So What's Going On With the Chrin TIF?

A little over a year ago, a "TIF" was approved for a massive , 689-acre industrial park in Palmer Township owned by Charles Chrin. That's a special tax tool under which the owner will continue paying the same real estate taxes on the property for ten years. Municipalities lose nothing. But during this time, the owner can use the increases in the tax base, which results from construction, to finance additional improvements. In this case, Chrin is using the TIF savings to finance the costs of an Interchange at Route 33 in Tatamy.

So what's going on?

While Chrin continues work on the Interchange and excavation at the site, between 70-75% of the tract is now under agreement to several developers, I'm told.

It has been estimated that this development will bring 5,000 jobs to Northampton County. That's why Easton Mayor Sal Panto spoke in favor of the project. "[T]he first thing we need are jobs. Everywhere I go, people are asking me for work, and I feel really badly about them. A lot of people we put out of our jails are coming back in because they can't find work."

The sole Council member to vote against it was John Cusick.

Rte 33 Interchange TIF To Bring 5,000 Jobs

Chrin attorney Scott Allinson updated Northampton County Council's Economic Development Committee last night on the progress of what is known as the Chrin TIF, a sprawling, 689-acre tract of land in northern Palmer Township, touching on 7 different municipalities. He was accompanied by Dave Colver, who chairs Palmer's Board of Supervisors.

Allinson made three points. First, there's already an agreement to sell the northwest quadrant, consisting of about 286 acres, to a national developer. Second, a study by the Dietrick group had projected about 3,500 jobs at the site, but that has now been upgraded to over 5,000 jobs. Third, Chrin will pay for a Rte 33 Interchange with bond proceeds. He assumes the risk of failure.

Without Chrin's personal investment, there would be no Interchange at all. According to Allison, the exit was not included in PennDOT's 12-year plan. Then State Senator Rob Wonderling helped Allinson break the logjam.

Dave Colver outlined the zoning overlay changes planned for the area, which I discussed last week. Those will be voted on by Supervisors on Tuesday, and will permit a 1-million square-foot big box, but only one.

According to Colver, it will be a diamond-shaped Interchange. A $33.5 million bond sale is scheduled to settle on August 15. After that, construction should start by October, with a tentative completion date of Christmas 2013.

91 acres, located near Nazareth Middle School, will remain zoned agricultural and serve as a buffer between the school and the industrial development.

Like Allinson, Colver stressed that Chrin bears the risk of failure. Palmer has already created a Neighborhood Improvement District (NID), not to be confused with a NIZ, to assess Chrin if the increased valuation in real estate is insufficient to pay the bond debt. If Chrin were for some reason unable to pay, the ultimate risk of loss would be borne by bond purchasers.

The Difference Between Chrin's TIF and the NIZ

As promised, Palmer Township's Dave Colver has sent me a plan of the zoning overlays for the massive Chrin TIF in the northern section of the Township, near Tatamy.

The 13 acres in red is the retail. The red areas on all 4 corners of the interchange are zoned that way.

The green areas provide for buildings up to 400,000 sq. ft  The pink areas allow for buildings only half that size up to 200,000. And they can fit on the proposed lots. Maximum building coverage on a lot in those areas is 40%.

The purple area, which I believe is about 275 acres, does permit a 1 million square-foot building. But because of the maximum building coverage restriction, that will be possible only on one lot.

Basically, the zones drop to 400,000 as you get close to the interchange. On the south and east sides of the interchange, they are only 200,000 sq. ft.

This development, six times the size of Allentown's NIZ, is expected to create 3,500 jobs. It will do so without diverting state taxes intended to buy medical insurance for children. It will do so without grabbing tobacco or sales taxes. It will do so without misappropriating the EIT of other municipalities. It will do so without poaching businesses from other areas in the Lehigh Valley. Developer Charles Chrin is willing to contribute up to $2 million to enable the County to preserve an acre of farmland for every one used for this development. Finally, thanks to the creation of a Neighborhood Improvement District, Charles Chrin will assume the risk of failure, and not the state.

Chrin TIF Passes Northampton County Council

Northampton County Council Prez John Cusick, who lives in Williams Township where the Chrin Lanffill is located, voted No. Ann McHale, who has a business relationship with Chrn, abstained. Tom Dietrich apparently got lost on his way to the Courthouse. But the remaining six Council members last night voted to approve a TIF, which will allow for the construction of an Interchange in Tatamy, as well as a massive 689-acre industrial park in Palmer Township. And right after the meeting, Executive John Stoffa signed an agreement with Chrin, under which the County will reap $2 million for farmland preservation.

