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| Supervisor George Washburn |
The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors represents the interests of 1,455 townships in the commonwealth, which comprise 95 percent of Pennsylvania’s land area and are home to more than 5.5 million citizens — 44 percent of the state’s population. It has decided to intervene in the NIZ litigation started by Hanover and Bethlehem Townships.
Township resident Joe Schiller told the Board to keep the pressure on Allentown Mayor Edwin Pawlowski. "Maybe he'll make the developers pay for this instead of the Townships," Schiller argued.
I was very impressed by the Williams Township board, by the way. It relies heavily on volunteers who report on different aspects of Township government. There's separate Advisory Committees for the Budget, Sewer, Landfill and Land Preservation. A representative from each of these advisory committees provides an oral report at each meeting. As a result, there were 33 people in the meeting room, engaged in open and accountable government.
The Township, incidentally, is considering a repeal or amendment of three "conservation by design" ordinances adopted in 2007. They're known as 50-50 ordinances, which restricts development by a property owner with ten acres or more to either keeping 50% as open space or planning on 3 acres per house.
Halden Ballek, a fourth-generation farmer who has challenged these ordinances in Northampton County Court, told Supervisors this legislative scheme is :"discriminatory towards farmers, whose occupation requires large tracts of land to earn a living." He complained these ordinances "quietly erode people's property rights."
Resident Bob Lilley was a little more frank. "Conservation by design is simply stealing," he asserted.
Supervisor Vince Foglia is ready to pull the plug on "conservation by design," but George Washburn and Sally Hixson are leaning towards making it a voluntary scheme.
They're asking owners directly impacted by this legislation to come to their June meeting and share their experiences.
This rhetoric about "conservation by design" is misleading. This is a much bigger topic that deserves your thoughtful consideration, not just a quote from someone in a local government meeting.
ReplyDeleteI was not doing an analysis of the concept, but was mostly reporting what some people said. But I am interested in the topic. It appears to be similar to legislation in Lower Mount Bethel Tp. I intend to do an analysis, but you might not like it.
ReplyDeleteHow much possible EIT revenue / detrimental development could possibly be at stake for tiny Williams Township based on the NIZ. This is getting way out of hand.
ReplyDeleteTiny? It's 18.7 square miles.
ReplyDeleteIt is the point of this whole thing, it is totally wrong and unconstitutional and I give them credit for standing up and taking a position.
ReplyDeleteSqrt[18.7] = 4.5 miles on each side. That's pretty small--and size has nothing to do with political power which in a democracy is properly measured by population. Speaking of which, William's population is only 4,400. And, how many of those people work downtown and might have their EIT diverted? What commercial or industrial development is there in Williams that might be diverted into the downtown with cheaper rents--Phantom Fireworks--come on. I'm not saying William's township isn't important, it just won't be harmed by the NIZ in any practical way. Emotions are running way too high about this thing.
ReplyDeleteI think you are saying Williams Township is unimportant. The latest census places its population at 5,884. It has experienced a 31.6% growth in the last ten years, compared to Allentown's 10.7%. If i were you, I would not diminish what they say or look down your nose at them.
ReplyDeleteLet me also add that you have no way of knowing whether they will be harmed bc the City has refused to release financial information. Many of its residents work in offices, and where they are working ten years from now may very well be in Allentown.
ReplyDeleteRetired ASD teacher here.
ReplyDeleteNEWSFLASH!
Williams Township has proposed building a speedway just off I78. Huge potential for the Lehigh Valley.
Question: Will Allentown officials approve tapping into their current and future budgets to help construct a privately-owned garage across the street?
Let's hope that speedway doesn't come, just more cornfield development in some of the prettiest land still in the lehigh valley. I'm gonna remember to specifically check the numbers when they are published regarding how much Williams Township will be loosing and rub it in your face. P.S. Way to be called out by Bill White today.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutly, details of the EIT by taxing entity are needed. But, it isn't all of Allentown. Most of the NIZ area is empty or small businesses. The only significant tax question is related to Scacred Heart?
ReplyDeleteSome of the emotional/principle aspects of the law are real issues, but there just isn't enough money to drive all this litigation.
There are 241 businesses within the NIZ, well beyond the amount stated b Garrett Strathearn when he spoke to the TCC committees. It is by no means empty or small.
ReplyDeleteHow many of those businesses produce wealth for people who live outside the NIZ? A handful--maybe. Let's try to keep this debate realistic.
