Last week, Express Times reporter extraordinaire Lynn Olanoff told us that Controller Steve Barron has determined that ArtsQuest is entitled to no exemption. Council member Lamont McClure added that hotel tax payments should be stopped.
Last night, Barron backtracked before Northampton County Council's Finance Committee, especially after hearing from members Ken Kraft and Peg Ferraro.
Initially, Barron said the matter was a "top priority." But he quickly acknowledged that he lacks the "level of expertise" needed to review ArtsQuest's records.
The Assessment Office did engage Barron for a supposedly "independent" review. But as I pointed out earlier this week, Barron simply lacks the qualifications. Moreover, there would be no "independent" review. It would instead be designed to help Lamont McClure in his County Executive Quest.
Barron told Council that a Philadelphia firm has now been retained by Assessment. He also denied having asked the IRS to revoke ArtsQuest's tax-exempt status, something I was told last week.
Two Council members made very clear that they are upset at how this has been handled by Barron, McClure and the Assessment Office.
Peg Ferraro stated that, instead of singling out ArtsQuest, "we should be very proud of what's been accomplished." She called the South Side Bethlehem improvements, like SteelStacks, a "blessing" and "asset to all of us."
Ken Kraft, whose Council District includes Bethlehem, was a bit more blunt. Calling ArtsQuest's Jeff Parks a "visionary," Kraft claimed Parks was being unfairly attacked by "jealous" people engaged in what seemed to him like a "witch hunt."
"You're trying to shoot the goose that laid the golden egg," Kraft argued, adding that South Side Bethlehem is the only place in the County that has dramatically increased tax revenue over the last eight years.
"Why is everyone so short-sighted on this?" asked Kraft.
He also noted the irony of denying ArtsQuest an exemption while giving one to tax delinquent Rock Church.
Barron conceded, "This could be a loser," and also distanced himself from McClure's argument that hotel tax revenue be denied to ArtsQuest.
Did McClure have any comments or anything at all to add while this was going on? Or was he just sitting there looking ...
ReplyDeleteActually, he was not there. Quelle surprise.
ReplyDeleteOf course Kraft is going to sing for Parks, its his District. Peg loves the free tickets so she is in.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is Barron is doing the right thing. If you were not now in the Callahan camp you would agree.
Anon 2:48.. If Baron was "doing the right thing" he would not have back tracked last night. When an elected official is doing the right thing, i expect him to stand tall against opposition, not run from it !
ReplyDeleteAnd for the record, until late, i was a huge Baron fan. However, i dont feel hes using his true ability To help the county because hes to busy playing politics, and attempting To broker a admin job for himself.
Ss
Can't stand Barron and McClueless. But they're right, here. Those top exec salaries are disgraceful in light of ArtsQuest's begging.
ReplyDeletethey have birds named after barron. they are called yellow bellied sapsuckers.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it the IRS that makes the determination as to whether or not Artsquest is a non-profit or not? Who gets the final say on this? Love it or hate it, Artsquest needs to have a clear path forward. This all should have been ironed out long before the first construction vehicle pulled onto Southside to build the incredible facility that is there now.
ReplyDeleteI think the IRS talk is a red herring. It has a tax exempt status from the IRS. An exemption from real estate taxes relies on the Revenue Appeals Board, and not the IRS. Ultimately, the Courts would decide.
ReplyDelete8:15 -
ReplyDeleteA not-for-profit entity (with the IRS) can own either taxable or non-taxable real estate, as determined by the local assessment board (as to how the property is used in relation to the organization's exempt purpose).
Many times there are grey areas, and the taxing entity and the organization reaches an agreement on a Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes (PILOT). The danger of PILOT's ( for taxpayers) is that they sometimes fail to include a clause that raises the PILOT should everyone else's taxes go up.
Special tax concessions to Artsquest = Good business development.
ReplyDeleteSpecial tax concessions to Allentown NIZ = Bad business development.
