Local Government TV

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Hanover Township NIZ Position Statement

Below is the "position statement" read by Supervisor Glenn Walbert at last night's meeting of Hanover Township Supervisors:

Hanover Township ("Township") has and continues to support the Arena Project and the revitalization of the City of Allentown. The following sets forth the position of the Township with respect to the current status of any negotiations to settle the NIZ Litigation as well as the future position of the Township with respect to the NIZ Litigation and any attempts at a future settlement.

Hanover Township will only continue to negotiate with parties to the NIZ Litigation filed on March 29, 2012.

The correspondence forwarded to the Township thus far does not contain any settlement offer that could be acted upon by the Township, and in addition, such settlement proposals would be an attempt to circumvent existing legislation by agreement or otherwise, and therefore, would be void as contrary to public policy, and in addition, such settlement agreement may preclude the Township from later challenging the constitutionality of that legislation.

The Township does not have the authority to bind other political subdivisions that have intervened in the NIZ litigation, and the Township would not agree to any settlement until all parties to the NIZ Litigation were in agreement; i.e. universal settlement.

The Township believes that any settlement that does not include the amending of the current legislation to make it constitutional would leave such legislation, which is unconstitutional, in place, and could later be used to rescind any settlement agreements.

The Township is supportive of the Arena Project and the revitalization of the City of Allentown, it is not supportive of the Township's Earned Income Tax ("EIT") revenue being used for public and/or private initiatives in the City of Allentown.

Any settlement of the NIZ Litigation can only occur if the existing legislation is amended to:
(A)  Make it constitutional; and
(B)  Remove all references to EIT contained therein and ensure that it is not replaced with other sources of revenue generated by or from political subdivision sources outside the City of Allentown; and
(C)  Reduce the size of the NIZ so that it does not unfairly compete with non-NIZ venues.

21 comments:

  1. But it was ok with Hanover when Walt Dieltry brokered deals so everybody could move OUT of the city and to the cornfields. Those tax incentives where FINE

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  2. People didn't leave Allentown. Allentown drove them away.

    Enjoy yer hole.

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  3. You want to disparage Walt Dealtry? Thanks to him, we have a LVIP. Thanks to him, we have Route 78. Thanks to him, Bethlehem was able to redevelop its center city around a now famous retail hub. Thanks to him, growth in NC was more orderly than in its sister county. I disagreed with some of his plans, like the use of greenfield space for industrial parks. But I never questioned his integrity or desire to make the LV a better place in which to live. He is by no means to be vilified as a person who made it easier to move out of the city. On the contrary, he tried to make urban cores more attractive.

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  4. Could someone provide me a comprehensive list of all the businesses that left Allentown. Maybe I am too young to know. And also list when these businesses left.

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  5. I disagreed with some of his plans, like the use of greenfield space for industrial parks

    But not with Chrin on 33 when there are vacant IP's available. Strange bedfellows...

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  6. Ordinarily, I oppose the development of greenspace. I supported Chrin's TIF on Route 33 bc (1) it will result in thousands of permanent jobs and (2) Chrin was willing to give to give the County money to enable it to buy as much farmland as would be lost in the TIF.

    Get your facts right.

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  7. "Could someone provide me a comprehensive list of all the businesses that left Allentown. Maybe I am too young to know. And also list when these businesses left."

    That would take a long tome to do and probably would still miss a few.

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  8. Maybe what happened in Allentown, with businesses leaving is the same thing that occurred through out the country in all cities. This was just a natural progression in how society has changed this is not something new. For cities to reclaim businesses and get jobs back in the city they must have several key components in place. A proper tax plan, proper funding with appropriate aid packages, low crime, basically a reason for businesses to relocate there. What has Allentown done. Just one big sweetheart deal for one peron all one behind closed doors.

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  9. The jobs that are in the suburbs were never in Allentown. Most if not all the jobs in the LVIP's were NEW jobs to the Valley and the developers paid for the infrastructure and public funds were not used to line the developers pockets. No comparison!

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  10. "The city is going to sue the shit out of them for this"

    quote from FUTURE DOWNTOWN ARENA ATTENDEE, the gift that keeps giving

    Yep.

    Bad blood. Ill will. The NIZ Cheerleaders sure got a funny way of going about making me want to buy expensive ice hockey tickets to watch minor league heavyweights throw haymakers on Hamilton Street ...

