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Council Delays Tax Break, Approves Food Truck Program

Columbus City Council last night approved the creation of a pilot program regulating food trucks. The legislation requires food truck vendors to serve customers from 16 oversized parking spaces downtown and in the Arena District and the Short North. The program was to have started earlier this month, but was delayed when food truck owners protested the initial plans. No one spoke for or against the legislation at last night's council meeting. In the past, food truck owners have said the plan creates too much competition for too few parking spaces, while owners of restaurants near the spaces have said they won’t be able to compete with the trucks. The spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sponsoring Council Member Michelle Mills.

Council also tabled for one week a measure giving 10-year tax break worth 4.3 million dollars to the owners of the University Plaza Hotel and Conference Center near the OSU campus. The owners want to convert the building to a Marriott hotel. J.D. Singh, the owner of four other hotels, says the University Plaza owners can afford to refurbish the property without the tax break.

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The legislation was tabled to give the University Plaza owners a chance to respond.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.