Bell : Chamber Subsidy Doubled

The City Council Monday unanimously approved an agreement with the Bell Chamber of Commerce for the organization to provide promotional and advertising services for $54,600 a year, more than double the amount of its previous subsidy.

The city raised business license taxes by 18.5% in December at the request of the chamber, which wanted to increase its subsidy of $2,000 a month so it could mount a promotional campaign for the city. The increase will add $42,550 to the $230,000 the city has received each year from business license taxes. The increase went into effect Jan. 1.

Besides sponsoring the Merchant Watch program with the Bell Police Department, the Miss Bell Beauty Pageant and the Christmas Street Decoration Program, the agreement calls for the chamber to also sponsor Business of the Month and Home of the Month programs to enhance city aesthetics. “We will do our very best to carry out the projects as outlined,” chamber President Delores Smith said.