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  11. "THE RACIAL POLITICS OF THE NIZ DEBATE"

    by Jon Geeting (aka Dances On The Graves Of Dead Guys)

    :-D

    Like I said yesterday, "NIZ Cheerleaders with a Democrat Playbook"

    How very, very special!

    Talk about blatant instigation and intentionally ordering players over the boards and escalating the brawl ...

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  12. 9:40 - What happened locally in the 60's and since is exactly what's happened all over the country: urban sprawl. It is, in one way, how cities grow. Traditionally cities grow according to the capacity of transportation to provide convenient commuting.

    But something happened in PA a long time ago and perhaps someone knowledgeable of this might enlighten us, that prohibited cities from simply incorporating surrounding areas as population and commercial centers shifted. Thus Easton is an island surrounded by townships each duplicating all levels government, school districts etc. Each outer area is it own empire and has power over its destiny rather than throwing in with the urban center. Thing is, without a strong central government structure, you wind up with Balkanized activity - everyone does what they want to satisfy their needs and not the greater good.

    Allentown sort of reached out and said, the heck with this, and got a law passed to take some serious bucks away from the neighboring empires. Talk about pocking a hornet's nest!

    So Allentown is landlocked which is why they want Queen City airport sold and to grab as much tax money as they can.

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  13. @ 12:22, take a look at the 1968 Pa. Constitution. It was that document that created special protections for smaller Pa. Municipalities and prevented their annexation.

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  14. Pennsylvania is a guidebook as to too much government. Look at all the levels of government, all in the supposed name of better representation. Of course the model is based on old English and German methods that started when few could read or write and most people never left the spot they were born their entire life.

    Today in the 21st century we still use the same methods.

    Little "fiefdoms" with little "leaders" all duplicating each other services. We have one of the most inefficient and ineffective form of government in Penna. in the entire country. It won't change becasue oif the politcal power of the states middle "T' andf all the twp.'s.

    Want an example look at the local volunteer fire company. Their slogan is, "they got a new pumper, we get a new pumper". These guys have more stuff then other areas of the nation with half the population. You would probably reluctantly agree with t hat O'Hare. I realize that they are not government entities but the model is the same.

    But now that the twps. are your new best friends on this lawsuit you won't admit what you know to be true.

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  15. You're in no position to tell me what I admit and don't admit. As long ago as 2006, I wrote we were too fragmented. I have not changed my thinking.

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  16. The audacity of those who think government "let" townships be developed. Fuck you. Get you head out of government's ass for two seconds and get a grip on reality. No wonder you have your stupid hole. Assholes.

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  17. The statment by Hanover Twp. is very nice. "We love all you city multi-ethnics and all and we wish you well but you can't share our bathrooms". Nothing personal, y'all.

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  18. I see. Impute racism, even though there is none. But wen one of uour cheerleaders calls Hamilton Street minority merchants a "cancer," that's brushed aside. Just like the minorities themselves. Their rents are going up. Now. Do you give a rat's ass?

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  19. Anon 8:58,

    Get your head out of Big Government's ass is about right.

    Always remember, the power of OUR GOVERNMENT comes from the PEOPLE's CONSENT.

    I, for one, just do not believe that Big Government has any business financing risky sports arenas.

    "You'd be hard pressed to show that it's worth the investment ... the numbers just don't add up."

    Muhlenberg Professor CHRISTOROPHER BORICK quoted in The Morning Call, April 22, 2009 --- "WHY ARE WE FINANCING STADIUMS?"

    Anti THAT article sometime!

    :-D

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  20. 8:58 is the standard Womb-To-The-Tomb apologist that needs Big Government to help him tie his shoes ... or he falls on his face trying to walk across the street.

    Life is so much more enjoyable when you are not scared of your own shadow and looking for Big Government to come save your chronically-worried ass 24/7.

    I bet you feel like Big Government owes you a Phantoms season ticket because your kindergarten teacher told you that you were special last week.

    DUMP THE PUCK INTO THE CORNER AND ARRIVE IN ILL-HUMOR

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  21. I like the position statement and will ask Bangor Boro council to also adopt such a statement. I think it clarifies for the tax payers exactly why the suit is needed and the desired results. Good job Hanover!

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