ArtsQuest would like some of that dough. It will be making a presentation today before County Council's Economic Development Committee, and a few hours later, Council will be asked to approve a resolution to seek the grant on behalf of the biggest non-profit group in the Lehigh Valley, which hosts innumerable free events every year. This seems like a no-brainer.
Last year, Governor Josph Shapiro's DCED approved a $1 million grant for the "Gateway on Fourth," a 120-unit apartment complex that will actually provide affordable housing. But three members of NorCo Council would rather give tax breaks for luxury apartments.
Ahhhh bringing up my favorite topic again with your snarky comment. I'll bite!
ReplyDeletePoor Wilson!
Instead of restoring the long-neglected Dixie lot and putting it back to productive use, it's going to sit there and rot all over again. How long this time? Another 40 years of decay while the town misses out on tax revenue and economic activity?
This property was practically the textbook example of where a TIF should have been used—to turn a blighted, unproductive site into something that benefits the entire community. Instead, ideology and self-righteous grandstanding won out over common sense.
Congratulations. You didn't stop development—you just guaranteed another generation of neglect. That's not fiscal responsibility. It's a failure of leadership. But you did your dirty work and manipulated the mindset. You can keep bringing it up and I'll keep calling it shameful!
Voting No was the right move by any person who really cares about affordable housing, the best interests of the county or even those of Wilson Borough. This "developer" promised it would be built without the county assistance. He literally told you he did not need your help. Under the TIF law, that disqualifies him automatically. You can only give this break to a project that could not take place without it and he told you it could.
DeleteVoting against supporting Dixie was the wrong decision. Affordable housing shouldn't have been treated like it has been an auction, especially when that building had sat vacant and deteriorating for 40 years.
DeleteI voted in favor of the project, along with 86% of the voting body, and I don't believe it was a mistake. Every time you drive or ride your bike past that building and watch it continue to decay, remember what was lost. Wilson continues to miss out on additional tax revenue and the opportunity to put that property back into productive use.
If the TIF had been approved, the community could already be seeing the benefits instead of looking at another year of a building sitting empty. It's easy to feel self-righteous about opposing a project, but that doesn't change the reality of what has been left behind. Self-righteousness never looks good on anyone.
Kelly -
DeleteIf the property is neglected or blighted, why not ask Wilson why they aren’t citing the property daily for any violations of their property codes?
If the current owner can bring it up to code, fine. If they can’t, let them sell it and take the decrease in selling price as a penalty for their neglect and the new owner can bring it up to code. Or the borough can take the property if the owner does nothing and won’t pay the fines.
That’s the way the system works for the rest of us. There is no reason for county government to throw tax breaks at the property, as you’ll only be subsidizing either the buyer or the seller (or both). You’ll also be rewarding the buyer for their neglect, which should be the exact opposite message that any level of government should want to send.
As it is, until the borough lights a fire (figuratively) under whoever owns the property right now, there is no urgency to do anything but wait for low-IQ politicians to throw money at it. That needs to change.
We lost $2 million for affordable housing now. Great job for all who cried affordable housing and then got ZERO for it. See how that worked out for you??
Delete'Affordable housing'. See how that is working out in neighboring cities
DeletePlease go away you nut!
DeleteActually, I appreciate it when anyone offers contrary arguments. But you're wrong Kelly. The "developer" has a Facebook page, 1921 at Dixie, and has written that construction is expected to start later this year. What this means is he never needed the county's help in converting the Dixie into over 400 luxury units that most people in the Lehigh Valley or Wilson Boro could ever afford. Yes the county could have received $2 million, but it was giving up $6 million in property taxes.
DeleteBernie, I just looked through all of your posts about Dixie, and it's amazing how many different numbers you've thrown out there—$29 million, $4.25 million, $6 million, and now a completely different number today. The fact is, you don't know what Wilson was going to receive, and neither did anyone else. Yet you keep presenting speculation as if it's fact.
DeleteThe point remains that this property was a textbook example of what the TIF was created for. It was a blighted property, and the TIF was designed to encourage redevelopment of exactly these kinds of sites.
I'm not going to keep beating this horse today. But if you decide to bring it up again to criticize me or my vote, I'll continue explaining the many reasons I voted in favor of it.
And let's keep the facts straight: I wasn't in the minority. I was one of the 86% of the elected officials who voted to approve it.
86%!!!
Only 5 of the 28 officials voted against it, and you happen to agree with them. And please don't explain the three entities of government again trying to deflect my point. EVERYONE understands how it works.
1) You were in the minority on NorCo Council. 2) you did not need to look thru my posts. You only needed to look at the TIF ordinance. 3) Exhibit G shows that the county was giving up 5.675 million, and that assumes a tax rate that never increases.and yes, 4) the total giveaway from the TIF is $26.4 million. Read the ordinance sometime. 5) these figures do not include tax credits and outright grants.
DeleteThe brain can only absorb as much as the ass can endure. Kelly is washed up and over used. Time to go.
DeleteBernie, stop arguing with a dumbass. It’s time she goes. Morons have no place in government. You can’t even name anything positive she’s done other than tampons in county bathrooms. lol. And since when does she can about the majority. Hey Koo Koo, 80% of Americans want vote ID. Do you support that? Pack up and go away. You’re just a pain in the ass.
DeleteKelly hates Jews and was never going to let Nat Hyman near the project. She'd rather waste millions on a scammer than let a Jew do anything under her hateful, antisemitic watch. She likely thinks Nat's family would be better off without him. It's time for people to speak out against this. First, Kelly came for the Jews ...
DeleteSpeaking of Dixie , have you noticed that nothing has been done there in months ? It’s a scam!
ReplyDeleteEverybody wants tax money and the liberal politicians give it to them
ReplyDeleteCrazy idea: shove the carboard checks up your ass and give the money back to taxpayers from whom it was stolen.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I for one am tired of going to work every day just to have my taxed income go towards such events, main streets and other bullshit programs and projects. Thinking I should ask Crooksy for a small personal loan!
Delete“This seems like a no-brainer.”
ReplyDeleteI suppose you’re right.
It makes perfect sense for state taxpayers to help subsidize the overpriced drunk-fest that happens annually, so that ArtsQuest officers can continue to rake in huge salaries while actually closing down Bethlehem’s Main Street each year.
I’m certain that’s what the grant was designed for, and there isn’t a single town in Northampton County that needs this grant more to actually turn around their dying “Main Street”.
Per their 2024 990, Kassie Hilgert's compensation was $348,025 plus an additional $39,871 in other compensation. Our tax dollars are subsidizing that salary.
DeleteWhat do you have against rich people? Or, those that play pretend? Are you eating? Then shut up and take it.
Delete“But three members of NorCo Council would rather give tax breaks for luxury apartments.”
ReplyDeleteThose bastards!
THIS money had better go to Bethlehem’s luxury Main Street, so that it can subsidize those poor visiting peasants that can barely afford to spend $11/each on their multiple craft beers!
That Shapiro, he’s a real man of the people! This grant will prove that this year, he gets it.
If you can’t afford it, you can’t afford it. Shut the fuck up.
DeleteThey had a deal to get 2 million dollars from the developer for affordable housing. Now the County will get nothing.
ReplyDeleteWould the 2 million been enough to build 40 afforable apts that would have been required otherwise?
Delete"You'll get nothing, and like it." From Caddyshack. The developer said the project would proceed anyway. So what's happening?
DeleteAnd you will never know the difference. Shut up screwball
DeleteDixie could have been a shining beacon of prosperity and hope. Now thanks to Bernie and Hyman it’s an impromptu homeless shelter.
ReplyDeleteBethlehem has become a land of endless studies and reports. I am not implying that all these studies are worthless but too often they are not answers in themselves.. Creating places that matter are more often the result of assembling complex webs of people, actually needed useful functions, and eclectic interests along with ample available mixed resources that support longer term sustainability . Places that matter rarely are developed just by attractive consultant developed presentations focussed on obtaining public sector support and grants. The Allentown NIZ district however much new construction it helped develop is an example of an idea that needs so much more than sterile looking buildings and many uses that are not financially sustainable in their own right before many people in our region conclude that the place really matters.
ReplyDeleteUhh what
DeleteHey Bernie. Why don’t you publish the salaries of the big shots who run Musikfest.
ReplyDeleteTheir salaries are outrageous!
DeleteEnough handouts for ArtsQuest and their bloated salaried mgt team
ReplyDeleteIt’s not so much about the large ArtsQuest salaries, but my complaint is the highly exaggerated Musikfest attendance numbers. Those are not only ridiculous but totally impossible given the amount square footage on the ground area underneath available for persons to occupy. Such exaggerations make it difficult for other attractions to attract their own corporate donations.
DeleteBesides, the crowd is majority of local people who would have spent those same dollars per visit at one of our existing, taxpaying local business for food, drink, entertainment, etc.
Artsquest events survive on the backs of the volunteers. Some volunteers are seniors who do this not only for Musikfest but throughout the year. (Levitt Pavilion, Musikfest Cafe etc). Apparently this is supposed to be some type of elite status and I guess it is if one believes it is. There is a point, however, when some realize it is what it is and either cling to it or step
Deleteaway.
Haven't been to Musikfest in years- its totally changed!
DeleteKeegan, as usual, is way off target. She attacks you and Hyman for the Stupid idea of giving a tax bailout for luxury appartements. Instead, she should have listened to Hyman who is the only one who has a history of developing affordable housing for the LV. He was willing to buy the dixie at its true value and develop it WITHOUT a government handout. Instead of yapping like you boyfriend Warren, you should listen to people who know what they are talking about.
ReplyDeleteP.S., people still want to hear the debate Warren wanted to have with Hyman, now that would be entertainment.
This is entertaining reading about the debate between Keegan and Bernie. Its like a school teacher talking to a kindergardener
DeleteI agree- Bernie lives rent free in her head. She's nuts!
DeleteHynan would wipe the floor with goofy Warren. Warren's brain would fit in Hyman's little toe.
DeleteThey don’t like Shapiro because of his name. They don’t like Hyman for the same reason. It’s clear enough to notice that politics has less to do with how most of these degenerates think than their actual gripe: They do not like Jewish people. Bernie, don’t make excuses for them. Let them say it.
DeletePlayful banter at its finest.
DeleteArtsquest is not a Main Street entity.
ReplyDeleteThey take public money as a “non profit” for the arts & then turn around and use the money to build event space for weddings & social events taking business away from competing private businesses in Bethlehem & Lehigh Valley.
.Banana Factory rebuild the latest bait & switch act with what were to be classrooms All of a sudden quietly booking 200 person weddings & events.
This is not a non profit & does not deserve taxpayer funded grants. Steelstacks is the first example but that was justified as saving Steel infrastructure. Banana Faxtory is a step too far vs a “ hangout for starving artists” to work as billed.
Agreed. The new Artsquest building is huge. There is no way that is going to be used for 'arts'. There seems to be a deck that just happens to have a view of the Steelstacks and Artsquest campus
DeleteIt appears they cut a deal with the new hotel which was not planning large event space in their building so likeky some kind of commission arrangement for taxpayer funded space across the street.
ReplyDeleteSpotlight Pa should investigate the arrangement if any. Even if no such arrangement, private event space is not in short supply requiring public financing. This is Artsquest getting greedy & taking a step too far beyond their mission so they can pay already and nflated higher salaries to their leadership team.