Municipal Service Districts, known as MSDs have proven success in many cities around the country, including here in the mountains.

Similar to Asheville’s recently approved Business Improvement District, the city of Hendersonville has had MSDs in place since the 1970s.

Downtown Manager Jamie Carpenter said MSDs were originally put in place to revitalize the city.

“Basically, it’s a self-imposed tax for our downtown properties, which is above and beyond the city tax and county tax,” she said.

She added that they provide additional services above and beyond other places in the city.

“For our Main Street municipal service district, our tax rate is 21 cents -- and that brings in, as far as property tax revenue, about $300,000,” she explained.

Carpenter said that's per fiscal year.

The revenue these districts bring to the city help them keep up services like landscaping, increased maintenance and cleaning for downtown, along with staff who help to support the downtown businesses.

“Downtown Hendersonville would not be what it is today without it,” she said.

She said the city's Main Street is really the heart of downtown, and it's part of what Hendersonville is known for with its beauty -- something they wouldn’t be able to maintain without MSDs.

It also speaks volumes to their businesses, which owner of Oklawaha Brewing Company Joe Dinan echoed.

“That tax money gets put into a lot of great things that benefit locals, tourists, businesses alike,” he said.

He said owning a business in an area that’s part of an MSD is a huge benefit.

“For my businesses and all the other businesses on Main Street, which keeps tax revenue coming in, which keeps people working,” he said.

Carpenter said with the success they’ve seen throughout the years of having MSDs, she couldn’t imagine their city without them.

 

STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSHendersonville thrives with municipal service districts, enhancing city since 1970s (wlos.com)