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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, February 06, 2009

Northampton County Puzzles Over Slicing Gambling Pie

At last night's Northampton County Council meeting, a new Authority was established, with a fifty year lifespan, to decide how to divvy up gambling revenue once Bethlehem's Sands casino becomes operational. It's called the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Development Authority. Who will sit on that Authority? How many members? How will Authority staff get paid? Will municipalities be forced to fill out grant applications?

Council members will try to figure that out later. I honestly don't know how they'll avoid litigation, especially because they're dealing with potential windfalls for some communities.

Elected representatives from four of the five municipalities that surround host city Bethlehem were on hand to ask for equal shares. Freemansburg, Hellertown, Lower Saucon and Hanover have already drawn up an agreement to that effect, and expect Bethlehem Township to sign on very soon.

These officials sat in the peanut gallery with me. Hanover Township Manager Jay Finnegan, when he saw me, said "Hey skinny!" For that, I refused to give him a piece of the candy bars Angle was selling before the meeting. Hellertown Mayor Richard Fluck sat right next to me, and I offered to dive on any grenade that might be lobbed our way. "Don't worry," he told me. "I'm shorter than you, so I can get it."

Freemansburg's solicitor, Larry Fox, was their mouthpiece. He broke the ice by telling council, "It's so cold tonight that I saw a lawyer with his hands in his own pockets." He argued that the simplest solution is just to give everyone an equal share of the pie. "We can't do anything unless we have a sum certain. ... Freemansburg has three full-time officers and no lock-up. We can't formulate how we're going to do this until we know what we get."

He also spoke against the grants process. "The only people who will get wealthy from that are lawyers and experts." But as Bethlehem resident and former gambling impact committee chair Bob Pfenning warns, we may have no choice. An Erie County dispute over the proper way to divide gambling revenue is currently bogged down in Commonwealth Court. And once contiguous communities are awarded sums of money, even noncontiguous municipalities like Easton and Williams Township may be entitled to seek excess funds.

If Fox' proposal is followed, it may very well be that Freemansburg will be dipping its hands into the pockets of some municipalities who need a portion of the gambling revenue.

Because the law is so unclear, it is very likely that whatever council decides, this matter will end up in court. In fact, on his way out, Freemansburg Mayor Gerald Yob told Pfenning, "See you in court."

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pfenning is the Billy Givens of Bethlehem, coo-coo!

What a mess Stoffa created.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Pfenning devoted a lot of time and energy to the gambling study committee and all council members have been very grateful to him. He has been intelligent and informative. We could use a few more people like him.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
Why weren't Fountain Hill govt. officials at the meeting? Isn't F.H. adjacent to south Bethlehem or did it recently move?

Anonymous said...

It's tainted money..ill gotten gains! Groveling over the lost money of degenerate gamblers! Makes me want to puke! Have some dignity and plow it back into the county social service network and let it actually do someone some good that needs a hand..like bailing out degenerate gamblers who can't pay their bills and are now in jail!

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Why weren't Fountain Hill govt. officials at the meeting? Isn't F.H. adjacent to south Bethlehem or did it recently move?"

Holy shit, you're right. I smell another lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
In reply to Fountain Hill, maybe because it is in Lehigh Cty that's why it's being left out but
F.H. will be impacted by traffic.
All Allentown is going to come right down Broadway. Is it fair.

Bernie O'Hare said...

You are right and it does not seem fair. I will ask around and try to find out why Ftn Hill is not included.

Blah Society said...

They should just redraw the county lines - split Lehigh and Northampton between Bethlehem and Allentown.

Anonymous said...

Stoffa gave away over half the money to Lehigh County and Allentown. They can take care of Fountain Hill.

Anonymous said...

Divide equally, anything more complicated will create a whole new level of government which we will have to pay for.

O_o

Anonymous said...

We need an expensive commission of connected insiders to figure this out.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Yes, and I'm sure they'll know what's best.

Bryan said...

This is something I've never understood so I;m going to ask. Why can't Bethlehem tell the other counties to piss off and keep the profits? I'm sure it's complicated.

On a side note. I'm 22 and have yet to frivolously waste my money on the wonderful act of gambling. I'm sure I'll go to the casino once think, "meh" and never go back. Kinda like Dorney Park.

Anonymous said...

Re: Fountain Hill -- under the provisions of Act 71, Fountain Hill may seek a municipal grant from the meager portion of the local share assessment which is alocated to Lehigh County for that purpose.

By the way, thanks for the kind comments.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Pfenning, If over half of the anticipated revenue for Northampton County and its municipalities is meager in your opinion, please donot get anywhere near my taxes.

Rich Kesler

Anonymous said...

Mr. Kesler,

The gambling revenue estimates published last spring in both local papers for a year when all 5,000 slot machines are operating are:

Nor. County $ 1,675,350
N Cnty Munis $ 2,792,250

L Cnty Munis $ 186,150

Maybe meager is too strong of a word, but relatively speaking the Lehigh County municipal grant pool is not very large.

By the way, you can sleep easily tonight -- I have absolutely nothing to do with your taxes.

Anonymous said...

When da mob had control of gambling, we had less govrnment and everybody got paid because of better odds because we didn't need anyone outsida betlem. Suck it up youse lousy rats, the mob ain't in control to show you how ta make money and King Stoffer will kill dis county because he is ignorant to da facts of gamblin. He tinks we should give it to da outsiders that are cryin' already, but were against gamblin from da start. Cmon Stoffer, stand up to dem dirty rats and keep it all in Betlem an da county.
Da Mob will show ya how ta make money, and we will all be happy, ask da fleas.

Anonymous said...

The amount of money that the slots are anticipated to generate for local use was approx $8 million. All of that would have gone to Northampton County and Bethlehem. The shared revenue agreement signed by Mr. Stoffa and voted against by the County Council, gave over half of the amount that would have gone to Northampton county and the neighboring municipalities to the cities of Bethlehem(over and above the amount they were already getting as host), Allentoiwn and Lehigh County.

The local media may not wish to publish this but it is easily verified by studying the Regional shared revenue document.

Yes meager is a very strong word when a Northampton County Executive puts the interests of his own County behind Allentown and Lehigh County.

Rich Kesler

Anonymous said...

Stoffa will guarantee that Northampton County can't deal with the gambling related Humans Services needs because he gave half the money away, and then decided to tie the rest up in other projects.

Anonymous said...

When Pa Governor Ed Spindell insisted on gaming, he said it was the answer to our property tax issues. Now Spindell wants poker machines!
How about all the clubs and fire company social clubs he nailed with gaming fines over the years? "Oh , now its ok cause I said so" ??? Spindell is probably going to Easton's Flea Club tonight. I wonder if anyone will buy him a beer.

Anonymous said...

Every Municipality in Northampton

Anonymous said...

Every Municipality in Northampton County will be impacted by the Casino. Every Municipality should get an equal share of the pot. Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township cry for what the need and spend on what they want.