Geeting's Urban Dream: Nightmare on Hamilton Street

"Earn it here, keep it here."

NYC Blogger Jonathan Geeting, who considers himself an expert on ... well ... everything, has yet another great idea.

Ready?

His "liberal" (so he says) position is that the municipality where you work should be allowed to keep your EIT. That's why Allentown's NIZ tax grab is no biggie. It's an "earn it here, keep it here" approach to EIT, to borrow the phrase of this beacon of light from the Big Apple.

It's very progressive, he claims.

OK, let's have it Geeting's way.

Guess what? LV Hospital Center, the area's biggest employer, happens to be located in Salisbury Township. Under the Geeting grab, Salisbury will keep all EIT on wages at LVHC. A nice little windfall, to be sure.

It gets better. St. Luke's, the Lehigh Valley's second biggest employer, would send all its EIT to Fountain Hill. That tiny borough would never have to worry again about blowing its road salt budget.

And so on down the line. The Guardian Life Insurance Co., T-Mobile, Amazon, Northampton Community College and Lehigh Carbon Community College - all of them top Lehigh Valley employers - are located in the 'burbs.

With all this Geeting dough, Salisbury and other Townships could lower their EIT. They might even be able to eliminate property taxes. This, of course, would attract even more businesses to the 'burbs, right? Voila!

You think their public schools are Taj Mahals now? What kids are left could probably be taken to school by limo.

Of course, most of the townships have lots of available land, just waiting to be be developed. If they got to keep every nickel of the EIT, they'd go after businesses with a passion. They'd also make less land available for residential (since those residents working elsewhere would not be a source of EIT). They'd happily encourage folk to work in their township, but live somewhere else.

Like Allentown.

Geeting would then have his dense, urban centers - full of residents. But they'd be devoid of employers, except for the occasional "delicious " Latino food vendor!  He'd also have the townships full of employers, but with fewer residents. Before long, all the jobs would be in the outlying townships; the homes in the cities. Allentown would be a ghost town during the day, except for the occasional drive by shooting.

Oh, and what to do with pensioners? Put 'em all on an iceberg.

There's Geeting's urban dream, reduced to its logical conclusion.

Very "progressive," don't you think?

What Geeting is really saying is you earn it here (in the City), we keep it. You earn it there (the 'burbs), we keep it.

Harvard Grad Mackenzie Ready For Reichley Seat

Despite having four Republican opponents in the quest for Doug Reicheley's  state house seat, Lehigh County resident Ryan Mackenzie filed nearly three times the required amount of petition signatures (300) to qualify for the ballot. The 134th Legislative District consists of parts of Lehigh and Berks counties.

In a news release, Mackenzie claims he filed the most out of any of the candidates pursuing the Reichley seat.

Ryan Mackenzie was born in Allentown, raised in South Whitehall Township, and graduated from Parkland High School. An honors graduate of New York University, he received a dual degree in Finance and International Business and later went on to earn his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Professionally, Mackenzie began his career by working on Pat Toomey’s U.S. Senate campaign in 2004. Mackenzie entered public service in 2007 when he accepted a position at the U.S. Department of Labor. In his most recent position, which he held until leaving to campaign full-time for State Representative, Ryan served as the Director of Policy at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

Zawarski Questions Finances at Volunteer Fire Companies

Newly elected Commissioner Martin Zawarski cast an unusual and lone vote against the Township's Bill agenda at the February 20 Commissioners' meeting. Afterwards, Zawarski noted discrepancies in bills for the same services from the Township's two fire companies, Nancy Run and Bethlehem Twp. Volunteer Fire Co. The electric bill at Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire, for example, is three times higher than Nancy Run, at $1,700. Training costs are six times higher, at $1,800.

"This could be because I don't yet understand what they do," explained Zawarski.

He's not alone.

In November, Commissioners unanimously authorized Lafayette College's Meyner Center, at a cost of approximately $7,000, to perform an efficiency evaluation and cost-benefit analysis of the Township's support of fire services.

Most fire companies operate with two funds.

First, there's a firemen’s relief fund from the state. This money must be used for firefighter safety, and is audited every two years by the state Auditor General.

A second fund, the general fund, includes donations, fundraising receipts and municipal garnts.

Harrisburg's Patriot News recently reported a rash, not of fires, but embezzlement by volunteer fire companies in that area. As a result, many municipalities are talking a closer look at the finances of volunteer fire companies.

