PROVO — In the midst of a difficult and controversial process of remaking the way the Downtown Business Alliance of Provo is funded, the alliance's director announced her resignation Thursday.

Susan Bradford said she will resign effective July 31.

Bradford has served as director since the organization's creation in August 2001. She had served as director of the alliance's predecessor organization, the Downtown Action Committee, for four years.

In May, the Provo City Council rejected the alliance's request to renew the assessment charged to downtown businesses. The assessment provided the alliance with a budget of about $160,000 a year.

The council agreed to fund the alliance from July 1 to Sept. 30 while it considers a new assessment mechanism.

Council members praised the alliance last week for its new proposal, which called for a higher assessment for businesses in the very center of downtown. Those businesses see the most benefit from alliance activities.

The process for approving the proposal could take several months. The council has agreed to fund the alliance beyond Sept. 30 if the process is not completed by then.