"This is called Northampton County. This is not the County of Bethlehem and vicinity."With those words, Council member Ron Angle has threatened to sue over the membership of a new gaming authority set up to dole out casino dough. The enabling ordinance limits membership to Bethlehem, the five contiguous municipalities, the county exec, council prez and controller. Yesterday afternoon, the Personnel committee was considering names submitted by the municipalities. "You have left out my end of the county," complained Angle.
Lamont McClure: "I would like to know, in advance, of your frivolous strike suit, what you would need in order not to bring your frivolous lawsuit that would keep our municipalities and maybe even this county from having the necessary funds to meet the needs of the people the law intended to be met?"
Angle: "Stop what you're doing right now. Throw these names in the garbage. Now put the ad in the paper and accept applications from the whole county based on what you could bring to the table to sit on this authority. Now is that unfair? You might get some pretty good people; this is nine political hacks."
Diane Neiper proposed advertising, but only for applicants from the County of Bethlehem and vicinity. That went nowhere and neither did the appointments.
If Angle does end up suing, he won't be alone. I'm not criticizing Council here, but the gaming law itself. It's poorly written and has already led to litigation in Erie County.
Gaming Law is very clear. The General Purpose Authority should have been used. This is just a political football that everyone wants a piece of.
ReplyDeleteRead the Law, it sets out the rules on who gets money.
Remeber Stoffa gave over half of the expected revenue away to Allentown and Bethlehem. Nice guy.
I tend to come down on the side of Mr Angle on this one. There are many smaller municipalities that struggle to keep their towns in good order with a minimal tax base.
ReplyDeleteThe casinos will have an impact on those rural and exurban areas and will stess their infrastructre, emergency services and quality of life. A gamig board comprised solely of Bethlehem residents will by its very nature exclude the rest of the county that will also bear the cost and social burdens of casino gambling in Northampton County.
I can't believe there won't be territorial "war" over this money.
ReplyDeleteGive me a break. How the heck will the casino impact Lehigh Township or East Bangor?
ReplyDeleteThis is just political posturing by Angle.
Casino money/bailout money/blood money/the list goes on and on. No good will ever come from the slot parlors. It is ill gotten gains and it ruins lives and families. This is like fighting over and throwing dice for the Lords cloak at the foot of the cross! Walk away from this abomination.
ReplyDeleteYou hear the term "sucking a Hind tit", that’s the Slate Belt when it comes to us seeing any of this money!
ReplyDeleteBalancing the budqet on the backs of degenerate gamblers is just plain wrong. Another sin tax as the state condons another self destuctive behavior all for the love of money.
ReplyDeleteAngle is a joke..The slate belt area should have no say in what happens to this money. It was always meant to go to the municipalities that surround bethlehem who are mostly impacted by traffic issues..The Human Service needs should be addressed by the county's end of the funding. Instead of wasting the money on a ridiculous health department it should be used for human service departments who are affected by the damage inflicted by the gambling..
ReplyDeleteGet ready Bethlehem and NH county..here come the thieves and loan sharks and the robberies and the drug dealers. Rendell's HELL!
ReplyDeleteThe casinos will have an impact on those rural and exurban areas and will stess their infrastructre, emergency services and quality of life. A gamig board comprised solely of Bethlehem residents will by its very nature exclude the rest of the county that will also bear the cost and social burdens of casino gambling in Northampton County.No they won't. Don't be absurd.
ReplyDeleteGive me a break. How the heck will the casino impact Lehigh Township or East Bangor?
ReplyDeleteThis is just political posturing by Angle.It won't. The vast majority of county residents (and the vast majority of the tax base) have no idea where those places even are or that they are part of the county.
Angle actually is just trying to get political points here for his territory.
ReplyDeleteIf some some awful reason the casino was put in Bangor, do you think he would be offering money to Bethlehem?
I usually don't mind his grandstanding and posturing, but he looks like an idiot here.
They are probably just as close to the Pocono casino as they are Bethlehem. Personally, I stay away from Bangor and north, the area is strange.
Frivolous lawsuits and Angle, gee how is that not a surprise. He is nothing but a publicity machine. Frivolous lawsuits an O'Hare are a close second.
ReplyDeleteAngle is a complete nut who's out for attention. His mommy must not have given him enough.
ReplyDeleteAngle,
ReplyDeleteI live in Bethlehem, where the casino is located. I know you want a handout but isn't that just what you purport to hate, handouts? Get your own revenue source. This county isn't socialist. Hypocrite!
I think Angle is the best one on NCC when it comes to taxpayer representation. He isn't just watching out for the Slate Belt, he is looking out for all of us. Do you think only Bethlehem residents are paying for the tearing out of that old RR bridge on 412 last weekend or the expanding of traffic lanes? They even tore down several properties to expand an intersection. We are ALL paying for that be it you live in Portland,Bath , or Raubsville, and most of us will never even go to the casino. Why not an equal split. Angle is doing his job and several others on NCC I feel are there for a free ride to get their name in the papers and blogs for their next political bid for office. And before you ask... I live in Easton, NOT in Angle's district.
ReplyDeleteHow about me. I live in Pburg.
ReplyDeleteAngle is a hack and publicity seeker, always has been. You want to read something funny, go to Paul Carpenters column today (friday) and read about his ideas on License Plates
ReplyDeleteI love the one,"I was wronged by Ron Angle", Carpenter said the demand may outweigh the ability to make them. HAHA!@!
One of the few times I have to agree with Carpenter.