On Tuesday, Northampton County Council considered a series of budget amendments. They will vote on them tonight while considering Executive Lamont McClure's proposed spending plan for next year. Under the County's Home Rule Charter, a Council is unable to touch the Executive's revenue projections. This prevents a legislature from spending money that the county is unable to generate. But it can make cuts in some spending to fund other projects that are deemed more worthy. That's what happened yesterday. If the budget is adopted, NorCo employees with outstanding student debt will be the big winner, with over $400,000 set aside to help them. Other beneficiaries of Council largesse are Bath Borough, Godfrey Daniel and Touchstone Theatre. The big losers are Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, New England Hydropower and Historic Hotel Bethlehem. It was a bit ironic to see county Republicans clamor for student loan assistance while six GOP-led states are fighting against it in the US Supreme Court.
I already told you about the clawback of about $1.1 million from a 2018 loan agreement with New England Hydropower yesterday. The following additional budgetary changes were considered.
Reduction of $50,000 in hotel taxes set aside for the Iron Pigs, and reallocation of that sum to a student loan repayment program for county workers.
Council member John Cusick explained he offered this amendment for two reasons; (1) Coca Cola Park is located in Lehigh County; and (2) Allentown, the host municipality, refused to fund it. . Allentown chose not to fund at all. Council member John Goffredo called it "corporate welfare" and chastised the Phillies for holding its affiliates hostage by threatening to move unless improvements are made.
Council member Kevin Lott hates that MLB holds its affiliates like the Iron Pigs hostage, especially at a relatively new stadium. But he argued that losing the Iron Pigs would be devastating to helping market the area. Council member Tara Zrinksi argued that the Iron Pigs provide lots of jobs, even for residents of Norco. She added that Allentown actually did give Covid funds to the Iron Pigs, but that statement appears to be refuted by a news account.
This proposed budget amendment has been tentatively adopted by a 6-2 vote. Tara Zrinski and Kevin Lott are the two dissenters, while the amendment was supported by Cusick, Goffredo, Lori Vargo Heffner, Tom Giovanni, John Brown and Kerry Myers.
The final vote is tonight.
$62,500 from Future Grants to Greater LV Chamber of Commerce as a pass thru for Historic Hotel Bethlehem. They hotel had applied for $75,00 and got only $12,500
TZ gave HB lots of money. $185,000 over the years. Gave $12,500
All four Republican Council members consider this a great investment in the community. Democrats noted that Bethlehem already are already getting over $2 million in different grants.
This motion failed 4-4, along party lines.
Removal of $100,000 from pooled communications as it could be funded with state money for a county student loan repayment plan.
This would actually remove some funding for elections for a student loan repayment program. Cusick argued that there are state grants for elections, which should have been declared as revenue.
Zrinski actually agreed with Cusick. Agrees.
This motion passed 7-1. Lott was the sole No.
Remove $5,000 from Ironpigs and give $2500 to Godfrey Daniel and $2500 to Touchstone Theatre.
Vargo Heffner : "These two are small but they do a lot of good work. ... It wouldn't hurt to give the IP a haircut, so ... ."
Kevin Lott observed that we already gave Touchstone and Godfrey Daniel exactly what was requested.
This motion passed 6-2. Tara Zrinski and Kevin Lott are the two dissenters, while the amendment was supported by Cusick, Goffredo, Lori Vargo Heffner, Tom Giovanni, John Brown and Kerry Myers.
Remove $20,000 from Iron Pigs and give to Bath for a long-range parks plan. They really didn't have a plan.
This Tom Giovanni-sponsored amendment was offered because Bath has the money to match and an engineer who can prepare a long-range plan. John Brown, himself a former Mayor, said it is hard for a borough to raise even $1. "We can't do enough to support our smaller communities," he said.
This budget amendment passed 8-0. Ron Heckman, the ninth member of Council, was absent.
Remove $100,000 from Iron Pigs for future grants
This Cusick amendment was originally intended for a bridge study, but questions arose concerning the liquid fuel tax fund, a separate account
This motion passes 5-2 . Tara Zrinski and Kevin Lott are the two dissenters, while the amendment was supported by Cusick, Lori Vargo Heffner, Tom Giovanni, John Brown and Kerry Myers.
Goffredo was forced to leave before he could vote, and Ron Heckman was absent.
21 comments:
Please don't let the visiting baseball teams stay or dine in Northampton County anymore. Disband the hotel tax.
Oh....don't let the visiting or home baseball teams stay or dine in Allentown either. More restaurants will close.
So do Lott and Zirinski ever go off the script or do they always do what McClure tells them to do. They are obedient and McClure should give them a bonus.