Once again, Palmer's Dale Colver spoke in support of the TIF. "We are controlling the zoning," he affirmed, noting there will be "no big boxes." He added that this is a regional project affecting 7 municipalities. Once again, former State Rep. Rich Grucela added his support. "I've never seen a better deal. than you're getting here." he argued.

A new face joined the litany of TIF supporters - Easton Mayor Sal Panto. Although he has worked for Chrin and admitted they contribute to his campaign, he told Council he was not standing before them for his sake.

"I'm here for the residents of my City. The City needs jobs. I need  jobs for my residents and you need jobs for the County as a whole. Every day I get requests for jobs.

"We need to save our lands. I applaud what the County has done. I applaud what has been done with the $2 million that is going to be contributed. I think that's all great. But the first thing we need are jobs. Everywhere I go, people are asking me for work, and I feel really badly about them. A lot of people we put out of our jails are coming back in because they can't find work."

Cusick was upset that the agreement was finished only moments before the meeting, but it had already been signed by Chrin. He was going to offer an amendment that would increase tipping fees at the landfill, but withdrew it.

Chrin Landfill Expansion Dispute Goes to Commonwealth Court

Late last month, Judge Emil Giordano dismissed two lawsuits aimed at stopping the Chrin landfill expansion in Williams Township. Yesterday, Bethlehem Attorney Don Miles, who represents the Committee to Save Williams Township, appealed that ruling to Commonwealth Court. Miles insists that public notice of the expansion was inadequate, and that the agreement to rezone was illegal.

Geeting Gets Vulgar Over Chrin TIF

"I've never seen anybody else jump on a developer or politician's dick with this much gusto for a dumber project." - Jonathan Geeting

When someone with an inferior mind starts losing an argument, this is inevitably what happens. Vulgarities and personal attacks. Geeting claims to be a "public policy," economics and even a linguistics expert, but resorts to the ad hominem when his arguments fail.

Lately, he's holding himself out as an expert on Charlie Chrin's proposed TIF for the Route 33 Interchange in Tatamy. This is without having attended a single meeting concerning the project. All his knowledge must come by osmosis.

Well, I'm by no means a Charlie Chrin fan. I've attended most of the meetings concerning this project. I started off opposed. Like most of us, I'm not too crazy about wealthy people who try to get richer. I was and remain concerned about all that farmland being gobbled up and the traffic impact on tiny Tatamy. But I've been swayed. I've posted a series of blogs explaining why, but let me summarize my points here.

1) It will bring 3500 jobs. This is according to a study financed by the person taking the risk of failure, not some goofy link to some vague, nonspecific study promoting inner city development.

2) I have personal knowledge, from discussions with economic develpoment people, that businesses are already in line to into the site.

3) There will be spin off jobs in the area surrounding the site.

4) There will be tough zoning control from Palmer To, which has pledged "no big boxes. Not gonna' happen."

5) This will bring tax relief to Easton schools, Palmer Tp and Northampton County, brought about by development and expansion of tax base.

6) There is no contribution of any public money for this project, not even the interchange.

7) There is no risk by any public entity. All risk will be assumed by Chrin. If he wins, we win because we get more tax revenue down the road. If he fails, we still get what we've been getting all along.

and, finally, the icing on the cake.

8) Chrin has pledged $2 million, which Stoffa will leverage for the preservation of 650 acrse of farmland.

Angle, Chrin Swing $2 Million Deal for Farmland Preservation

The best person to send in against a bastard is always another bastard. That's what Northampton County Council decided to do two weeks ago when they went into executive session. They unanimously agreed to send their own bastard, the Northampton County bulldog, to go up against another miserable bastard, landfill magnate Charles Chrin.

Palmer Township has already voted unanimously to support a TIF for a Route 33 Interchange that Chrin wants to build next to tiny Tatamy. On Easton's school board, there was only one dissenting vote. But a TIF, which allows a developer to use the increase in real estate taxes to fund more infrastructure, also requires the County's assent.

That seems likely. The vote is scheduled for two weeks from tonight. It's hard to argue against the 3,500 jobs predicted in a study performed by the Dietrick group. Some will try, but they simply don't know what they're talking about. In addition to the study, I've talked to several people in economic development who tell me that several major businesses will definitely move in once the interchange is complete.

