LOCALS

Supporting our Community

Doris on Locals:

In a town that is tourist centric, our local community can often feel forgotten.

Yes, indeed, we have heard the groans from neighbors, “Napa does not care about us anymore, everything is for the tourists!”

As for me – this is a sad comment. Having lived in Napa over 30 years, yes I have seen the change. We went from a sleepy downtown to a vibrant downtown. We used to be the city one drove through to get to the “good stuff (wine),” but now – we are the city cars stop in and the city where people sleep.

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Understanding our Advantages & Improving Napa for Our Locals

As a world famous destination, we have an advantage – for all these ‘heads in beds,’ we the city are paid a tourism tax, called TOT. And while most do not care to have tourism, we do like getting sidewalks repaired and streets fixed.

You see, this TOT raises a lot of money for Napa – over $25 million per year. And this money is used on the city. What if we did not have the extra cash? If it dried up? What if we stepped back 30 years to a few Bed & Breakfasts and one or two old motels? Sure life would go on – but not as generously as it has today. Parks & rec. would be smaller, flower baskets would not be hanging all over downtown, music in the parks could not be funded, roads and sidewalks would be a mess.

BUT HEY, what about me? How am I to cope in a city that has tourism because that brings traffic and high cost food/retail? Also, with the heavy influx of new restaurants and dazzling retail, the mom and pop venues are gone and high downtown rent has forced local business out. How can a city with high tourism also cater to locals? (Residents of Honolulu and Disneyland wonder if locals matter, you are not alone.)

So, let’s agree for a minute that TOT is good and it is from tourism, therefore, tourism is good. Stay with me just a minute please.

There are 100 ways locals matter – and for brevity I will note a few. FIRST as a local – you do matter. Period. Your views are important. Your thoughts are important and your ideas are critical.

Locals have a voice.

Some wonder if any elected members hear them. Does my voice carry any weight? Yes indeed. YOUR voice and all the voices around you make Napa what it is – and your ideas, coupled with those of your friends do influence this city.

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Boat Dock

Residents wanted a downtown boat dock. Over and over they asked. Well, today we have one and it is used almost daily – and mostly by locals.

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Downtown Art

Locals wanted downtown art. Art is important for a vibrant city. Every month people would ask and state their desires. Have you walked the downtown art walk lately? It is fabulous. Visited by locals and tourists daily.

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New City Hall

Look recently at the City and their plan to build a new City Hall. It was you, and you, and you that tore up that idea and made so much noise that the planners threw the whole idea out and are today, starting over.

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Park Designs

Look recently at the designs for the park area that used to be called the Clock Tower downtown. There was a plan drawn, and residents as well as merchants hated the idea. The whole thing was scrapped and plans started over. Now it seems a good idea has been reached and a more simple development will happen there.

Locals matter. Every single day, your voice drives this city and your views are heard.

Reach out to us any day of the week – we want your input. We want your stamp of approval on a downtown that says “I am friendly. I am yours.’

I am local too – I want this city to reflect all of us in Napa.

We are not San Francisco filled with high rises and zero parking. We are quaint. We are navigable. We are clean. We are safe. We are nice. I moved here 30 years ago and am very glad to make this my home.