Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Vi

Question

Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Villieu-area businesses are now located only in the suburbs. The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today. To lure more businesses downtown, Villieu officials plan to have several modern office buildings constructed and to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building.

Which of the following, if true, most threatens the plan's likelihood of success?

(A) Most of the businesses currently located in downtown Villieu have long-term leases on the space they occupy there.

(B) The existing office buildings in downtown Villieu have, on average, a much higher vacancy rate than do office buildings in Villieu's suburbs.

(C) The local tax rates in Villieu's suburbs are significantly lower than downtown Villieu's proposed rate for businesses that lease space in the new office buildings.

(D) Most of the businesses that currently lease office space in downtown Villieu also lease office space in Villieu's suburbs.

(E) With the new office buildings, downtown Villieu would have a greater amount of modern office space than any other downtown business district in the region.

Zarrolou · Accepted Answer

Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Villieu-area businesses are now located only in the suburbs. The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today. To lure more businesses downtown, Villieu officials plan to have several modern office buildings constructed and to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building.

Which of the following, if true, most threatens the plan's likelihood of success?

(A) Most of the businesses currently located in downtown Villieu have long-term leases on the space they occupy there. 
 The plan could still attract NEW businesses. 
 (B) The existing office buildings in downtown Villieu have, on average, a much higher vacancy rate than do office buildings in Villieu's suburbs. 
 This is something that does not threatens the plan, because it does not provide any info necessary to evaluate it. 
 (C) The local tax rates in Villieu's suburbs are significantly lower than downtown Villieu's proposed rate for businesses that lease space in the new office buildings. 
  CORRECT  : the plan wants to attract new business with low taxes, but if those are still higher than the ones of Villieu's suburbs, the plan's success is threatened. 
 (D) Most of the businesses that currently lease office space in downtown Villieu also lease office space in Villieu's suburbs. 
 This is not relevant to the plan. 
 (E) With the new office buildings, downtown Villieu would have a greater amount of modern office space than any other downtown business district in the region. 
 Again, it does not give us any info to evaluate the plan.

egmat · Answer

Solution

Passage Analysis

Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Villieu-area businesses are now located only in the suburbs. 
 -Downtown area of Villieu was once a major business location, but it is no longer so. 
-Most businesses in Villieu exists only in suburban areas now.

The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today. 
 -The office buildings placed downtown do not have the sophisticated facilities required for businesses these days.

To lure more businesses downtown, Villieu officials plan to have several modern office buildings constructed 
 -Officials at Villieu plan to build several new modern office buildings downtown to attract more businesses there.

and to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building. 
 -They also plan to give lower tax rates compared to before to any business that leases space in these new downtown buildings.

Prethinking

Plan of Villieu officials: Construct several modern office buildings and offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building to attract businesses from the suburbs.

Weaken framework  
What new information will decrease one’s belief that this plan will work?

Given that

-Most businesses are currently in the suburbs.

-The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today

Weakener 1

What if the tax in the suburbs is lesser than the reduced downtown tax as well?

Then the companies have no incentive to move to downtown.

Weakener 2

What if there is some other unmentioned factor that keeps businesses away from downtown?

Instance 1- What if the downtown area is prone to natural disasters from which the suburbs are safe?

Answer Choice Analysis

Most of the businesses currently located in downtown Villieu have long-term leases on the space they occupy there. 
 -This is irrelevant as we are talking about businesses from suburbs moving into new buildings downtown.  
 
(B) The existing office buildings in downtown Villieu have, on average, a much higher vacancy rate than do office buildings in Villieu's suburbs. 
 -This is also irrelevant as it speaks of existing buildings downtown, which our conclusion is not about.  
 
 (C) The local tax rates in Villieu's suburbs are significantly lower than downtown Villieu's proposed rate for businesses that lease space in the new office buildings.  
 -This option is in line with our Prethinking weakener 1. Hence it is the right answer.  
 
(D) Most of the businesses that currently lease office space in downtown Villieu also lease office space in Villieu's suburbs. 
 -This option has no impact on the plan. Hence this also is not the right weakener.

(E) With the new office buildings, downtown Villieu would have a greater amount of modern office space than any other downtown business district in the region. 
 -This option actually strengthens downtown Villieu’s case to attract more businesses by telling us that there is enough modern office space available with the new buildings. Hence it cannot be a weakener.

The correct answer is option C.

fameatop · Answer

Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Villieu-area businesses are now located only in the suburbs. The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today. To lure more businesses downtown, Villieu officials plan to have several modern office buildings constructed and to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building.

