The founders of the High Line are proposing the creation of a business improvement district that would tax property owners in the neighborhood to help pay for the park, which has seen about four times as many visitors as expected since its opening. Robert Hammond, co-founder of Friends of the High Line, said operating costs for the High Line will be $3.5 million to $4.5 million per year. The city pays about $1 million, and Friends of the High Line is responsible for the remainder. A business improvement district would raise about $1 million per year and would cost nearby homeowners between $30 and $90 annually. [more]