ABERDEEN, S.D.(HubCityRadio)-  Earlier this week, the Aberdeen City Council passed an ordinance raising the BID District Tax from four to six cents per square foot & agreed to budget $25,000 toward them.

After passing it Toby Doeden of the Doeden Investment Group released a statement reacting to that being passed.  One of the names he mentioned was the Chief Executive Director of Primrose Retirement Communities, Jim Thares.  Thares has now responded back to this with the following statement.

“I would like to reply to the accusations made by Toby Doeden regarding the increased BID tax. ALL property owners or their representatives within the BID district were made aware of this and have had every opportunity to attend meetings and share input or thoughts. To say that “the process was underhanded at best and corrupt at worst” is an absolute lie and does nothing to move our community forward.  If you research my comments made on this topic at the City Council meeting on July 15th, you will hear that I was neither in favor or opposed, only wanting to see that things improve in our downtown district, and that I have never been opposed to paying my fair share.

Mr. Doeden has purchased many properties around this community, and I know that he has INVESTED money in several of them to make them better. This is no different than what is trying to be done downtown. If we want to make it better (I feel in order for our community to grow and prosper requires a vibrant downtown), we must all be willing to INVEST, and that takes money.  Northern State University is a great example. Ten years ago, many legislators in Pierre were discussing the possible closure of Northern. That would have been devastating to Aberdeen. Over the past ten years, more than $130 million has been invested in that campus, including private donors, businesses, and the City of Aberdeen to make it better. We now have a beautiful and vibrant campus which is the backbone of our community.

I have not heard of one property owner planning to raise the rent of their retail tenants because of this tax increase. So, I assume the “rent hikes” referenced in Mr. Doeden’s letter are Toby himself. The rest of us will be working hard to make sure our tenants are as successful as possible! That’s what moves our community forward.”