Downtown Business Alliance executive director Susan Bradford said the district has been a success, adding "Historic Downtown Provo" signs and street signs, paying for powerwashing sidewalks, maintaining flower beds and signbill areas and bringing dozens of events to the downtown area.

"Nationwide, there are more than 200 of these organizations that run exactly the way we do," Bradford said. "Many have been around for 20-30 years. They're successful because of the way they're set up. Property and business owners are paying for these services, and they get to make the decisions on how the money is spent."

She urged those who haven't felt included to come to monthly alliance committee meetings.

"Several of (the protesters) I only see every three years at the council meeting when they protest," she said.

She also said the alliance could consider studying whether downtown property taxes are too high.

Stewart is prepared to propose a new way to fund the Downtown Business Alliance, but Bradford is leery.

"The reason the alliance was started six years ago was because business and property owners felt the city wasn't doing enough so they wanted to pool their money and make sure something was done," she said.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com