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| Jay Finnigan |
The nine-person Board includes Joe Kelly (Bethlehem), Thomas Nolan (Bethlehem Tp), Gerald Yob (Freemansburg), Jay Finnigan (Hanover), Dave Heintzelman (Hellertown), Donna Louder (Lower Saucon), Tony Pristash (Northampton), John Dally (Pen Argyl) and James Pennington (Lower Nazareth). Karen Collis is the Executive Director. Heintzelman, Kelly and Louder were unable to attend the special meeting, and Pennington participated by phone. The six Board members present unanimously agreed with Tony Pristash's motion to divest itself of all remaining funds. They also agreed unanimously with a second motion, made by Tom Nolan, to disband after the funds are disbursed. Chairman Jay Finnigan has been authorized to sign any documents necessary for the termination of an authority that has existed for eight years.
Two weeks ago, Northampton County Council introduced an ordinance calling on the Gaming Board to disband. Jay Finnigan was opposed. "If you just took the remaining funds and split it between each municipality evenly, the distribution would be approximately $31,000," he said in an email to other municipal officials. "This would also allow the authority to pay all its professional obligations, and then dissolve once we fulfilled our legal requirements."
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| Lamont McClure |
Instead of an ugly law suit and hard feelings, everyone wins. McClure looks good. The Gaming Board looks good. And 37 Northampton County municipalities will soon be $31,440 richer. That grant should fund Chapman's needs for the next 100 years.
The money granted may only be used for human services, infrastructure improvements, facilities, emergency services, public health or public safety.
Some money has also been set aside for administrative expenses.
When he was a member of County Council, it is McClure who drafted the ordinance establishing the Gaming Board. But the underlying state law was recently changed to address a successful challenge by a group of casinos who persuaded the Supreme Court that the slots taxing scheme violated the uniformity clause contained in the state constitution.
The state law changes made the Gaming Board irrelevant.
Before the changes to the Gaming Act, 1.2% of the slots revenue from Sands Casino was allocated as follows: (1) 20% to Bethlehem; (2) 30% to the County; and (3) 50% to the County for municipal grants within the County, with priority given to the Bethlehem and the municipalities contiguous to Bethlehem. This is the money that was disbursed by the Gaming Board.
Under the changes to the Gaming Act, 20% still goes to Bethlehem and 30% still goes to the County. But that final 50% will be distributed differently. Bethlehem will get $250,000 per year over the next 20 years for an existing arts and education center that has professional artist space and studios. (Can you say Banana Factory?). The remaining money will be deposited with the Commonwealth Financing Authority to be used exclusively for economic development projects, community improvement projects and other projects that are in the public interest. The CFA must give priority to municipalities contiguous to Bethlehem.
Isn't it amazing that when there is money involved all these local municipal republicans become socialists. What a stupid idea. We will all split up the money equally. Is this a gangland heist? In your own piece you reference Chapman. The municipalities are different with different populations and land mass. How is this meaningful?
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that Comrade McClure of the Peoples Republic of Northampton will approve of this but he is a democrat. The republican township guys are a surprise. What a load of silliness. However, since you love Finnegan and now McClure all rational thought is gone and you probably think this silly action has merit.
Hey its only money, right folks.
Giving this money to municipalities that are usually ignored is refreshing to me and to the many people who live in them.
ReplyDeleteI have a better idea, why not give what's left of the money to municipalities that never got a cent. Therefore any favoritism from the gaming gang will be rectified for those without the political pull to get any money before.
ReplyDeleteThis is eminently fair as done.
ReplyDeleteHow much did they get stuck paying NMM for that decision? Sounds like lots of contracts to draft and legal work to be done.
ReplyDeleteEveryone wins, including the "adminstrators"...except Bethlehem.
I think they should have split it evenly between every municipality that are not contiguous, they should have not given any money to the 5 contiguous municipalities, but no, the board pays themselves all the way till the end... also NNM law firm shouldn’t be paid a cent more
ReplyDeleteIn 2016-2017, Easton received exactly $1,170,833 from Table Games local share. That is equivalent to the same amount Bethlehem received. The Grinch could be more generous to municipalities.
ReplyDelete1 person, 1 vote. Should have been a per capita distribution.
ReplyDeleteSome municipalities never applied, others did but received nothing. This is the best way to end the farce in a fair manner for all.
ReplyDelete$31K might be enough to cover staff lunches in Bethlehem Twp for the year? P-Card spending goes unchecked as the staff has a so what, who care's attitude.
ReplyDeleteHanover Twp is debt free and cash in the bank whilst Bethlehem Twp is swimming in debt (Community Center).
Commonwealth Financing Authority - can you say no more money for municipalities that have been impacted by the Casino. Just another money grap by the State to use for their special interests.
ReplyDeleteI am as critical of NMM as anyone, but the fees charged to the Gaming Board are very reasonable. $2,000 a quarter. I would still dump the firm, but since the Gaming Board is ending its existence, there is no point.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to BAN nana in Bethlehem. Belt YMCA in Pen Argyl is getting a pool and gymnasium thanks to the award of $250,000 annually for 20 years in casino revenue.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a brotherhood of thieves. Here is a great idea. Split up the money between all the municipalities that never received a cent from the overlords.
ReplyDeleteOr the county uses the money for its community development with an eye towards actual need rather than local largesse.
Of course the boys would not like that.
Someone must really love Penn Argyl. They previously received $400K for their YMCA,$500K for Lookout Fire Company, and $100K+ for police vehicles. Sure must be a lot of gaming impact in the northern tier. Meanwhile, Wilson who got a Fisk Field Camera for $20K.
ReplyDeleteYou look petty. Those grants are NOT gaming grants and the slate belt has been ignored for decades.
ReplyDeleteThese are CFA grants from Monroe County share. I just think there is some injustice when one municipality receives Millions and the neighboring town receives enough for an uber fare. Lets not overplay the hand on "gaming impact". Outside Bethlehem, Hellertown, and Fountain Hill, these are block grants
ReplyDeleteBangor is grateful for any help it gets to offset expenses. Beggars can't be choosers.
ReplyDeleteJay Finnigan is an over payed jerk I wish we could vote for our township supervisor because this guy is terrible he makes close to $140,000.00 a year according to township the Public township budget and this man gets a township issued explorer he can do whatever he wants with I wonder how much of that 31k is going to be budgeted into his salary?
ReplyDeleteI wish the jerk Finnigan ran my Township. You should have dug a little deeper into that on line financial information. Debt free municipality (paid of early), tax rate increase free for 10 years and stable operations. Now just look east BT has had 4 managers in the same 10 years, runs at a deficit and takes bonds to pay for roads. If Finnigan is a jerk, he's the jerk I'd want running my Township. Obviously as O'Hare suggest you need to educate yourself.
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