The downside is that, in the wink of an eye, 689 acres of pristine farmland will vanish.

All this land, and much more, was once owned by Howard Seiple, certainly the wealthiest man in Northampton County. Despite his money, he was always most at home in his dungarees, sitting atop a tractor. When he passed away, about half of Seiple's vast land holdings in four different municipalities went to the Pektors, Selvaggios and Toll Brothers of this world. They erected McMansion after McMansion, which imposes a burden both on school districts and the municipality.

No homes have been built on Chrin's 689 acres. Much of the land is still being farmed. If Charlie has a weakness, it is for farms. Bigshots like Lou Pektor liked to prance around in black silk shirts and go to WaWa in his helicopter. But people who know Chrin tell me his idea of a good time is to hop onto a souped-up tractor to plant or harvest a crop.

Like Archibald Johnston, Bethlehem's first Mayor, Chrin is a farmer at heart.. 

Developing that land with an industrial park is a Godsend to the local economy. In addition to the jobs created there and the spin-off jobs in the surrounding area, the higher tax base will ease the tax burden on schools and municipalities. Best of all, a TIF creates no risk to the municipalities involved. If the business project fails, Chrin will be on the hook, along with the businesses in the park.

Still, it is 689 acres of pristine farmland. We spend money to preserve farms, and then gobble greenfields if we think we can make a buck.

Today, Ron Angle and Executive John Stoffa sat down with Chrin. He may have Palmer Township and the school board, but he does not have Northampton County. Not yet.

What could Chrin do to make this pill easier to swallow?

Angle and Stoffa wrangled a deal that never crossed the minds of elected officials in Palmer Township or the school board. Chrin has agreed in principle to set aside 1.5 per cent of the gross sales price of each lot as sold, and create a $2 million fund for farmland preservation in Northampton County. This is still subject to final written approval.

According to Stoffa, that money will be enough to preserve most of the farmland lost. "Chrin Company's contribution of $2 million, if forwarded to the Commonwealth and reimbursed as we have in the past, would end up giving us $3.2 million. $3.2 million at present day prices would enable us the preserve 650 acres of farmland. The TIF is approximately 690 acres, which in essence leaves a 40-acre loss."

Angle joked that he and Stoffa played bad cop and good cop. Council member Mike Dowd respoded, "I know Charlie Chrin well enough to say he's probably not intimidated by a bad cop or a good cop, but this is a good deal." Council member Bar Thierry thanked Angle for his work, too.

But Angle credited Chrin. "He didn't need to do this. This is over and above anything he needed to do. This isn't a requirement, ... but one of my concerns was 400 acres of farmland [Angle believes only 400 acres is quality farmland] that now will be gone. But it would have been gone either way. It could have been gone for houses, which puts kids to schools and runs school taxes up, or we put in an industrial park, which brings in jobs and adds to the tax base. It's his land."

While Angle was making an announcement that will save farmland and help taxpayers, Tom Dietrich was busily scribbling a note to Ann McHale.

I'll tell you about that in the post below.

The Peanut Gallery Makes Some Good Rte 33 Interchange Suggestions

It was a small meeting. Two traffic engineers were there to make a presentation, while another two sat in the audience with their lawyer. Four people from the media were on hand. But only about 6 people came who are directly impacted by Charlie Chrin's proposed Route 33 Interchange at the Palmer Township and Tatamy border. Amazingly, they made some excellent suggestions at the meeting hosted by Northampton County Council member Ron Angle. Executive John Stoffa and Council member Barb Thierry were on hand as well.

Angle invited AnnMarie Vigilante, a traffic engineer at Langan Engineering, to present an overview of the project, especially its impact on traffic in the area.  The Interchange will be a classic, signalized diamond, with the roads near Route 33 widened and well-lit.  No third party rights of way are needed. There are no wetlands, endangered species or forests. But in an area prone to sinkholes that swallow up bridges, a detailed geotechnical must still be conducted, with at least 55 borings.

If all goes well, Vigilante states that traffic and design approvals will be done by Spring of next year, with total construction time estimated at a year.  

There's no question it will alleviate truck traffic on Route 248 and along Rte 191. It's also clear that it will provide some relief to drivers at Route 33's Stockertown exit during rush hour. But the general consensus in the room is that a major Interchange will also increase traffic in tiny Tatamy, especially among drivers heading to or from Forks Township.

Denise Kobrin, an ACS employee who works at the Courthouse and who has lived in Tatamy since 1990, is concerned about the increased traffic. "It's like having a highway in our neighborhood," she lamented. And her husband Val was very concerned about the winding detours that will be in place during construction, not for his sake, but because it wll take forever for his children to get to and from school.

"The detour is going to be an inconvenience. I'm not going to lie," stated Vigilante, who explained that locals might find quicker ways to get where they need to go.

Despite the claims about traffic relief, Val Kobrin pointed out, and nobody disputed him, that the real reason for this Interchange is to make the Chrin Commerce Center more profitable. Then he pointed out that it's really unwise to start construction on a Tatamy Interchange when its Main Street bridge is still out of service. It essentially will turn Tatamy into a small island.

Work on the Main Street bridge in Tatamy, a PennDot project, is currently being held up by some gas line easements.

According to the Kobrins, no construction should start on the Interchange until the Main Street bridge is finished.

Pretty much everyone in the room agreed with them, and Angle stated he'd try to get an agreement to that effect.

It's funny. I was sitting in front of Denise and her husband, and every time he spoke, she'd whisper to him to "be quiet." I thought she was going to make him stand in the corner. Even though she was tempted to introduce her husband as "Raoul the pool boy," his point about holding off on the Interchange until the Main Street Bridge is completed, is exactly why people should come to meetings. Very often, they see things that everyone else misses.

Their points about school access are very valid, too.

Democracy works best when reasonable people participate.

Do We Really Need to Give Chrin a Tax Break - Part Three

Who the Hell would endorse a tax break for a rich dude? Easton School District, Palmer Township and very soon, Northampton County Council. And they are right. Let me explain why.

Before Charles Chrin, Howard Seiple was the largest landowner in Northampton County. A farmer, his tracts extended into four different townships.

After he died, much of this property was sold to developers, who built McMansion after McMansion on what was once verdant farmland. That puts tremendous pressure on school districts, who must educate the children without getting enough money in taxes. It's also a drain on municipal government, which must maintain the infrastructure and provide emergency services to what was once quiet farmland.

Charles Chrin purchased 689 acres from the Seiple Estate. Unlike other developers, he's avoided the residential development temptation. I doubt this is altruism. Chrin knows he can make more money with an industrial park.

But it's still infinitely preferable to another housing development, or a 420-unit apartment complexe. It will increase the tax base, reducing the burden of everyone else. The Chrin TIF will allow him to defer the increase in taxes so he can use that money to finance a Route 33 interchange that will draw business.

As I've told you many times, I'm no fan of corporate welfare or Chrin. But this is no handout. It benefits everyone. No risk is assumed. In the middle of a recession, it could produce thousands of jobs.

Dave Colver, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Palmer Township, is the person who persuaded me that this TIF is necessary. Here's what he told Northampton County Council's Finance Committee last week.

I'm Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in Palmer, but I'm here representing all five board members. This was a unanimous decision to opt in. There was no dissension. We have been in favor of this project in general, and the TIF project all along. So all five board members are completely backing this project.


We're all in the same boat - the Township, School District and the County. We need money to operate. We can only deal with tax increases so much. In Palmer, we have looked at the north end of the Township as the way to offset some of that future tax base down the road in the future.


Let's face it, this is not a quick thing. This is not gonna' fix it in three to five years. There's no money coming off of this in the first five years. Everybody gets what they've been getting for farmland. We get about $15,000 on all that land up there. That's it. We can continue to get that $15,000, you folks can continue to get your $25,000, we can all go home and forget about it and Charlie can plant corn. Game over.


Our concerns. Zoning. Our comprehensive plan for every ten years - we're doing a new one now - past twenty years has looked at the north end development and an interchange to handle the infrastructure. We cannot develop the north end of that Township without an interchange, period. There's just no way to do it with the traffic, everything, that's needed in that area. So we have ... my successors [he means predecessors] ... I've only been there 1 or 14 years ... but my successors looked at that as the way to develop the north end. This is a way to make it happen.


The need for the interchange is imminent. The Township will not let, and the developer has pledged, no residential development, period. The Township will not allow it. We're controlling the zoning. No Bog Boxes. We're not gonna' see the million, two million square feet under roof, with twenty or thirty people operating forklifts so that the trucks can run around the clock and get on an interchange. Not gonna' happen. We control it.


