Local Government TV

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Tax Break Will Line Pockets of Dixie Developer, Consultant and Architect With a Cool $15 Million

Last week, I published Allentown developer Nat Hyman's warnings to Northampton County Council at their June 6 meeting concerning a $29 million tax break known as a TIF proposed for the long vacant Dixie Cup factory in Wilson Borough. "Put simply, folks, you are being scammed," he cautioned. His remarks drew 65 comments from my readers, many of whom agreed with him. But he was also subjected to several attacks, which began almost immediately after he left the building. Many of them come from people who have a major financial interest in this project, thanks to taxpayer largesse. Developer Bill Bartee has put himself down for a $4 million "developer's fee." Consultant Claudia Robinson, who specializes in getting tax credits and public subsidies, is slated to pull down even more, $4.25 million. And Bartee's "exclusive" architect, CHASM, will collect a $6.75 million fee.  So, $15 million of the $29 million in increased assessment will be lining the pockets of a developer, a consultant who specializes in public cash grabs and an inflated architectural fee. The Borough, County and School District will just have to wait 20 years. 

Where did I get this outlandish information? Did I just make it up? Unfortunately, no. It is part of the TIF application attached to the Ordinance introduced on May 6. (Page 5).

The Hyman criticism began with Stan Margle, Solicitor to Wilson Boro. His borough has not formally acted on the TIF request. "I would preliminarily support it," he told Council, seeming to forget that his role is to provide legal advice, not opine on public policy. "This is a real developer," he added, although Skyline has never developed anything other than the Louix, a building that does not even exist. 

"I can tell you Nat Hyman is wrong," proclaimed Margle. "The developer is not getting $29 million out of that [TIF] if you pass it." Margle was unable, however, to tell Council member John Goffredo how much the tax benefit actually is. 

Despite Margle's claim, Hyman happens to be correct. He told County Council that they would be awarding a $29 million tax break, and that's precisely what it is. He did not guess at this figure. It is on page 9 of the TIF application    

Margle also claimed that Hyman was wrong when he asserted that Wilson Borough has been far too lax at enforcing code violations. He told Council member Ron Heckman that Wilson has cited Dixie 10 times for code violations and has fined the maximum $300 each time. I checked. It's true that Dixie was cited 10 times in 2018 and 2019, but not since then. Of these 10 citations, Dixie was fined only three times. They were $100 fines for snow and ice removal (once) and broken windows (twice). If Wilson was really interested in code enforcement, it could cite Dixie for every broken window, and on a daily basis. That would encourage a sale. Instead, it has allowed the property to languish for the past 40 years. 

Margle added that Hyman's $7 million offer to buy the property was rejected "because the product he proposed was substandard." Margle later conceded that Hyman "does good things, but it would not be appropriate for this building in this place." This was all news to Hyman, who told me he had prepared no plans for the property.

Rather than stick around through all the speeches about abortion and a SEIU union contract, Hyman left when he had finished his speech. Council member Jeff Warren waited until then to attack him. "Is Mr. Hyman still here?" asked the increasingly sanctimonious Warren. "I'd like to ask him a question. He came in here pretty bombastic about his project seeming as though he somehow wanted to destroy this project." He later added, "I was going to ask him about labor, but he's gone." 

That explains why Warren and Executive Lamont McClure are so gung ho over an out-of-state developer with zero experience. You see, this project is expected to create about 150 temporary construction jobs. Warren and McClure are so intent on seeing them go to their campaign contributors in the trade unions that they are willing to hand out $29 million of your hard-earned money to someone they do not know for apartments that most of us could never afford. This is no way to govern. 

Another black mark against Hyman, at least to Warren, is that he is from Allentown and not a Northampton County resident. Well, that's a helluva' lot better than a developer who uses a virtual address in NYC as his office. 

Hyman was slammed by Warren for leaving after he made his points, but developer Bill Bartee was completely MIA. Consultant Claudia Robinson, a specialist in corporate welfare, was physically absent and participated via a phone held up to the mike by the "Project Manager." Instead of outlining the advantages of this project, she of course attacked Hyman for a "very unfair" speech. She never stated how Hyman was wrong, but then launched this ad hominem. "Mr. Hyman has his own skeletons and it's really not appropriate for me to start discussing them now ..." Really? Then why mention that there are skeletons?    

Council President Lori Vargo-Heffner eventually stepped in and admonished Robinson. "With all due respect to Mr. Hyman, he came, he left a note, he's not the point of reference here. We are. So it's our turn to ask questions and get the answers. He had an opinion, but that's not what we're basing our questions on." Robinson then apologized.

Council member John Goffredo also defended Hyman. He pointed out that they were conducting a public hearing.  Hyman, unlike Robinson, was actually there, even if he did leave.  

Goffredo asked Robinson of the TIF was really needed. "Without this TIF, this project will not happen," she declared for the first time. Up until now, she had been saying it would be harder to attract private equity investors. Now it's impossible. 

