7th Avenue Businesses: We're Cleaning Up This Shit House!

If you couldn't tell by the shadow of my big-ass head in the corner, I took this pic myself.

I'm happy to report that 7th Avenue businesses are banding together to take care of the foul trash problem that's been plaguing the strip for a while now. According to the Brooklyn Paper, stores on 7th Ave have decided to levy a new tax on themselves to help clean up all the shit off of the street since the city left them hanging.

This week, businesses are moving toward starting their own entity called the Business Improvement District board, which is much like their counterparts on 5th Avenue. Once the board is formed, businesses will vote on a $300/year tax per storefront for stores and restaurants located between Flatbush and Prospect Avenues. At least half of the business owners will have to vote in favor of the tax in order for it to happen. If a business refuses to pay, they will have to file a petition with the city clerk and they will quickly be labeled as haters. 

The Brooklyn Paper also said that since business improvement districts became legal in the 1980's they have generated over $100 million in supplemental taxes in over 5 dozen areas across the city. This money then goes into general improvements in those districts, such as lighting and sanitation, which kind of proves that the city services are lacklustre.   

Five months ago the city cut funding to a program that employed homeless men to collect the trash on 7th avenue. Since then, a Sloper would be hard-pressed to find a garbage can that isn't overflowing on that stretch. Just ask the rats.