Since The Morning Call no longer does editorials, it's rare to see opinion pieces about Allentown. But The Express Times today weighs in on the NIZ.
Suggesting it's time for everyone to take a deep breath and step back, the EIT points to two unresolved problems: the diversion of EIT from other municipalities and the Browne lobbying conflict.
In the case of Senator Browne's lobbyist wife, the paper concludes there's no wiggle room. "It’s wrong. It’s the type of conflict of interest that makes taxpayers roll their eyes, confirming their suspicions about cozy relationships between government and development interests."
25 comments:
NIZ losing public support.
Wow!
Who would have thunk it?
FUTURE DOWNTOWN ARENA ATTENDEE must be in shock ...
The NIZ is not losing support. 99.8% of the public could care less. Another .15% agree with it but aren't wasting there time whining on here with you.
I hope Pat Browne doesn't move an inch on the NIZ. I doubt he will either.
Yeah, it looks like the comments on the ET editorial are actually in favor of the NIZ.
" 99.8% of the public could care less."
If they care less, it necessarily means it is losing public support.
When the area's only daily newspaper that actually expresses opinions starts wondering about the lobbying and the EIT, it's stupid to ignore them. But go ahead.
Perhaps 99.8% of the public IS that stupid, then ... and this is, in fact, why the United States has a national debt of around 16 TRILLION DOLLARS ... and climibing?
I guess, at the end of the day, it really does not matter what the public thinks.
So long as well-connected Elitists such as HEATHER BROWNE, JEFF VAUGHAN, J.B. REILLY and the rest of Chairman Pawlowski's GANG OF THIEVES makes lots of money.
I have every confidence they could care less what I think.
Or YOU!
;)
"When the area's only daily newspaper that actually expresses opinions starts wondering about the lobbying and the EIT, it's stupid to ignore them. But go ahead."
It's a big leap to go from this comment (which is well stated) to the assertion that the NIZ is losing support. If you had a poll or some kind of focus group to back that up, I'd agree, but even last week you had Justin Simmons on record as saying this isn't going anywhere. By your logic, we are to determine that the Simmons supports the NIZ b/c he's not going to do anything to change it.
If there are serious reservations about the lobbying and EIT, it necessarily follows it is losing public support. And I have no idea what the hell you are getting at with Simmons.
Where is the evidence this project is losing support? Where is the evidence it ever had any in the first place. Why was the whole thing rushed through with secretive boards and meetings if the public was behind the project?
Scott Armstrong
I agree with Armstrong.
However, I also take issue with portions of the ET editorial that calls "Allentown’s NIZ — a worthwhile effort and a key to the city’s survival".
Thanks to the lack of information given by Allentown City Hall, we don't know if the project is anything more than a multi-million dollar boondoggle.
Perhaps the Express-Times and the Morning Call should actually gather the facts before they pronounce this project worthy of even a single public tax dollar.
The problem here goes beyond diverted EIT dollars and State legislators who have wives that are lobbyists. The real problem is the complete lack of due diligence and transparency on the part of our elected officials - particularly in Allentown City Hall.
You'll see that again this evening when both the NIZ Authority and its members are rubber-stamped by Pawlowski's crony council.
The ET also supported the sale of Gracedale. How did that work out. Their editorial board has zero credibility.
Agree, the Editorial Board of the Express is a joke. Old Steaming cup of "@#$%" Joe Owens tends to re-print O'Hare slam pieces anyway.
They lost what little credibility they had in Northampton county over the Stoffa years. Gracedale confirmed how out of touch they are with the people they claim to "serve".
I'm not sure if the majority of Allentown taxpayers and Lehigh Valley residents really care.
This project only happens because of the continued ignorance and apathy of the public and electorate.
Your average person is only going to take notice when the arena is built and something happens....some bystander from Upper Saucon gets bit by the crime, sinkholes open, or tax increases are needed to cover operating losses.
By that time though, all your "players" from the mayor down, will be long removed from the project. Future taxpayers and some poor future mayor will be dealing with it.
When Jaindl got in on the NIZ, that's a sign of trouble for me. The Jaindl family never ventures into projects unless they know for sure their investment is covered. They don't touch Allentown unless their money is 100% secured with profit on top. This is advantage investor all the way.