Hyman was also defended by former Council President Ron Angle, who had come to the meeting to say good-bye to outgoing clerk Linda Zembo. "I don't know Nat Hyman, but I do know his reputation is very good," said His Eminence. "Whatever he builds is done right ... . Do you know who Skyline is? One guy. He'll give you all kinds of locations around the country ... That guy should be here. Nat Hyman did come here. He left, maybe he had another appointment, but he did come. ... "

Several people ridiculed the $1 million bribe for affordable housing as a drop in the bucket. Chuck Weiss, the Associate Exec Director of Housing for CACLV, noted that $1 million gets you maybe four apartments. "It would be nice to see a little more money coming out of this for affordable housing." Alyssa Baratta, Exec Director of Third Street Alliance, said that 2,203 LV households are homeless "A million dollars means nothing to housing these people." Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen, a Wilson Borough activist, looked at the gap between the $1,800 in rent to be charged for a 1 BR apartment and the fair market rent of $1,137. He concluded that a much fairer contribution to affordable housing would be $6.3 million. 

The final speaker was Wilson Borough Mayor Donald R. Barrett Jr. Unfortunately, he wasted a lot of his five minutes by needlessly criticizing Wilson Borough activist Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen. "It just needs to get done." he said.  

Warren, who never is at a loss for words, made this final pitch. "Sometimes, you take what you can get."

That's a ridiculous excuse for throwing away $29 million in taxpayer money. 

34 comments:

  1. Warren was and is an ass. "Bombastic" some would say is a good word to describe Warren and his self-important speeches. Ron and Lamont talk too much but at least they have some experience and something to say, Warren just loves his own voice and knows nothing. I hope he is no longer drinking and driving. His temper is still an issue.
    He wants to 'Interrogate' Mr. Hyman???
    Warren is so far up McClure's ass, he thinks he is an attorney! lol

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  2. Thanks for covering this, Bernie. As usual, the local press is letting us down.

    This deal sounds awful. A cash grab of public funds by corporate pirates. And Wilson should have imposed more fines on the property owner for not maintaining the site over the years.

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  3. Good project. Great for Wilson. $400,000 in taxes in the first year.

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    1. Only 72.5 years to break even!

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  4. Excellent reporting.This project is about rewarding the trade unions for campaign contributions with taxpayer money mostly from WASD.

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  5. Why are you lying about Warren and the Trade Unions ? There’s no agreement of any kind between the developer and any union.

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  6. You endorsed McClure each time. He's clearly dishonest and corrupt. But you endorsed him and would again. So, how about you pipe down with your phony indignation. You enabled this shit. You endorsed him and would again.

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  7. This entire episode reminds me of what all citizens are suffering through with our dysfunctional, often corrupt, federal government in Washington. I know this sentence will be characterized as off-topic. But, is it? All that is different is the cast of characters.

    Trillions of our current and future tax dollars are being squandered every day by people planning to get a piece of the pie. Most succeed, unfortunately. Money laundering is STILL money laundering no matter what size machine is used. You and I are taken to the cleaners, and we’re not supposed to know it.

    Thank you for yet another fine example of what journalism in America USED TO BE, Bernie. That is, to serve as guardrails in the public’s interest.

    Democrat OR Republican is irrelevant these days. We need only to see RIGHT or WRONG.

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  8. Great article BO! This is absolutely unbelievable!! I am willing to give McClure, Don Barrett and the Wilson School Board the benefit of the doubt that they were simply asleep at the switch and didn't know any of this. But if they now move forward with the TIF, then that is pure malfeasance!

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  9. This TIF is such a bad idea that if council doesn't listen to the experts, it could cost them at election time. NO TIF FOR 20 YEARS and the million for the affordable housing is way too low and no where near enough.

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  10. Let’s all remember that the KOZ only recently expired. Which means the current owner is more motivated to sell than he has been over the last 10 years (where he was required not to pay taxes). In this new era of carrying costs for him, if he doesn’t pay, Wilson will have additional leverage to help move this property out of his hands.

    That said, where has the blight process been with this property over the last 10 years? Why hasn’t the role of conservatorship been explored?

    At best, Lamont is pushing this deal through because of a sad and defeatist “something is better than nothing” mentality. But what really seems to be happening here is that Lamont is fixated on the million dollars than he can sprinkle around the County in the near term to gather support and good will for next campaign.

    So I guess I’m with Hyman. The taxing bodies are giving too much away here (to a sketchy prospect no less). And not getting enough in return. And Lamont continues to show his true colors as a bully.

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    1. Third paragragh - bingo! I’d assume a minimal tax decrease is coming this year or in works next year right before the election. Read between the lines, you know what is going on. Laughable and egotistical for those to work in that fashion.

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  11. Hyman = 1
    O'Hare = 1
    McClure = 0
    Warren = Idiot

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  12. WOW!!!! They get $29 Million of OUR money and they keep $15 million???? Sounds like a great deal!!

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  13. I knew Nat was right. Hyman for Mayor 2025

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  14. Great work Bernie. This deal is dead.

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  15. Mr. Hyman called it. This is a scam with a capital S. This may be the biggest screw up in Northampton history. This was a horrible deal for the tax payers before you uncovered this $15m going straight into their pockets but now it is insane. How could any self-respecting politician vote for this?

