Last night, Northampton County considered a $10,000 grant request to the LV Iron Pigs for next year's AAA Minor League Baseball All Star Game. The money would come from hotel taxes, and Lehigh County has already committed $25,000 for this event. Council member Lamont McClure initially supported this request, noting our hotels, restaurants and nightlife attractions will benefit.But Northampton County Bulldog Ron Angle had a different view. "Allentown, Lehigh County always seems to get our money because we're nice people and they just happen to have Allentown. Everybody's supposed to help Allentown while they keep blundering around over there." He also noted that the principals who own the Iron Pigs are multimillionaires. A dubious Jerry Seyfried told Director of Administration John Conklin, "You are looking at the only guy of a nine-member Council that voted against giving any money to Musikfest, so you better have a good sell here." Conklin swung away. "We originally said no, because it's a Lehigh County ball stadium. But the Iron Pigs, I think, have really solidified themselves so they are now set in the entire Valley."
What killed all support for this proposal was a condescending letter from Lehigh County Director of Administration Tom Muller. An irritated Council Prez Ann McHale read it into the record.
"There is $25,000 going toward the All Star game via a competitive tourism fund grant application, submitted by Mike Stershic [LV Convention & Visitors Bureau]. You should have lots to contribute since Northampton has been banking that portion of its extra 1/2% in hotel tax for the stadium for years."
McHale said, "I take offense to that." Joe Capozzolo added, "They ask for money and then they criticize us." Angle was a little more blunt. "That's how they think about us. We're a bunch of jerks, like Wayne [Grube] would always say. We're jerks over here, they're Lehigh County. They're very bright people, so put the bite on us for ten, what the hell, we're idiots."
Even McClure reversed himself. "That snarky reply, that cost them one vote for $10,000. I'm going to withdraw the resolution."
It actually cost nine votes. Nobody else was willing to sponsor this grant request, and the Iron Pigs went down looking, thanks pretty much to Tom Muller.
9 comments:
Bernie,
No public money should have ever been spent on this project. It is not the government’s role to finance what should be private enterprise. When we do so we allow a third party(government) to muck up what should be two party transaction.
Scott Armstrong
Thanks for the reminder of why I stay out of Northampton County as much as possible.
We have clowns in Lehigh, but our clowns are a higher class of clowns than the side show that exists up there.
Well stay there. We are better off with out you. And dont even think
about coming to the Slate Belt, you hoofty!
One of the last articles I did before GIVING AWAY the IronPigs blog was a piece entitled:
"IronPigs Have Grant Monies For You?" IPP 10/19/09
IronPigs Charities (IPC) distributed $ 53,000 in grant monies for 2009, according to IRONPIGSBASEBALL.COM, which stated they expect that number to increase in 2010.
So - why did the IronPigs need $ 10,000 from Norco again???
Insult, or no insult, that the Northampton County Council pretty much made a public policy decision out of pique makes them all look really stupid. It is not surprising that Angle would be out in front with the most paranoid analysis, eager to invite personal offense into the policy-making calculus. How unprofessional.
On the other hand, Muller's letter was both insulting and condescending. Not the best way to ask for money. As much as I love the Iron Pigs, and I do, I agree with NC Council. We don't need to further subsidize these multimillioaires.
Council and council alone is responsible for the way they cast their vote. No one else. I have not met the members of the current Northampton County Council, but I do know Tom Muller very well, having worked with him for two years while serving as a commissioner. He is a gentleman in every respect,and a man of high standards and good character. There are many in public service who would do quite well to follow his example. He is also a man whom I am truly proud to call my friend.
Just imagine what it will be like when Angle is the prez....there goes the neighborhood!!!!
Now Now Mr. Angle, please do not forget the Millions State taxpayers dollars (seems to be endless) pumped into Southside Bethlehem too make the Sands a reality.
You also seemed to forget that projects in Lehigh County were put on the back burner to benefit the Route 412 project that mushroomed from $10M to over $100M if you include Third Street and Route 378 Interchange.
Yes, Ironpigs benefits the Valley as visiting teams stay in Hotel Bethlehem and patronize your restaurants. Lehigh County does not get any direct revenue. On the other hand, Northampton County stands to get $2.4M from slots revenue.
Now NC demands the entire $2M take from future table games should go into their coffers.
I say NC keep your $10K grant. I also believe the State should divide up new table game revenues as a defined benefit to Fountain Hill, Whitehall, Easton, Hellertown and Emmaus to fight crime. We expect a return on our investment.
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