Which of the following, if true, most threatens the plan's likelihood of success?
(A) Most of the businesses currently located in downtown Villieu have long-term leases on the space they occupy there.  - We are concerned about the business located in suburbs & not in Downtown. Incorrect.  
(B) The existing office buildings in downtown Villieu have, on average, a much higher vacancy rate than do office buildings in Villieu's suburbs.  - Vacancy rate is higher NOW but we dont have any idea about the vacancy rate for new buildings. Incorrect. 
(C) The local tax rates in Villieu's suburbs are significantly lower than downtown Villieu's proposed rate for businesses that lease space in the new office buildings. 
 - CORRECT. Officials plans to attract new business by offering lower tax rates but the tax rates in suburbs are already lower than the proposed tax rates. Because businesses have no incentive, so they wont come to downtown. CORRECT 
(D) Most of the businesses that currently lease office space in downtown Villieu also lease office space in Villieu's suburbs.  - OFS. Incorrect 
(E) With the new office buildings, downtown Villieu would have a greater amount of modern office space than any other downtown business district in the region.  - Will the bew buildings fulfill the requirement of businesses we dont know. Thus incorrect.

AmoyV · Answer

Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Villieu-area businesses are now located only in the suburbs. The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today. To lure more businesses downtown, Villieu officials plan to have several modern office buildings constructed and to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building.

Which of the following, if true, most threatens the plan's likelihood of success?
 Possible weakeners: V officials are not doing anything to modernise amenities in downtown - the primary reason why offices relocated to the suburbs. Maybe the reduced taxes in the downtown are not enough to compensate the businesses for relocating to downtown and possibly pay for these modern amenities themselves.

(A) Most of the businesses currently located in downtown Villieu have long-term leases on the space they occupy there.  This could be a weakener. "Long term leases" could mean that the officials may not be able to clear out space for new buildings, which they propose to make to lure offices from suburbs. Lets keep this aside for the moment. 
(B) The existing office buildings in downtown Villieu have, on average, a much higher vacancy rate than do office buildings in Villieu's suburbs.   Irrelevant 
(C) The local tax rates in Villieu's suburbs are significantly lower than downtown Villieu's proposed rate for businesses that lease space in the new office buildings.  Yes! Somewhat along the lines of what we were thinking of before starting the POE. One of the 2 proposals was reduction in local taxes in downtown. But if these taxes are still higher than taxes in the suburbs then coupled with the lack of modern amenities (since the argument never proposed providing modern amenities), businesses would choose not to relocate to downtown and stay in the suburbs. 
(D) Most of the businesses that currently lease office space in downtown Villieu also lease office space in Villieu's suburbs.  The plan is to lure "more businesses". This option tells us that "some" existing businesses located in suburbs and new businesses may choose to locate downtown. Strengthens the case and hence goes in the wrong direction 
(E) With the new office buildings, downtown Villieu would have a greater amount of modern office space than any other downtown business district in the region  Irrelevant

killthegmatavi · Answer

likelihood of success for the plan to lure more business downtown that is based on the following logic
a-Modern building construction in downtown
b-reduced local tax to any business that leases space in a new downtown building.

it has to lure business from suburbs to downtown so if
a- modern building construction in downtown is not as good suburbs
b- reduced local tax in downtown is less than suburbs
Any of the above point is true than the businesses would not shift from suburbs to downtown

a- Not mentioned that there is constrain of space in downtown, so if the business in downtown have long-term lease is neither supportive nor against the luring. Wrong
b- Not mentioned about space issues, hence higher vacancy rate has no affect on the argument
c-   Correct  : weakens the reason given to lure business.
d- Out of scope
e- Greater no. of modern office space than any other downtown business region : supports the plans sucess

DesiGmat · Answer

Here we go---

According to me, Option C is correct.

By POE :

Option A : Nothing is mentioned about Space in the argument ---Irrelevant

Option B: Vacancy Rate?? ---Irrelevant

Option C: Hits at "to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building." ----- Hold it

Option D: Irrelevant

Option E: Supports the argument

semwal · Answer

Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Villieu-area businesses are now located only in the suburbs. The office buildings downtown lack the modern amenities most business operators demand today. To lure more businesses downtown, Villieu officials plan to have several modern office buildings constructed and to offer reduced local tax rates to any business that leases space in a new downtown building.
Which of the following, if true, most threatens the plan's likelihood of success?

A. Most of the businesses currently located in downtown Villieu have long-term leases on the space they occupy there. IRRELEVANT ... WE TALKING OF NEW OFFICES....

B. The existing office buildings in downtown Villieu have, on average, a much higher vacancy rate than do office buildings in Villieu's suburbs. THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DIDNT HAVE GOOD AMENITIES...WE NOW TALKING OF NEW OFFICES...

C. The local tax rates in Villieu's suburbs are significantly lower than downtown Villieu's proposed rate for businesses that lease space in the new office buildings. CORRECT.....EVEN REDUCED TAX RATE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN SUBURB RATES.

D. Most of the businesses that currently lease office space in downtown Villieu also lease office space in Villieu's suburbs. CURRENT ONES IRRELEVANT

E. With the new office buildings, downtown Villieu would have a greater amount of modern office space than any other downtown business district in the region. SUPPORTS RATHER THAN WEAKENS

thatTannyBoi · Answer

Although C doesn't address the problem of modern offices, it does explain the other concern. I'd go with C

VerbalBot · Answer

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Downtown Villieu was once a flourishing business district, but most Vi

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