More About Downtown Marquette
Downtown Marquette represents the historic center of our City. Many of our buildings are historically significant - and should be preserved to highlight our City's past.
The downtown is a reflection of how the community sees itself... a critical factor in business retention and recruitment. If the downtown is neglected, outsiders will see this neglect as a reflection of the entire community.
The downtown represents a significant portion of the City's tax base. If the district declines, its property values decline, and it increases the tax burden on other parts of the city.
The downtown is a major tourist draw. When people come into Marquette, they want to see a unique place. There isn't another downtown like ours in the world!
The downtown is a major business center, representing the largest concentration of businesses in the area.
The downtown is a prominent employment center - employing nearly 2,000 people. Second only to Marquette General Hospital (2,918) and preceding NMU (1,147).
More About The Downtown Development Authority
The Downtown Development Authority (the DDA) was established by City Ordinance in 1976 under the authority of Michigan Public Act 197 of 1975. The DDA Board is comprised of a board of 8 members who are appointed by the Marquette City Commission to serve a four year term and the City Manager. The purpose of the Authority is to "halt property value deterioration and increase property tax valuation...to eliminate the causes of that deterioration, and to promote economic growth." Downtown Development Authorities operate under the auspices of Act 197 and have the power to conduct an analysis of economic changes taking place in the downtown district; long-range planning for the downtown area; land acquisition and improvement; building construction, improvement, rehabilitation, maintenance and operation; and construction and maintenance of public facilities such as water and sewer lines, parking lots, streets, street lighting, convention centers, parks, and marinas. The Marquette Downtown Development Authority currently uses several sources of funding its purposes. These include tax increment financing (TIF) and a 2 mill property tax on property within the district.. The Authority's annual budget is approved by City Commission.
Mona Lang has served as Executive Director of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority since 1999. She has over twenty-five years of experience in government administration and finance. Prior to moving to Marquette, she worked as an Accounting Manager at Radford University, Radford, VA. Her experience also includes ten year tenure as Finance Administrator for Center Township in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Lang holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from Radford University, Radford, VA.
She has conducted research in program cost-benefit analysis, the use of activity-based costing in non-profit organizations, and has conducted agency managerial assessments.
Mrs. Lang currently serves on the Michigan Downtown Association Board of Directors, has served as a grant reviewer for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, for which she is a past Council Member, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Lake Superior Theater.
