renew the district in its present form or in some sort of form that remains somewhat similar," said Flinn.
If the tax is eliminated, several owners believe it would have a negative effect in downtown Harlingen.
"We wont be able to help grow the area it will probably start to fall off again as it had about 20 years ago," said Flinn.
Yolanda Alexander has being in business downtown for over 32 years and recalls how it was before without the district.
"We've seen a major difference with the organization having our downtown district and it’s come to the point that it’s grown."
For many the downtown district is a Harlingen staple that aside from its history, to them has plenty to offer.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT