Karen Dolan, in late 2012, was among those Council members who argued that nonprofits should contribute financially to the City. She pointed out that it's a two way street. Cities need support from nonprofits to provide and pay for the environment that makes them so appealing and functional.
At the same time, she was paying nothing towards utilities at her rent-free nonprofit location. Later that month, she voted for a budget that included $6,000 for heating oil at her nonprofit.
33 comments:
She meant to say that CATHOLIC non-profits should pay up.
The real estate tax exemption in Pennsylvania is based on an obsolete historical premise that"charitable' "private educational",and "religious" institutions were financially struggling. Such institutions now have vast wealth,control hundreds of millions of dollars, and employ thousands of employees despite their tax exempt status. Illinois as no tax exemption for charitable,religious,or private educational institutions. The only tax exemption is Northwestern University under Illinois Constitution .There is no shortage of such institutions in Illinois.
Peter
start the movement to re-write the law in PA where do I sign up with you?
Her intentions were good
The is a shortage of charitable institutions in Illinois and many are struggling mightily. Northwestern is flush.
Maybe Karen should ask Artsquest should pay its fair share. The Boyd goes bankrupt and owes back taxes while the Steel Stax theater is subsidized with public funds and not taxed. It's nice to have political pull.
She is also the one who said city workers should not get a raise and than asked for a raise for council members. When the Mayor wanted to take away the medical benifits from Council that would save the tax payers $70,000 she cried that they deserve it because of all the hours they put in. Dolan should be remove from Council as well. She doesn't serve the people she serves herself.
While she can't be removed, she certainly should resign. She's lost her way.
Artsquest does what the Boyd does not. It offers free entertainment nearly every day. It also does contribute to city services. It has had as much to do with the re-birth of the south side as the casino. But I'm all for treating the nonprofits equally.
She's also the person who wants all the architecture to look the same in Bethlehem because "that's what they do in Toronto."
Her intentions were good
and unethical......
She won't resign. But this should be in her face for the next three years.
Anon 10;33 Do you mean nondescript ,and not national foundations, OR- Red Cross, American Cancer Society or museums ,fine arts and hospitals? Please cite your differences with my statement. You are right ,NW is flush,take time to read the public statement of assets and notice 3B fund drive.This is ok in my mind not some tax shelter for private parties . GET IT?Old Peter.
Charitable institutions offering services to the needy, including church based hospitals; not museums. Obamacare will bring an end to charity hospitals in the US, just as social medicine did the same in Europe. The anti religious ilk of the Dolans of the world will consider this a mission accomplished. Help the needy; not the artsy fartsy, who prefer to take credit for government giving of others money.
Transfer tax's alone cost The City of Easton and Northampton County about $7,140.00 in a single transaction of a dilapidated filling station on college hill.How do the residents float the boat with the amount of tax free properties owned by one major land owner not to add that the housing authority that does not report to the venue it's occupied property renters?Who pulls the ores of an ever upstream facing heavy barge? Old Cranky Peter.
Anon 2;36 OH YA -No I don't. It would be characteristic that I help somebody with a problem each week that can't get off the ground under their own power. I don't shoot with amateurs unless they want to learn the skill and until now had 3 payroll occupations. Now, I do volunteer work in addition to giving Veteran services with my Legion Post.How about you? What did you do for anyone this week for the good of the order? OLD CRANKY PETER-
Wow Bernie, My detractor was not that bad , I LIKE feilding my battles like you. Anon 1;54 you are on the money, I have to say. The issue is this blog is NOT about any of us ,it is to foster thought and Bernie's Blog has changed they way our NC does business already! This media IS what communicates constituents. Not power point ,not 3 hours board meetings. AHAAAA!Hate it.Give to input and the input will give back to you later.
KD doesn't have the civility to step down-----and Willie doesn't have the balls to remove her from the committee.
You've carefully established Dolan's dishonesty, incompetence, and brazen flaunting of her conflicts of interest. The hot seat now belongs to Willie, who could have and should have removed her from the committee by now. He's arguably worse than she is. His inaction says, at best, that he has no problem with her disgraceful behavior; at worst, he condones it. This story is all about Willie, now. You're letting him skate betrays a personal vendetta on your part with this story. What gives?
B========D ~~~~
6:53, just got word that she's out. Good for Willie!
she's out of touch or out and off of the parks committee?
Both. I'll have a story at the witching hour.
6:53 here. Good for Willie and good on you for doing the work newspapers used to. I'll assume you were giving Willie some time to do the right thing. Again, excellent work with thorough research. It what makes your blog the best around.
Thanks. The story posts at midnight. The dailies do a better job than me, but i'll take compliments.
You're too modest. They failed to cover this story and purloined your work when you posted about it.
I'll steal from them.
You're a wee late and a lot presumptuous, Bernie. Dolan asked Reynolds to take her off of Parks almost two weeks ago. A journalist would check his facts by calling the city clerk's office.
Actually, I have the email, Karen. It is not sent to Willie, but to Spirk and to Dave DiGiacinto. It is a bunch of wild ramblings by an incoherent person, although you managed to retain your smug attitude.
After that email, Karen, you participated in a Council meeting and discussed something you wanted heard by your Parks committee. Had you resigned, as you now claim, you would not have discussed it at the meeting.
This is your problem.
Far too many lies.
The fact of the matter is that Reynolds has removed you. I have the memo.
Now you need o remove yourself from Council.
The beat goes on.
Remember. Karen is smarter and better off than the rest of us in Bethlehem. She live in a better neighborhood and has a fire suppression system in her house. This is a person that has lost touch with reality. Needs to resign and just go away!
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