Politics & Government

Manassas Economic Development Part of City's Proposed 2014 Budget

The establishment of an economic development department within the city is part of the Fiscal Year 2014 budget proposed for Manassas by city manager John Budesky.

Two substantial economic initiatives may be in the cards for Manassas if city council decides to go along with recommendations made in the city manager's proposed budget for next fiscal year.

Manassas city manager John Budesky's proposed fiscal year 2014 budget, presented earlier this month calls for the creation of a full-time economic development department for the city.

To create such an office would cost $330,000, Budesky said. Right now the city has the $43,000 that's budgeted annually for economic development.

Find out what's happening in Manassaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The department's offices would be in a very visible place in Old Town, possibly in the building at 9408 Grant Ave. at the corner of Church Street—that is— if the second proposed economic project comes to fruition, Budesky said. 

A partnership between the city and the Mason Enterprise Center, located on the Manassas campus of George Mason University, is the second economic project proposed in the budget. 

Find out what's happening in Manassaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Mason Enterprise Center is an economic development entity that incubates small businesses and provides business owners with students, faculty, alumni and other resources to help them grow their companies. 

If everything goes as planned, the Mason Enterprise Center and city's new economic development department would be housed in the Grant Avenue building, Budesky said.

The Manassas-Mason Enterprise Center partnership would cost the city about $75,000 per year for the next 10 years, he said.

As businesses incubate, then the dependency on city funds would diminish, he added.

Economic development is an area the city hasn't invested in recently because of the unfavorable economy, Budesky told council. 

After education, economic development is the most important thing in Manassas, city officials said.

Real Estate taxes also were an important part of Budesky's budget presentation to council.

Read more of what he said: Real Estate Taxes Could Increase For Manassas Residents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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