One of the best things the Bend City Council did recently is essentially vote for a tax to help downtown.

The council voted 5-0 Wednesday to take the first step to renew the downtown economic improvement district. The city will almost certainly follow up at a future meeting by setting the tax rate and impose the tax. Councilors Barb Campbell and Bill Moseley recused themselves. They have businesses downtown.

One nice thing about the way this tax works is that property owners in the district do get to vote on it. If 33 percent of the property owners object, it dies.

That would be a shame. Downtown Bend is a great place for people to shop, eat and mingle. One of the things that keeps it that way is the existing improvement district, which expires in May. The money raised goes to the Downtown Bend Business Association. It spends it on things like cleaning the sidewalks, working with the police to keep the area safe, holiday decorations and marketing.

As proposed, the new tax would go up from 18 cents per square foot to 25 cents per square foot of commercial property. That would raise a total of about $225,000. The city administers the collection and charges a bit, leaving $214,000 for the downtown association.

Some businesses and property owners are frustrated with the increase and the way the money is spent. One business operator told the council that she feels she doesn’t get the same level of service on the periphery of the downtown as businesses in the heart of it. The downtown association should address her concern.

Bend’s downtown has its challenges, but it works. Communities across the country would love for their downtowns to have the same energy and importance to the community. But to keep downtown thriving and improve, it takes a strong commitment backed up by money. Renew the district.