We've got a developer who is willing to work with the Township and who is not looking for residential or the Big Box development.


We looked at the exposure. What exposure is Palmer Township, the County and the school district have with this? If it all fails, if it falls flat, is there any tax dollars that Palmer, the school district could be resonsible [for]? As you've heard, in the whole discussion prior to me, it's all being funded - the TIF is being funded - through the increase in the buildings. The taxes? It falls back on the Neighborhood Improvement District, which at this time is the property owner and anyone who would purchase in the future. And if that fails, it's the bondholders. There is zero risk. None. Find it, tell us what the risk is? There is none.


This is a way for all three of us to work together. It's not too often the County, the school district and the local municipality cross paths on a project that comes together to do something with zero risk for the betterment that could create two to three to four thousand jobs over the next eight - ten - twelve years.


My Board voted unanimously for it. he School District, as you heard, voted 6-1 in favor of it. I hope you folks at this Committee level, and when we get to County Council, at the County level, will see the merits of this project and support it unanimously. It's a good project. It's good for the County as a whole, and it brings jobs, it brings construction, all these ancillary things.


We're talking about 689 acres. There's another couple hundred acres outside of this district right there in Tatamy, Stockertown, Lower Nazareth, Forks. Everybody gets the benefit of this interchange.

Do We Really Need To Give Chrin a Tax Break? - Part One

Charles Chrin is definitely the smelliest person in Northampton County. He's worse than me! Driving by his landfill is always a treat, especially on a hot Summer day. It's just agreed to pay a $114,000 fine to the state DEP because, basically, it stinks.

In addition to being smelly, Chrin is definitely the largest landowner in Northampton County and he's probably the richest, too. So naturally, people hate his guts. He could probably get away with stinking up the place, but none of us like people who have more money than the rest of us. You could say we're all socialists at heart, but I think we're just jealous. Chrin can donate land for Williams Township football fields and community centers bearing his name, but nobody really likes the guy.

He might be a gazillion years old, but he's still going gangbusters on getting as much money as he can before he dies. His latest venture? Ripping apart over 600 acres of greenfields in northern Palmer Township with a humongous industrial park. And because that park will result in lots of heavy truck traffic, he wants on Interchange off of Route 33, right around Tatamy.

Now Chrin originally promised to foot the bill the $25 million plus bill himself, but he now wants to finance it using tax money, with a TIF. Sounds outrageous doesn't it?  That has to be approved by the host municipality, school district and County. It passed unanimously in Palmer Township, had only one dissenting vote on the Easton School Board and looks like a winner in Northampton County.

This is exactly the kind of project I love to rip apart. Corporate welfare, I scream. Good ol' boys taking care of each other, I complain. Nobody listens.

I went to a Finance Committee meeting last week, expecting to have my usual opinion confirmed. Instead, I was persuaded that this proposal is actually a very good idea. I was impressed by the presentation made by Northampton County's Alicia Karner, as well as the comments of former State Rep. Rich Grucela (he must be getting paid by Chrin) and Palmer Township Supervisor Dave Colver.

I'll explain why, despite my natural hatred of anyone who has more money than me, this is a good idea. But before I do that, I'll note the excellent argument against this idea by Frank Castrovinci, the sole Easton School Director to say No.

My name is Frank Castrovinci.  I am a Controller at a local company, and was recently appointed as a director on the Easton Area School Board. I apologize for contacting you at your personal e-mail address, but I have an important message as a resident of Northampton County that I hope to draw attention to.

The Easton School Board was presented with the TIF proposal for the Rt. 33 Interchange at Main Street in Palmer Township on August 18.  The proposal was approved 6-1, and I was the dissenting vote.  I am writing to you because there are a number of issues that I believe many are not considering with this proposal, and I wanted to contact the county council to highlight these concerns.

1.       TIF financing should not be used for projects that would go forward without the incentive.  On this project, the developer was intending to pay for the cost of the interchange prior to the cost increasing given the need to replace a bridge.  Porsche chose to be located in the same industrial park as the land that will be within the TIF disctrict after screening greater than 50 sites, and Majestic has a large facility in this general area, all without the interchange.  I understand that at full development an interchange at Main Street would be beneficial, but given the developer’s original plans and apparent attractiveness of this location, I do not believe a TIF is warranted for the full funding of this project.  I questioned this during the presentation to the school board.  The reply was that the cost of the interchange increased, and without this financing the developer would need to front the cost of the project.  This was their plan prior to the bridge replacement requirement.  A reasonable (and logical) request would be for the cost of the bridge to be covered by the TIF plan.

