Brattleboro still thrives on retail

Vermont Business Magazine, Apr 01, 1997 by Marcel, Joyce

"Property tax reform and border community issues continue to undermine Windham County's economy." Dierkes said. "Any form of income tax becomes a border issue because Brattleboro is a regional center. It employs a good number of people from New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Any increase in the rooms-and-meals tax, especially above New Hampshire's 8 percent rate, is going to affect our travel industry. Increase the rooms-and-meals and sales tax and a dozen other taxes that are being proposed, and you'll see a decline in revenue during a slow season. If we've got a bad season and the tourists don't come, you're going to see a decline in revenue in about a dozen different taxes. For another thing, the commercial tax rate component of the House version of property tax reform would affect vacation homes. Windham County has the highest percentage of vacation homes in Vermont. The jury is still out on a gross receipts tax. We urge the Legislature to study the economic effects of new taxation thoroughly, and to move cautiously on the issue."

Worden wants the Legislature to lower the sales tax along the border to at least 3 percent. "Vermont still offers the perception and the actuality, hopefully, of quality at a competitive price," Worden said. "It would be nice if the Legislature would see fit to lower the sales tax along the border. It still wouldn't be a level playing field, but it would help the people who are selling the larger items."

Worden looks at the economy with "cautious optimism based on ability of Vermonters to offer creative ideas and packages for goods."

"Sam's has been able to compete, grow, expand and remodel," Worden said. "It continues to be an anchor downtown. A number of restaurants have been pretty steady. It's still inviting and creative enough for people to want to be here. Brattleboro has a good feeling about it. It always has.

"It's always been a place where people enjoy visiting. It's a real place, it's not an artificial town, and I hope it won't be an artificial town, ever. We have people living downtown as well as working downtown, and it's still safe to do that, by and large."

Greater Brattleboro Unlimited was formed last year to increase Windham county's visibility and bring tourist dollars into the area. It works closely with the Chamber.

"Part of our mission is to impress on our own population that they need to support us," said Simons, a founding member. "Because we lack that support, we have to look elsewhere and bring in tourist dollars. In terms of downtown Bratt, I'm not sure local people appreciate us enough. There are problems with parking and traffic as well as the sales tax, and so people go out of the area."

The challenge is translating "Brattleboro is a great place to live" into "Brattleboro is a great place to visit," Simons said.

"I feel that if we can get the cooperation of our retailers and our corporate people to all band together, we could bring some real money into this area to promote our arts, help our bed & breakfasts, and help our businesses, all without being a burden to our schools and our infrastructure."