ReplyDeleteIt's impossible to keep the debate realistic when we have to guess at the numbers. That has been a major bone of contention. Until then, there is no real debate. You'll pardon me if I don't accept the word of someone who anonymously tells me to rely on Allentown to get it right bc they have consistently shut the information door in everyone's face.
ReplyDelete" P.S. Way to be called out by Bill White today."
ReplyDeleteYou must be reading something I'm not reading. i was not called out by Bill White today. I have written him concerning his slam of Atiyeh, but that's about it. Never spoke to him about the Great NIZ debate and he did not mention me in his column today.
There can be 241 businessess in the NIZ, but there also are a lot of small businesses there. There are/were many small businesses like barber shops, tatoo parlors, cafes etc.
ReplyDeleteThey just can't have a lot of employees fron NC townships.
The waterfront 90 acres is larely empty. The downtown NIZ has a lot of acres of parking lot.
I just think the impression of the NIZ is that there are many businesses with significant employment. Just have to continue waiting for the numbers.
Retired ASD teacher here.
ReplyDelete11:24-
What you, and Bill White, fail to see, is a plan like this is not just conceptually wrong, but possibly illegal. The correct amount of diverted funding, legal expenses, etc. is NOT the important issue. It's the diversion itself, the method, the exposure to taxpayer risk.
This project MUST be examined in a court of law.
Just hit the Morning Call. What is Senator Browne smoking? PSATS seems like a powerful group. He should be worried and stop the BS.
ReplyDeleteBrowne screwed the pooch and has nowhere to go but into the bunker with learning-disabled Ed. He's too embarrassed to admit his disastrous mistake and the entire state is ganging up to crush his folly. Douchebag politicians love naming stuff after themselves. The hole should be named after Browne. Allentown's Browne Hole.
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing sucks. I love hockey but i hate political corruption. I'm very torn.
ReplyDeleteI don't care about hockey, but love the idea of this development. It's going to be transformational for the downtown and we should be pressuring the suburban townships to back off.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem like the suburban municipalities like to share. They have had all of the power and residents with income for at least 20 years.
It's Allentown's turn.
As to the "it's not constitutional" argument...since the Patriot Act, we haven't much cared in this country about anything being constitutional.
" It's going to be transformational "
ReplyDeletePawlowski alert. Pawlowski alert.
NIZaphopics unite! Bernie you are a one trick blogger whose hatred for all things Pawlowski and Allentown is becoming a gigantic BORE. Get a real life and earn a living doing something good for society rather than tearing it down. Your weight loss included at least 16 ounces of grey matter.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Allentown doesn't even know where its own money is. According to reports, $75000 was found in a decade old account apprently no one was aware of. City Council wants it applied to general fund (?) or whatever that pays for infrastructure which has run in the red for some time. City council had financial questions and King (Mr.) Ed's regime has no answers. Seems the city can't even answer its own council's questions concerning finances.
ReplyDeleteLast comment was from Bill Coker.
ReplyDelete"NIZaphopics unite! Bernie you are a one trick blogger whose hatred for all things Pawlowski and Allentown is becoming a gigantic BORE. Get a real life and earn a living doing something good for society rather than tearing it down. Your weight loss included at least 16 ounces of grey matter."
ReplyDeleteAnd here you are, at 11 PM, telling me I'm a bore.
It appears now that Bangor may join the court case with Hanover Twsp. thru PSAB. We have the cost to join the litigation and now need to discuss the suit come the 5/14 boro council meeting. I would anticipate a close vote but we cannot afford not to join the suit in my opinion. Pandora's box needs to be closed back up before who knows what rears its ugly head henceforth. Dangerous precedent hangs in the balance here and into the future. I will vote to join the suit.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's 10:11 pm now and you are still a bore O'Hare. You have such a bug up your ass about Pawlowski that you can find nothing good about a project that will bring hundreds of jobs to our area and add another wonderful venue to improve our quality of life. You have become a stale blogger over the past two weeks with your blind crusade against the NIZ.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1014
DeleteEVERYTHING Bernie has exposed here is to the benefit of the majority. He has bright a bright spot light, a microscope and bright lights to what was a dark back room where greed and secrecy reigned. I and the rest of the commoners beg him to not move on to another topic.
If the King and his Court would have been open, transparent and honest from the beginning they would not have been in the situation they are now, trying to bully and deceive with their slight of hand tactics.