 

2.       The two existing TIF districts in Northampton County are excellent examples of the use of TIF financing.  Both are at locations that would likely have not been developed without the financing.  I am not sold on the fact that this is the case for the Rt. 33 Interchange proposal.

 

3.       The presenters of the proposal draw attention to the Dietrich Group study and the potential payout to the taxing authorities if they agree to the plan.  They also state there is no financial risk to the taxing authorities.  In my view, the issue is how much the taxing authorities should be willing to give up to pay for the interchange.  If the economics of this industrial park at full build out as projected by the Dietrich Group are sufficient for the Chrin Company to finance the interchange, an incentive of the magnitude they are requesting should not be provided. The bridge is deficient and should not be the cost of the developer, and something we should consider assisting with.

 

4.       The developer has some exposure to cover cost of the interchange through the Neighborhood Improvement District that will be in place for this location.  My understanding of this concept is that there would be an additional assessment made on property owners within the TIF district if the development has not been sufficient to cover the cost of the loan.  As the developer would be one of the property owners, they would be liable to kick in some funding to cover the shortfall.  In my view, if the developer is willing to do this, they should be willing to pay some portion of the interchange cost up front, allowing the taxing authorities to receive a higher amount of the taxes to be collected from this industrial park, and alleviating some of the burden placed on our existing taxpayers.  I am not aware of any effort to negotiate a more equitable proposal.

 

5.       The Chrin Company will be pricing this land at the market, and will seek to undercut the competition by just enough to attract prospects to their industrial park.  They in effect will control how much of this incentive is passed through to companies considering property in this area.  This gives me a high degree of discomfort, and translates into a huge potential windfall for the developer rather than an incentive to attract high quality jobs to our area.

 

6.       The magnitude of this incentive is excessive given the lack of definition around the companies and jobs that will be located in this industrial park in the future.  Palmer Township’s claim is they will not allow large distribution centers to cover this land, though as we see the Lehigh Valley is popular for these types of facilities.  Though this area appears to be promising, I am concerned about offering an incentive of this magnitude for jobs that are not defined.  If the next Olympus was moving into the Lehigh Valley, I would likely be agreeable to including an amount above the cost of the bridge in the TIF financing plan, if that is what it would take to close the deal.  This is not the case for this proposal.

 

7.       I have read that some counties have ceased allowing TIF financing for greenfield sites, as this financing was intended to cover blighted areas as defined by the Urban Redevelopment Law.  Allowing TIF financing for greenfield sites has the opposite effect of what I believe the true intent is of this legislation.  The definition of blight is so broad that it appears almost anything can be considered blighted property. We must limit offering this type of financing on projects such as this, and reserve it for properties that are truly blighted, as the county has in the past.

I respectfully request that you consider these points as the TIF financing plan is presented to yourself and the rest of the Northampton County Council.

"Stop Corporate Welfare" Dietrich All For State Grant to Chrin

I've disabled comments on this post. There's a pretty good discussion at Easton Patch, and you can let me have it there.

Didn't Chrin Say He'd Fund Tatamy Interchange Himself?

It's bad enough that what little is left of the LV's rural charm is being destroyed by someone who already owns half of Northampton County and whose sole motivation is greed. Now comes word that we could end up paying for it, too. That Interchange, incidentally, was originally part of Glenn Reibman's megabond.

Beltrami to Landfill Foes: Nobody Likes a Tattle Tale

Looks like The Committee to Save Williams Township has been judicially tossed into Chrin's landfill. After Judge Beltrami had rejected a Sunshine Act claim concerning a Chrin landfill expansion in Williams Township, landfill foes discovered that his single largest campaign contributor just happens to be Charles Chrin. Tonight, spokesperson Kathy Lilley issued a news release claiming she is "disappointed but not surprised" by Judge Beltrami's latest bullshit burger in rejecting a motion that he recuse himself.

Beltrami may very well have made the right call when he rejected the Sunshine Act claim. But Beltrami should have disclosed that this dispute involves his biggest campaign contributor. the judge huffs that doing so would make the judicial system "unmanageable."

