Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Monday, April 23, 2012
NIZ on Palmer Township Agenda Tomorrow Night
Allentown's EIT tax grab is on the agenda tomorrow night in Palmer Township. It's increasingly beginning to look as though the NIZ is in trouble.
16 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
I believe that unless some serious concessions are made or the legislation is rewritten, the NIZ is DONE!
ReplyDeleteMore suburban jealousy at the expense of the urban core. How foolish the cities were in hindsight to allow the expansion of water and sewere plants to aid their neighbors. And what about the rest of the gifts of low interest loans, etc?
ReplyDeleteWay off base. Water and sewer plants are regionalized facilities mandated by the state.
ReplyDeleteIn another post today, I point out that this urban v. suburban bullshit is just that.
ReplyDeleteWrong! then why was the Lehigh County Authority created to buy their water from A-town and give them their ***t. There would be no Ocean Spray or any other industries without the water from Allentown and have you tried to get a WWTP permitted lately? No these are regional services provided for by the cities.
ReplyDeleteI vote Bernie is correct. It is not city vs. suburb, it is people vs special interests, and it is getting worse by the minute. The NIZ is only one instance of the larger problem.
ReplyDeleteRight now, I am amazed and disgusted to watch something unfold about which I only found out by accident. A Chinese investor, a corporation is formed, principals are a real estate developer and a restauranteur, a huge chain of "buffet/grille" places open up all up and down the East Coast, including the Lehigh Valley,in aging strip malls, prices are dirt cheap, customers are packed in, the chain has no advertising expense, and practically NO LABOR EXPENSES. Illegal immigrants imported into USA, live in dormitory like conditions packed dozens into 7-room accomodations in aging residential neighborhoods, in violation of zoning and building codes. Workers are bused to various restaurants in company-owned vans, are designated "contract workers," no payroll taxes paid to the local municupality....Long and short of it is, whether scurvy slime pass something like the NIZ legislation under cover of darkness, or whether local officials allow predartory business to affect our communties like an invasive species of plant in an agricultural setting, the end result is that our civilization as we knew it in our lifetimes, is being dismantled, to the benefit of the few and the detriment of the many. And I'm a registered Republican, so nobody can accuse me of being a Marxist.
I do not follow your logic. You say that the NIZ is in trouble. The only way that can happen is if the court strikes it down or the state overturns the law. I have not heard any reads on the courts and cannot guess how they will hear it. I think Atiyeh's constitutional complaints are interesting. And, would the state overturn something. I am not hearing any changes on legislators or that this is a big issue in state house races this year. Please tell me how you come to that conclusion. I understand a lot of people are angry. But, people were angry when Bill Clinton was not thrown out of office. He was still there on the last day.
ReplyDeleteI say the NIZ is in trouble bc, i addition to the legitimate legal concerns raised about special legislation, it is becoming a PR nightmare. The Townships are increasingly growing unsympathetic, as is Bethlehem. Then there are numerous prestigious developers. People who would not otherwise be caught dead in a room together are uniting on this single issue. It is in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI would buy your belief if developers would start withdrawing that interim or bridge financing would be removed. Until something happens on that front the project seems much of a go. The PR problem began when the Woglom (sp) group raised questions and received no answers. The problem is that there are no answers. The tax group really represents all municipalities in the valley so there is need to deal with that problem separate from the issues of favored dealing with the developers. The arrangements with this Reilly company are suspect. I am surprised that it was not open to all developers to get the best deal possible for the city.
ReplyDeleteI suspect there will be no more bridge financing.
ReplyDeleteThe THODE-GEETING NIZ is too big to fail.
ReplyDeleteThe Labor Unions must not be shut from the Palace of Sport payday.
Fairness and Justice must reign supreme.
ALLENTOWN DEMOCRAT VOTER
The arguing will all end when the "Special Legilation" is declared unconstitutional. You heard it here first. Take $500.00 to the Sands and you'll lose it. Bet the Mayor $500.00 about the constitutionality and I'll bet you double your money.
ReplyDeleteSo Palmer Township doesn't like what Allentown is doing but did Allentown fight the TIF they gave to Chrin and his interchange? No, they embraced it and lobbied for it. Isn't this land in the EASD as well so the other municipalities are also subsidizing it. Can someone tell me the difference?
ReplyDeleteThe TIF for Chrin involves no diversion of tax revenue intended for Allentown. That TIF had to be approved by the three taxing bodes whose tax bases were affected. So you're basically proving my point. You don't take someone's money without his permission.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, I am unaware that Allentown supported this TIF or even noticed.
"More suburban jealousy at the expense of the urban core. How foolish the cities were in hindsight to allow the expansion of water and sewere plants to aid their neighbors. And what about the rest of the gifts of low interest loans, etc?"
ReplyDeleteUmmm.... the burbs and their developers had to pay every nickle needed to have these sewer and water systems run out to them. It wasn't free and wasn't taken from the "cities".
"So Palmer Township doesn't like what Allentown is doing but did Allentown fight the TIF they gave to Chrin and his interchange? No, they embraced it and lobbied for it. Isn't this land in the EASD as well so the other municipalities are also subsidizing it. Can someone tell me the difference?"
Ummm.... another ignorant post. The TIF does not involve stealing tax money from another community. All three taxing bodies in that Township have to agree.
TIF's and KOZ's are suppported locally. The NIZ takes from others to fix the ills of many.
ReplyDeleteSome people are just ignorant. Check the Department of Economic Development website. It's defined in english.
KOZ; http://www.newpa.com/build-your-business/locate/keystone-opportunity-zones
TIF; http://www.newpa.com/find-and-apply-for-funding/funding-and-program-finder/tax-increment-financing-tif-guarantee-program
STEALING: See NIZ