Does Cusick stand to benefit by the loan forgiveness thievery? I'm betting he does. Why else would an R support welfare for such a tiny minority of citizens out of the pockets of his county's working poor? Seems downright mean.
"Does Cusick stand to benefit by the loan forgiveness thievery? I'm betting he does. Why else would an R support welfare for such a tiny minority of citizens out of the pockets of his county's working poor? Seems downright mean."
If anything is thievery, it's when MLB threatens to leave a brand new baseball stadium unless millions more are poured into it. I am sure Cusick benefits in no way, and is only responding to the staff shortages in human services and juvenile justice. He is doing what he can top help. This will also help ADAs and PDs.. Might attract LPNs and RNs.
If it is such a "tiny minority," don't complain it is impossible to administer. Also, instead of being petty bc this is not your idea, recognize the value of this proposal as something that could help to attract and retain employees.
Well said , Bernie!!!
The same goes for Council, too. Don't be petty and vote down a health center before you even bother to gather the details simply bc you are afraid it might make McClure look good. If you are truly motivated by the best interests of the county, you should seriously consider a service that could help keep employees here while reducing costs to the county. Thius attempt to kill it outright is just being petty.
Both Council and Exec need to be reminded that their job is not to savage each other but do what is right for the county.
I am a county employee that has paid off my student loans. Am I eligible for a reimbursement if I show the county the payments.
I am a single father working for the county can they help me with my mortgage. Since they want to pay other employees debt and bills. I could use some help. Maybe pay my mortgage for 6 months.
So the county is going to reward a sliver of current employees - and recruit others - who have a problem paying off their debt?
Mind you, these are the same people who decided to take on the debt in the first place, and then haven't been able to find jobs (in an extremely favorable labor market) that would provide sufficient funds to pay off the debts they chose to incur.
And then these same county employees are going to suddenly start making good decisions that benefit the taxpayers and put the county on a solid fiscal path going forward?
And it will all be done without causing morale problems among other employees who didn't rack up excessive student loan debt?
Yeah, that makes sense. What could go wrong?
"Don't be petty and vote down a health center before you even bother to gather the details..."
This is fair. Provide the details re: discussion with competing systems and I'm on board. I'm not opposed to this perk to address turnover and hiring. I'm opposed to the way the deal is being made. The burden is on the administration to be transparent. Maybe it's all good and the local guys failed to earn the business. But we ought to know this before proceeding this way.
Regarding the proposed $50k in hotel taxes being reallocated to a student loan repayment program, I believe there are very specific criteria for the hotel tax money awards. How is a student loan program promoting community development and/or enhancing tourism? If the county wishes to fund a student loan program I believe they need to find another source; the hotel tax program funds are restricted .
Governmental PIGS at the taxpayers trough
Pay your STUDENT LOAN YOURSELF. I didn't work and retire to pay your student loan with my savings and pension
Did you yell this loud back in 2020 when the Senate passed a 4.5 trillion dollar corporate bailout package but instead of creating jobs, most of the money flowed directly to wealthy shareholders?
Were you this loud back then?
Anon 2:21 said:
"I didn't work and retire to pay your student loan with my savings and pension."
Yes you did.
Vote Blue Forever!
Allentown does provide police/fire/EMS services when needed and maintains the local streets near the stadium. It does not receive any property taxes from the stadium.
Why was Goffredo forced to leave?
You'll have to ask him, but it was a lengthy meeting and he has young children.
Anon 4:52 said:
"Allentown does provide police/fire/EMS services when needed and maintains the local streets near the stadium. It does not receive any property taxes from the stadium."
True on the property taxes, but it does receive earned income tax revenue from those working at the stadium, a $52 EMS tax from each employee at the stadium, and probably a hefty business privilege tax payment on the gross income of the team as well. There are likely others I'm not thinking of, but the point is I don't think it's fair to focus only on property tax revenue.
Plus, as we are always told, the stadium brings people into the city who go to surrounding establishments before and after the games. I don't believe that's really true (at least on a large scale), as the Iron Pigs do a great job of getting people into the stadium and providing (at a hefty price) all the food and drink people want. But it's what we're always told when something is being built or someone wants government money.
All that said, it would be nice if the City Finance Department would provide the actual numbers (both income and expenses) on the stadium, arena, and other such publicly funded projects.
We're always sold the moon when the projects are proposed, but never seem to get the actual scorecard after they're built. In addition to the city, both counties should do the same analysis.
I think having actual information like that provided on a consistent basis would make the situation much clearer to all and make decisions like the NorCo Council faced last night much easier to make.
14 years is not new, it is outdated and lacks ADA .... That's why they can't have concerts there....they held 1 and it easy a fiasco that Willie Nelson and John Melloncamp called the stadium a rat hole, concert promoters black listed the place
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