I see. It would also make it honest.

Not every case before Beltrami involves his largest campaign contributor. Very few of his decisions involve donors, so what the hell is he talking about? His reasoning stinks as much as that landfill. I also love his petulant snark at this underfunded group, which has no lawyer, for tattling to the press. Excuse me, Judge, but what the hell difference does that make? Your court is open, isn't it?

Landfill foes went to the one group that actually cares about little things like government transparency and the appearance of impropriety - the press.

Williams Township Residents Organize to Oppose Landfill Expansion

On Saturday, I told you about vegan scrapple. I'm convinced that, and all other forms of this porkie puddin', are all part of a some twisted Pennsylvania Dutch attempt at mind control against outlanders.

Fortunately, I never fell for their fiendish plot.

Chrin Landfill in Williams Township is full of that toxic waste. Even seagulls and sewer rats avoid it. Those that make the mistake of taking a nibble either die instantly or soon start walking around, muttering "Say now!" or "Kissin’ wears out, cookin' don’t.”

But landfills do. They get full, and the Chrin boys would like to expand.

As you know from a previous post, they've dumped $230,350 in legal bribes (campaign contributions) on state office candidates since 2000. Interestingly, not a dime of that money has gone to state rep. Bob Freeman, whose district includes that dump. During much of this same time, the Chrin boys have been meeting in the back rooms with William Township officials and seagulls, according to Morning Call columnist Bill White.

Williams Township residents have formed a grass roots group, The Committee to Save Williams Township. But their web page is called DumpRage for some reason. It makes me think of Rambo on the toilet, not landfills. But that's me.

Anyway, here's what they say. "[W]e deal with the legacy of hazardous waste generated from a national recognized Superfund site. Now, Chrin Companies has petitioned the locally elected supervisors to change township zoning and permit the expansion of the landfill.

The proposal is bad for people, bad for the environment, bad for quality of life and bad for property values!"

The web site also contains petition downloads for residents in either Williams Township, the Easton Area School District or Wilson Area School District. The email address for this group is info@dumprage.org.

Williams Tp Residents Oppose Landfill Expansion, But Seagulls Love it!

Easton has been called the "greatest recycler in the Lehigh Valley" by Morning Call columnist Bill White. That's no compliment. Instead of soda cans, White's comment is aimed at city leadership, from Mitman to Panto to Mrs. Panto to Stu Gallaher to Larry Palmer.

If Easton is the greatest recycler in the Lehigh Valley, nearby Williams Township leaders are the Kings of solid waste. Williams is home to Chrin Landfill, whose fumes murder nearly every Jersey resident who dares enter Pennsylvania from Route 78. On summer days, the smells are so bad I've seen skunks hitchhike the hell out of there. Chrin should bottle that stuff and sell it to the Pentagon.

Iranian problem solved.

Like any filthy rich businessman, Charles Chrin would like to be richer. That's, after all, the American way. So he wants to expand his landfill, and has been meeting in the back rooms with William Township officials and seagulls since 2001, according to Bill White. He also decided to send residents a brochure, "Growing Greener in Williams Township," which makes the absurd argument that a landfill expansion will actually beautify the area. I'm sure most sewer rats would agree with that.

But where the Chrin family is making its real pitch is to the pols and judges. Since 2000, that family has donated $230,350 to candidates seeking state office. $11,450 of that has gone into state senator Lisa Boscola's pockets. Cha ching! But a lot more is going into the black robes of judges who will decide his zoning challenges. How much has he given to local candidates? Your guess is as good as mine - those records are unavailable online.

The Express Times reports that 1,700 Williams Township residents have signed a petition opposing this landfill, and township officials have received over six hundred comments. But forty-three river rats and 784 seagulls are all for it.

Christopher Greene, a Williams Township resident, explains why this expansion should be rejected in a very well-written and heartfelt essay.

"For 10 years, I have called Williams Township my home. Nestled in the hills south of I-78 in Easton, Williams Township offers beautiful views, enjoyable neighbors, and an outstanding athletic association for my children. Williams Township is also home to the Chrin Landfill, located right off of I-78 on Industrial Drive.

