The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - The Dayton Development Task Force announced that it has re­ceived $64,8xx in December through its newly imple­mented B&O tax incentive program. The money will be used to for a variety of projects and programs in Downtown Dayton.

According to Task Force board member Marcene Hendrickson, who was in­strumental in getting the group qualified for the state program, the total amount included a $50,000 con­tribution from Columbia REA. Other donors in 2013 included Elk Drug, Banner Bank, Dayton Mercantile, Crothers State Farm Insur­ance and Northwest Business Services.

The businesses who con­tributed money in 2013 will receive a 75% credit on their B&O taxes (or public utility taxes). Hendrickson said that any business in Washington can contribute through the program and that it has a cap of $133,000 per year. The group is aiming to approve that target this year.

The money must be used to implement the "4-Point Main Street Approach," a na­tional program to help com­munities improve historic downtown districts. Work areas within the program include organization, promo­tion, design and economic restructuring.

At a special board meet­ing last week, the Task Force Voted to contract with the Dayton Chamber of Com­merce to help with its efforts in promotion organizational development and economic development.