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  16. Great reporting! Many on here claim you’re a shill for Lamont. In my view you have been very critical of him lately. Perhaps you’re having a change of heart on his leadership? I know I have. The problem is the Republicans can’t seem to get their shit together and put up a decent candidate to run against him.

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  17. "You endorsed McClure each time. He's clearly dishonest and corrupt. But you endorsed him and would again. So, how about you pipe down with your phony indignation. You enabled this shit. You endorsed him and would again."

    I endorsed Lamont over a guy who refused to speak to the press, illegally cut benefits to employees, lied about moving the jail to Gracedale, hired an Administrator with no experience and an HR Director who wanted to foist time clocks on everyone. Then I endorsed Lamont over a chucklehead who wants to fight everybody who disagrees with him, sees conspiracies in everything, thinks Damar Hamlin was cloned, etc. There have been no alternatives. But if there were, I would still support him. I believe Lamont has been basically a very good exec but I will have my differences with him as I do with everyone. If I had to agree 100% with someone, I'd vote for no one. I basically support most of what he wants done. I support a health center for employees. I support his initiative to build a new garage and building. I supported the forensic center. I agreed with denying a tax incentive for warehouses. I support the LERTA for Easton bc it provides jobs and affordable housing. I supported the approach he took during COVID and believe he may very well have saved lives. He is the most transparent exec I have ever seen. And his support of the trade unions is very genuine. He's always been that way and it's far from corrupt and is actually to some extent laudable. But when I think he's wrong I say so. I believe he needs to make a stronger effort to get along with council (and they with him). I believe he needs to look out for the county workers as well as he looks out for trade unions. His love for the trade unions and desire to get something done at the Dixie Cup has blinded him to the serious shortcomings of this project and developer. (And while Nat might have financial reasons for opposing this, I don't). I completely oppose any attempt to explore passenger rail for commuters. His policies are accelerating the transformation of this area into a BR community for NYC and NJ, and I think we need to resist that. Overall, I like McClure and will support him if he runs again.

    McClure works his ass off. He expects a lot from the county worker bc it is public service. But he expects a lot from himself. I just wish he'd pay more.

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  18. 9:51, See my comment above. I support Lamont but will tell him when I think he is wrong. I am a shill for no one. Not Lamont, not Lori Vargo-Heffner, not anyone.

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    1. I like your reporting. I don’t always agree with you, but I never believed you were a shill for Lamont. I was merely pointing out what others on here have posted. Like my post said, if republicans could get their shit together and put up a good candidate, Lamont is beatable. They won’t though lol, they’ll run Brown again or some recycled has been.

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  19. "Why are you lying about Warren and the Trade Unions ? There’s no agreement of any kind between the developer and any union."

    There is some thinking that the developer will use union labor bc it has insisted it will be paying prevailing wage. I believe nothing the developer says unless it is in writing. I believe Warren thinks that the benefit of a TIF requires union labor, but he is probably mistaken.

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  20. 20 million is being stolen here. McClure is responsible. End of story.

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  21. Aren't all construction jobs temporary?

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  22. 11:23, Yes, and that is what I hate when a developer begins puffing about the number of jobs he is creating. They are temporary and go away when the project is complete.

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  23. This Dixie proposal is NOT ready for anyone’s approval. Is there some kind of pressing deadline that must be met?

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  24. Why don't the 3 taxing authorities agree to approve it if the $15 million in self dealing fees are contractually removed from the budget? Watch how fast those rats run away from this deal.

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  25. Bernie you are 100% right about Margle. It is totally inappropriate for him to give his opinion. Who is he to say he will support something? He was probably high,again.

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  26. So in summary Bernie, Mr. Hyman was 100% accurate in everything he said and Margle, Warren and McClure were entirely wrong .

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  27. McClure works his ass off. That ass doesn't show it. He does go on every publicity shoot he can. He rules, not governs, Rules by deception and creating division. He has fostered the disruption on council. he is not interested in county councils' participation; he wants his votes and sets loose his dogs on any he sees in his way. You can have him and his phony election year tax cut.

    So, you keep loving him. He is as transparent as a brick. You get what he wants you to get. Why not ask Barron to leak you all the information on who specifically is promised money for housing.

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  28. Brown is not going to run for executive. Why do you people constantly lie? Is it to get more campaign funds.

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  29. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/02/05/the-rural-ski-slope-caught-up-in-an-international-scam

    Interesting article about how some people are using EB-5 visas to get rich. The federal EB-5 visa program allows citizens of other countries to obtain legal U.S. residency if they invest in a project in a distressed area. The article describes how there is very little oversight of these projects by the investors or government agencies. The persons brokering the visas can get rich with millions of dollars in fees, even if the project goes belly-up. This program is particularly used by developers who cannot obtain financing from banks and other conventional sources, who would require that the developer show a successful track record and a competent in-house staff.

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  30. For the past week everyone that is involved had the chance to hear and question the.
    developer.
    When this whole thing started the developer apparently did not ask for any tax breaks, but now the project can't move forward without one.
    The LERTA is in place for that property(NOT THE DEVELOPER) USE IT AND MOVE FORWARD

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