Downtown trash

To the editor:

I have written on the deterioration of downtown’s buildings and infrastructure in previous letters, so my views on this subject won’t be repeated here.

In recent times, however, I have noticed some efforts at improving said infrastructure as well as the replacement of mulches in all of the planters between Sixth and 11th streets. I’ve also noticed (hard to miss!) the rising structure behind the bank on Ninth and Massachusetts, which inspires questions about developers’ financial contributions to the overall care and maintenance of downtown’s buildings, streets and sidewalks.

Is there a requirement for those who put up new buildings to contribute a certain percent of the cost of the structures to an “infrastructure pool”? It seems to me that the privilege of buildings new in an area already stressed by increasingly transient businesses should pay for that privilege by some kind of tax (or donation?) that would benefit the entire central business district.

And to the City Commission/planning department: Please place two more trash receptacles per block on each side of the street between Sixth and 11th. (The style that includes built-in ashtrays would be best.) The more convenient the container is to the pedestrian/smoker, the cleaner our sidewalks will be.