Five years from now when the Allentown Phantoms are the most successful team in minor-league hockey and this area is raking in the cash including hotel tax dollars in the burbs then all of these whiners will be first to climb up on the arena bandwagon. Just like the naysayers who thought CCP would be a bust. Let's all get behind this regional project that will benefit everyone in the LV.
Five years from now, Allentown will enjoy all the success of Reading and Pawlowski will be running for governor because he's afraid of being shot downtown.
5:42...Oh Boy! More money from the hotel tax means more money for our Cities. Yippie. Lets go have a latte.
The Philadelphia Flyers have had SEVEN DIFFERENT CITIES host their top AHL affiliate in their first 43 years of existance.
Average life of Flyers farm club in one city :
6.1428577 years
So, Anon 5:42 (FDAA?), what NHL team, do you think, will be following the Flyers or will the PALACE of SPORT be relegated to the East Coast Hockey League?
Have forwarded by email Emricks "TRUTH" about the NIZ. I feel so much better now having read his account of this tax theft scheme. Still no word from Boscola or her minions. The silence from her is deafening.
6:58 - The Flyers have had 2 affiliates in the past 30 years. Not bad by minor league standards .I'm for the rink just not for the way they are developing it. I'd like to see it done the Ed Snider way. At least it will be run his way. Also the ECHL is a good hockey league and i was fortunate enough to get a few games in it.
Ironpigpen, you are a GENIUS! Yeah just look how badly Hershey and Wilkes-Barre are doing with their ECHL teams. How did you get the blog name Ironpigpen? Aren't you a Pigs fan? Don't you realize they were bemoaning the same things about the Pigs when CCP was built? This team will be a HUGE success and will repay the EIT revenues ten fold.
Annon 5:42
Exactly how many people travel and stay overnight to watch even the "most successful" minor league team in any sport? So where will these hotel taxes come from. Minor league teams may create bar, restaurant business game nights but very, very rarely hotel or convention trade.
Oh, the possibilities... I only hope this HUGE gamble does pay off in the future, because if it doesn't, it really IS going to get hectic. Now, as far as the PRESENT is concerned, even if the NIZ is losing public support, what can be done? Buildings are destroyed, businesses are displaced, and livelihoods have been forever affected; the 'powers that be" should know, though, that the public (Allentown residents) are becoming more skeptical on a daily basis....
Alfonso Todd
www.5minutes2shine.blogspot.com
Anon 6:58,
YOU know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING of the Philadelphia Flyers minor league affiliates.
List of Flyers minor league affiliates :
Quebec City, QUE ... 67/68 to 70/71
Richmond, VA ... 71/72 to 75/76
Springfield, MA ... 76/77
Portland, ME ... 77/78 to 82/83
Springfield, MA ... 83/84
Hershey, PA ... 84/85 to 95/96
Philadelphia, PA ... 96/97 to 08/09
Adirondack, NY ... 09/10 to present
SOURCE : http://www.hockeydb.com
Or any one of 1,000 other places, actually.
What else do you have NO CLUE ABOUT?
Anon 5:42,
Once upon a time, I worked VERY HARD on supporting the IronPigs (and R-Phils) publically.
Every night, all night. Box scores and game reports for BOTH teams.
Herr O'Hare even wrote a nice article once.
But then, The Morning Call ran a fateful story :
"EXPLAIN IT TO ME : WHY ARE WE FINANCING STADIUMS"
(by Kristina Gostomski / April 22, 2009)
I DID try to go to bat for the IronPigs then. But I got my ass kicked in by a bunch of college professors. My older brother had warned me not to get involved, but I said, "if we don't stand up for the Park, how the hell can we stand up for the IronPigs everyday."
My brother said, "Do the research. You WILL NOT like what you find. Good luck, rely on Andrew Zimbalist, but it's a tough sell."
Like I said, I DID stand up and got my ass kicked in --- ALL BY MY FUCKING SELF.
Where the hell were YOU then?
I did do alot of research and I did learn alot of things as a result, though :
As a Conservative, I just DO NOT think that the Government, which is supposed to be operating on the basis of Limited Powers, should be in the business of financing sports stadiums.
It IS as simple as that.
Hab ein schoenes Tag.
The list of Flyers' AHL affiliates is also meant for Anon 5:42 ...
... but anyone with half a brain already knew that.
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