Senior Judge Michael Franciosa today approved conditions for a controversial work release and treatment center proposed in Bethlehem Township. Developer Abe Atiyeh, the County and the Township were all in agreement, but the Bethlehem Township Zoning Hearing Board actually argued the Court had no authority to impose its own conditions.
Judge Franciosa disagreed. "[W]e did not grant the Zoning Board unlimited authority." He went on to reject the ZHB's conditions, finding that the "totality of the conditions are onerous and burdensome ... ." You can read Judge Francisoa's opinion here.
28 comments:
Oh God... is this still going on? So.. the County will cut/possibly sell Gracedale and build this and raise our taxes? Give me a break.
This just proves that if you continue to support (line the pockets) of all necessary channels of corruption (politicians-lawyers-judges), you can get anything you want!
Bernie,
Saturday's News
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Re: Sands Table Games vs. Increased Assessment
Someone far smarter than we'll ever be asked, "Why did the Sands assessment go up? The land didn't change; the building didn't change; just what's inside changed. Why should table games increase an assessment?"
Does the judge's decision mean ZHB
rulings are invalid?
Franciosa hhas basically stated that the conditions imposed by the ZHB are ridiculous,and he chucks them in favor of what the county, Atieyah and even the Township want to see.
McClure was right. Angle/Stoffa need to sell Gracedale to fund this monstrosity. Stoffa said he values drug addicts more than old people.
With the money from Gracedale, he and Angle can pay the high lease fees to Atiyah and the cost of treatment to the"mystery" treatment company that no one on county council wants to ask about.
This has been the plan for years. Stoffa ran Gracedale into the ground to make it come to pass. Angle now has his mindless teabagger puppets on council so the plan is complete.
The voters will register their decision on election day.
Angle/Stoffa; save the cons and kill the old folks!
Bruce Gilbet quite properly dismissed this argument for what it is - a base attempt to inflame people and deflect attention away from real problems.
The real problem is deception in government. This was shown by Mr. Barron's address to County Council.
They are tied together as sure as night follows day. Who gives a shit what Gilbert says, is he God? He's been on Council less than a year and he knows everything? Just another Angle puppet.
Bernie:
The County was not a party to the litigation, so who cares what they want.
The Township originally appealed the conditions that the ZHB set, saying they did not go far enough. If you remember, the Township's list of conditions was much longer than the ones adopted.
If all the conditions imposed by the ZHB were "ridiculous", why did the Township and Atiyeh's agreement include at least 5 of them?
I think the ZHB is being thrown under the bus on this one.
Major cuts in employee benefits, layoffs looming, vacant jobs, low morale, poor service -- in all Departments of County Government, including the Jail along with a massive TAX INCREASE and they want to build a new state of the art facility for criminals. HOGWASH!! Ron Angle is no more a Tea Partier than Nancy Pelosi is a Conservative. No more government spending on ALL LEVELS. This includes County Government too. Pack the prisoners in like sardines. Who cares. If the Federal Government doesn't like it, let them pay. I can not imagine that the County would be trying to build something in an economy where 10 percent unemployment is the norm. In November, vote out ALL County incumbents who support spending our monies on prisoners!!
What a frickin' maroon. No County office is up this year.
Doesn't 6:31 understand that these work release and treatment centers actually reduce the cost of crime? He probably does, but would rather appeal to the dark side of people in the hope that it damages Stoffa. Um, that was tried already. Stoffa won overwhelmingly. So I suggest you come up with a new bullshit smear.
Angle/Stoffa supports prisoners over old people.
Privatizing Gracedale is WRONG.
Mr. Angle and Mr. Stoffa, put it on a voter referendum and let the voters decide. You were elected to serve the peoples interest, so let the people decide. This is too important to screw it up.
The idea of selling Gracedale has been kicking around for iver a year. In that time, people like you have made no effort to get the matter on the ballot via referendum, probably bc it would fail.
"Stoffa ran Gracedale into the ground to make it come to pass."
Sadly, after casting two votes for the man, I have concluded that he isn't bright enough nor aggressive enough to have pulled that off. I also don't think he's that mean-spirited.
Gracedale's demise is due more to Stoffa's asleep at the wheel, reactionary management than any devious plan. He didn't keep his eye on the ball, and when things went south, he took the easy way out, rather provide leadership and innovative, forward thinking solutions. It was really, "Oh shit, we screwed up, dump it."
Anon 12:07 is more right than wrong. It is clear that County Council runs the ship of state in Northampton county. Sadly the Stoffa Administration is full of mediocre managers led by a rather dull and incompetent man. Many have suggested that Stoffa created the "perfect storm" for Gracedale to fail as per Angle's instructions, but that would mean Stoffa has the ability to plan.
I do think Stoffa is that mean and base that on many who have worked with him in the past who will tell you he can be a vengeful sob. However, in this case it is more likely a case of an incompetent County Executive and an unqualified Director of Human Services just fiddling around while Rome burned.
Sad for not only Gracedale but for the county for generations to come. The clear majority of citizens want Gracedale to remain in County hands.
Are you related to Captain Queeg?
Doesn't 6:31 understand that these work release and treatment centers actually reduce the cost of crime? He probably does, but would rather appeal to the dark side of people in the hope that it damages Stoffa. Um, that was tried already. Stoffa won overwhelmingly. So I suggest you come up with a new bullshit smear.
Reduce the price of victimless crimes? Yet another flush of money in the name of the war on drugs.
When someone has a serious drug addiction to heroin or crack cocaine, he himself is a victim. So is his family. Those people need treatment that restores their dignity instead of time in the slammer. And whether you like it or not, these are crimes and the County has an obnligation to rpovide for the Courts. It cannot independently decide that it is going to ignore a judge's sentence. Your argument is with the state, and I suspect must legislators will laugh as you try to argue these are "victimless" crimes.
Angle/Stoffa-Drug addicts over the sick and elderly!
That is their campaign slogan.
Most rational people agree that a deal has been struck between Angle, Stoffa and Atiyah. Gracedale must go so the money is there for Atiyah and the "mystery" drug treatment company the county will hire.
Hint: I bet they are from New Jersey.
Was Franciosa's opinion written in a lucid moment of his Angle certified dementia?
Triumph of the human spirit overcoming senility.
Check out the news today... Bethlehem Police shoot work release prisoner for trying to stab his wife. So much for the so called good people that will be housed in this facility.
Anon 3:55 PM:
How would you know what "rational people agree" upon? Your not rational! Hint: You mkae thing up!
Will you apologize when all that you said here is shown to be not true? No, because you are a liar and a coward!
Hey there 3:27, you can't be living up Stoffa's butt. Bernie has a permanent residence there and Angle is a frequent visitor.
So you better settle for Atiyah.
Save the druggies throw out the old. the Angle/Stoffa mantra.
Save the druggies throw out the old. the Angle/Stoffa mantra.
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