Main Street Needs More Money, Freeman Says

State Rep. Bob Freeman wants to give programs like the Easton's Main Street Initiative more time to do their work.

Freeman's proposed legislation would extend the life of Pennsylvania's Main Street programs, which are designed to help communities improve their downtowns.

The bill would extend funding for the administrative side of those programs for another five years, provided that the state Department of Community and Economic Development gives its permission.

"Unfortunately, we have seen in numerous cases that the current five-year time frame to turn around a traditional downtown is too short," Freeman said in a news release. "A community just begins to see the progress brought on by Main Street initiatives only to see the plug pulled prematurely, often causing the downtown's success to suffer."

In Easton, the Main Street Initiative *runs numerous city events, and helps promote/attract downtown businesses. 

The original five-year window on Easton's Main Street program has already closed, meaning the city has had to find other means of funding it, such as the parking rate increase council approved last year.

*An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the Easton Main Initiative oversees the Easton Farmers' Market. In reality, both entities are run by the Greater Easton Development Partnership.