"Chrin has been in Williams since the 1960’s. We all produce garbage and it has to go somewhere, so the wonderful people of Williams Township have been living with the landfill in their backyard, doing their part of the garbage equation. Chrin seems to have an interesting relationship with the township and its residents. On one hand, Chrin gives away mulch every year and has donated funds to one of the playgrounds. But he has also levied several lawsuits against the township costing residents significant sums of dollars (over $160,000 in one case alone). In another of those lawsuits (still pending), supervisors are named directly.

"Chrin recently began negotiations with the township to allow for an expansion to the landfill. This expansion would come in the form of a zoning change - allowing 22 acres now zoned for Light Industrial to be zoned for landfill use - after which Chrin would have to gain DEP approval. On December 18, 2007, residents of Williams Township were invited to an informational meeting held at the Philip Lauer Middle School. During that meeting, Chrin and the township supervisors together were selling the idea of the landfill expansion with a 13 page PowerPoint presentation. Residents had an option of making comments and were told that they could post comments to the township website until January 14th. Residents also attended the regularly scheduled supervisors' meeting on January 7, 2008 to ask further questions. In total, residents have submitted more than 600 comments to the supervisors, most being against the landfill. An action committee (Committee to Save Williams Township) has also collected over 1,700 signatures on a petition against the landfill expansion. No doubt, more signatures are on their way.

"I am personally against allowing the expansion of the landfill. First off, the expansion makes no business sense. While the proposal increases the municipal host fee, it does so slowly over time and never reaches the current state average for host fees. So Williams gets an expanded landfill that yields little, if any, positive revenue. Not only that, there is no formal proposal for the expansion. Residents only have the PowerPoint presentation to go on – no formal proposal for residents to understand all the terms and conditions associated with the expansion. Secondly, the township supervisors have done no due diligence. No financial impact study has been done (property devaluation, effects of inflation on any increased host fees, etc.) nor has any environmental or health impact study been done. The supervisors appear to be flying blind.

"Chrin does offer a few 'incentives' in the PowerPoint such as open space, athletic playing fields, and a promise to drop litigation against the township. None of these incentives is worthy in my opinion. Last time I checked, land adjacent to a landfill is pretty much useless so any open space offered would remain as open space even if Chrin didn’t give it to the township. As the landfill exists today, portions have been labeled as a Superfund site. The proposed athletic fields sit adjacent to the landfill property. The last thing that I want is for my children (or anyone else’s children) to be breathing in toxins and carcinogens on a regular basis. As far as the promise to drop litigation – I truly question the ethics of such a negotiation tactic on Chrin’s behalf. Any supervisor with a lawsuit over his or her head, would be making decisions under duress.

"The last reason I oppose the landfill is that such a zoning change will set the precedent for more landfills in Williams Township. If the supervisors change the zoning for one landfill, all one needs is a 100-acre plot of land, zoning change, and you now have yourself a brand new landfill. A comprehensive plan was put in place in 2000 (which Chrin agreed to) limiting the expansion of the landfill back then. Why isn’t that plan enforced? What has changed?

"Regardless whether you agree with the landfill expansion, what bothers me more is the method and process the supervisors have engaged in during these negotiations. Such methods and processes make me wonder what else is going on in Williams Township.

"As stated, the supervisors were 'selling' the idea of the expansion to residents at the initial informational meeting to the point where residents were asking whose side the supervisors were on. Most of the negotiations with Chrin have gone on behind closed doors in 'executive session' – even so far as meeting at Chrin’s location. Meetings regarding the negotiations have been barely posted (I found one for a January 8th meeting conveniently posted behind a Christmas wreath at the municipal building). When asked for minutes of executive sessions, the township manager has maintained residents are not allowed to such information.

"This makes me wonder if the supervisors are looking to allow the landfill expansion so they can get ANY increase in the municipal host fee to help pay for their 'Taj Mahal' of a public works building ($3.2 million -14 bay ultimate garage). When the township is looking to spend $130,000 on kitchen furniture in this new building, I begin to wonder – where’s the money going? So when residents asked for access to the general ledger of the township and our solicitor maintains that residents are not allowed to such information, I again question the ethics in Williams Township.

"At the end of the day, Williams Township has been living with a landfill in their back yard for years. We have had the understanding since 2000 that no expansion would be allowed. Now, supervisors will go back on their original word. In the meantime, we have supervisors conducting closed-door executive sessions under legal duress and residents are allowed little if any access to pertinent information in the dealings of our township, including financial dealings of the township. Whether you are for the landfill or not – one must recognize that the governing methods of Williams Township are questionable at best."