Last week I told you about WEST 1400 AM's "Voice of the People." I caught the last half this evening only to learn I had just missed Guv. Ed Rendell. He was fielding curveballs from editors Joe Owens and Jim Deegan. I'll look forward to listening at the Express Times website.
Easton Mayor Phil Mitman was guest for the second half, and told listeners another tax hike is "bound to happen." Looks like Easton residents will see both a city and county tax hike next year. With all those homes being swept away by floods, Easton probably has no choice.
9 comments:
Those that bought Pektor's condos in the former Hotel Easton won't be paying taxes for ten years thanks to the money given to Lou to develop the building. There is another building in Easton Lou is converting to upsclae living that is in a Keystone Opportunity Zone.
Now, I don't know about KOA's but I am sure that there were tax breaks given there to, so I guess the working middle class will have to suck it up as usual.
The county should be disgraced by the fact they have to raise taxes. How much of it goes back to the last administartion and their construction mess?
Mittman seems like an A$$ and is not in tune with the average Easton citizen. But doesn't he also have a lot of personal problems?
The Hotel Easton, which I believe is now called the Eastonian, is owned by Koehler-Kheel. Pektor is not involved in that at all. The property is a KOZ property, and those 10 years are nearly up now. I am phiolosophically opposed to ALL tax breaks or incentives of any kind. But the KOZ was intended to draw new business, not residences.
Mitman is probably once and done. I don;t think the voters of Easton will return him even if he seeks re-election. It's a shame because he really started off on the right foot, but I think the poor guy was overwhelmed.
I'm not aware of any personal problems. If they exist, they are irrelevant to me.
His problems have played out in public and the media.
The idea behind upscale residence in downtowns is that it brings a built in consumer base. The same things have been tried in other cities and have proven to be effective in bringing customers in. This lowers the need for local economic development spending b/c the market responds to the residents who shop and dine in the downtown.
Just an FYI for you. Spin it how you wish.
LVDem, You and I are going to have to post dueling posts some day on the advantages and disadvantages of what I call corporate welfare. And we could get a third blogger to conduct a poll to decide which argument has more merit. If you lode, you have to post something nice about Angle. If I lose, I have to post something nice about the subject of your choice. What do you think?
Bernie:
Do you consider highways or other state funded infrastructure Corporate Welfare? Essentially that is what they are. They pave the way(with tax money) for business and/or high income people to relocate to area's with lower taxes. When the taxes rise due to the needs of all the recently arrived people, more roads are built out again, with taxpayer money.
I think spending on economic development in our cities is a much smarter, and inexpensive approach. Roads must be maintained, cities largely can become self sustaining.
There is no comparison between giving money to developers who are for profit and giving tax money back to the commuities that paid it.
It is wise to invest in our cities, but the mayor of Easton recently said no to a dollar store being put into a vacant drugstore becuase it wasn't upscale enough for the neighborhood.
I just know that this isn't gonna come across the way I mean it, but why do I sense some people use the term "upscale housing" to connote something bad?
I'd like to recall that ole reflection "there goes the neighborhood" when something (or someone!) moved next door.
The something might be like one of Bernie's favorite haunts (an Adult Bookstore, for instance) or, the someone (for those racially prejudiced), persons of color - not their own.
I would like to suggest that upscale anything is a good thing, no?
Geez, we can't have it both ways, can we? Or is this negative reference to upscale because of the perceived (or actual!) snooty/preppy behavior that is commonly associated with it?
(Apologies Bernie, I should never have associated you with that particular example; something like massage parlor - or - cock-fighting arena would have been more appropriate ;-)
Whethervain, If you want to see an example of "upscale development," take a gander at Bethlehem's south side and its Riverport, funded by your your tax dollars to attract Jersey commuters with the big bucks. The process is called "gentrification." The idea behind it is to get rid of slobs like me, who can't afford lunch at Hotel Bethlehem every day. A student did a report on this for the CACLV, but Alan Jennings stepped on it. That's the real solution to LV poverty - make those poor folks move somewhere else. The problem is they may all move to Allentown.
Well, I'm poor but gentrified, too. I just stopped at a tatoo parlor and met State Senator Perzel. (He's working there part-time). I have a beautiful tatoo of the Mona Lisa right on my ass. I'll show it to you next time I see you.
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