By Emma Delk, The Intelligencer
WHEELING, W.Va. — Small retail businesses in downtown Wheeling will see up to $10,000 each in relief to make up for revenue lost due to the Downtown Streetscape Project.
Wheeling City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday – with one abstention and one absence – to approve a budget revision that will move $300,000 from city home improvement programs toward the new relief fund, which will include a combination of business and occupation tax credits and monetary relief.
Vice Mayor Chad Thalman abstained from voting, citing a conflict of interest keeping him from casting a vote. He said he owns two buildings in downtown Wheeling with restaurants that could benefit from the program, Taqueria 304 and Tito’s Sloppy Dogs.
Councilman Jerry Sklavounakis was absent from Tuesday evening’s meeting.
“The idea behind this proposal is to give sort of a lifeline to those businesses that have seen a major reduction in the revenues since the project began,” said Mayor Glenn Elliott while discussing the proposal. “At the end of the day, the final result (of the Streetscape Project) is going to be better for everybody, but you don’t want to see any businesses disappear or fail during this project.”