At least the blog is consistent.
Special tax concessions to benefit an organization that provides free services to the public = good business development.
ReplyDeleteSpecial tax concessions to benefit turn a millionaire into a billionaire, with tax money from outside the municipality = bad business development.
Yes, this blog is consistent. Thanks for noticing.
It should be said over and over again. Thank you Jeff Parks, Thank you Jeff Parks, Thank You Jeff Parks, for giving up a successful law practice and concentrating your talents on doing good things for the citizens of The City of Bethlehem and Northampton County. Councilman McClure has his own agenda and unfortunately it isn't doing good for his constituents. Mr. Barron is a very immature young politico that may finally be seeing the hand writing on the wall. If we all work together, Northampton County and the two Cities can be a beacon of light for the rest of the state. You can not have the Ron Angles, The Barrons, and the McClures being your mouthpiece, and if I may add, Angle was the best of the three. We need a County Executive who will speak up and take up the fight against the barrons and McClures and be the first ray in that beacon. It certainly won't be Callaghan. He has been quiet on these issues. It can't be tax happy Panto whose answer to this would be to tax anyone outside of the jurisdiction. Let's just wait for the immaculate .........oops, I guess I went to far.
ReplyDeleteBethlehem has been a fortunate City. Usually, when such a dominant industry disappears the community spirals downward as other jobs leave, the middle class leaves or flees, downtowns die, and the low-incomers increase. All of which becomes a ficious cycle of decline.
ReplyDeleteThere have been many variables including leadership, location, universities, hospitals, LVIP, Sands, and yes, ArtsQuest. I like Kraft's line about McClure/Barron trying to "shoot the goose that laid the golden egg." Bethlehem has been fortunate in that it has indeed had a flock of geese, not just ArtsQuest.
Callahan has perhaps been more fortunate than able in being at the right places at the right times in his political life. However, he has grown along the way, and McClure and Barron are burning some unnecessary bridges with the likely next County Executive.
Musikfest played a big role in my wanting to move to the lehigh valley. I would have moved into the town itself if I did t have kids.
ReplyDeleteWhat is free at Musakfest. Please!!!! How about those authentic German beer steins made in China. What no comment?
ReplyDeleteThe Sands has made Bethleehm work. It has donated land and has provided income and jobs. Callahan happend to be sitting there when it happened. If anyone is responsible for keeping Behlehem from sinking it was Don Cunningham. Without Don Cunningham, there would be no Callahan. Johnny Casino is a not that likeable. More of an arrogant guy that benefited form his friendship with Cunningham before he jabbed him in the back.
Callahan has a for sale sign on everything in the city. He and his gang are salivating to do the same thing to Northamton County.
Arsquest!! Please, if you have the cash it is fun. Of course all the perks you get Bernie, you must love it. The common folk, not so much.
I get perks at ArtsQuest? That's news to me. I don't understand why people post complete lies. And that's a total lie. I have never been offered anything by anyone associated with ArtsQuest, and I have never sought anything. I can't even remember the last time I attended Musikfest. I have been to Steelstacks to see a few foreign and independent films, and I pay my own way.
ReplyDeleteFyi, I'm a frequent-fester, and I will just say that the best night I had at this past musikfest was a free show at the MusikFest Cafe. (If you have a chance to see Puddles Pity Party, do it). You can park a few blocks away and fill any mug from any year from most bars for $5 top. Or, park in the lot near the outlet shops for free and discretely poor a can and a half of your favorite beer into your mug while your husband keeps an eye out for security. Or make it white wine, whatevs. The free live entertainment is reason alone for us to make the trip multiple times each year, and we enjoy spending time with our non-imbibing friends and even our friends with kids on a warm summer night, catching up and swaying to free live music in the courtyard behind the Sun Inn. It's more than possible to have a great time in Bethlehem without spending more than a few bucks, if one is so inclined. The Aww Schucks! is worth the $4 splurge, though!
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