Lancaster Council Passes Stimulus Program

The Lancaster City Council approved a plan to spur local spending by offering rebates to residents shopping at retailers and car dealerships. The full economic stimulus package the council unanimously approved on Feb. 10 is expected to bring in a $110 million boost to the city and wider Antelope Valley region. The stimulus package is made up of five areas – merchant assistance; forming a tourism and visitors bureau; public infrastructure construction; developer/broker Assistance; and new city revenues. To help area retailers, the city for a limited time will offer rebates to residents who buy a car at the Lancaster Auto Mall. For instance, purchasing and registering a $30,000 vehicle will bring the buyer a $300 gift card for use at Lancaster shops. Shoppers who spend $300 in products or serves will receive a $30 gift card. “It is way to recycle money ,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. “Not only does the auto dealer benefit but so do the local merchants.” The infrastructure portion of the program includes work on a Antelope Valley Freeway-Avenue I interchange; and two new parks, and a Museum and Art Gallery in the downtown area. The city will continue with a program to buy up foreclosed homes, refurbish them and selling them to families. The city has so far spent about $20 million on purchasing the homes, Parris said. Homeownership is key to reducing crime in Lancaster. Statistics collected by the city showed that having too many rental properties contributed to a rise in crime, Parris said. “We are doing everything we can to slow that down,” Parris said.