Bethlehem Township Community Center Getting in Shape

Bethlehem Township's Community Center, first built in 2006 along Farmersville Road, is perhaps the best in the entire Lehigh Valley. A 50,000 sq. ft. multi-use facility, it includes 2 full indoor basketball courts, an indoor walking track, inside and outside pools and separate cardio and weight rooms. Surrounding grounds include trails connecting to the Township's vast park system, as well as baseball diamonds and the Bulldogs' football field. But it needs to get in shape.

Commissioners, at their February 20 meeting, unanimously approved a $36,000 invoice for new equipment already included in this year's budget. Community Center Director Floyd Shaffer has ordered five new elliptical machines, three recumbent bikes and eight spin bikes to include in his current inventory of eight spinning bikes. Later this year, he'll also have a rowing machine in response to member requests, leaving them with no excuse for being out of shape.

In addition to the equipment, Commissioners also unanimously authorized Manager Howard Kutzler to issue a Request for Proposals for architectural and engineering services at the facility. On numerous occasions in the past, Commissioner Michael Hudak has complained about roof and wall leaks, as well as problems with the HVAC. President Paul Weiss cautioned that those wishing to make proposals, which must be kept under $33,000, will be required to participate in a mandatory pre-proposal conference at the Community Center.

In other news, Commissioners unanimously authorized a professional services contract with T&M Associates for architectural services at Housenick Park. No money is being paid, explained President Paul Weiss. "We have not authorized any money for anything," he warned.

Fifty-five acres off of Christian Springs Road near Route 191, including a three-story mansion, were devised to the Township as a park by the late Janet Housenick. It adjoins another thirty-six acres of wetlands along Monocacy Creek, which Housenick conveyed to Northampton County before her death.

Housenick also set aside $2 million, in trust, for park maintenance. Township resident Tim Brady, one of Housenick's three trustees, told Commissioners he is "very interested in seeing this project move forward." While pointing out he is "only one of three," Brady predicts that any expenditures made by the Township will "most likely be reimbursed."

The other two trustees are Bethlehem Attorney Joseph "Jay" Leeson and Northampton County Judge Stephen Baratta.

Commissioners' next meeting is scheduled for February 5, 7 PM, at the Municipal Building, located at 4225 Easton Avenue.

Where's the NIZ Housing Component?

Seriously, where the Hell is it?

Lehigh alum Bob Youngentoub has done nearly 40 successful, mixed-owner/tenant redevelopments in the DC area with the Neighboroods of EYA.

EYA buys up public housing projects, tears them down (while also making sure the previous tenants have temporary, safe housing), and rebuilds with much higher density. On the same city block, he combines market-rate housing (the "rich folk"), workforce housing (teachers, cops, firemen, nurses), and subsidized housing together. But, instead of 25 units to the city block (think Marvine-Pembroke), there are now 80 units on a city block. And none of the former tenants of the torn-down "project" is displaced. They return as tenants to the brand-spanking new development. From the outside, there is no architectural distinction (the market-rate units do have upscale amenities like granite countertops that the workforce and subsidized units do not - but the build quality is the same), and within the same townhouse development there is everything from upscale units occupied by doctors and lawyers to mid-scale units to subsidized units. The market-rate units are sold, not rented. The workforce units are also owner-occupied, but have assisted financing (and the municipality gets first dibs if the unit is sold).

Why didn't the NIZers go for something like that? Oh, I could say why, but then I'd have to call them a bad word.

Is the NIZ Debate Ideological or Elitism?

In a comment posted on this blog, John "The New Yorker" Geeting answers Yes. "[I]t seems to break down pretty nicely with people who have conservative views on land use issues lining up on one side, and people with liberal views on the other. The political question is whether you want more cornfield development when the economy starts growing again, or whether you want to stop sprawl and start building up in the cities." He also argues, that "If you subsidize it, they will come."

This is a "liberal" argument?

Let me get this straight. Geeting justifies displacement of largely minority merchants who actually were part of a "10 Minute Neighborhood Plan." Their customers consisted largely of people who walked there.

Then, in the same breath, he laments the fact that Allentown doesn't have a "10 Minute Neighborhood Plan" for locals to buy fresh food. In a not so subtle way, what Geeting is really saying is that Allentown really needs a "Trader Joe's." So subsidize it, already, just like the Brew Works.

Geeting brays on about subsidizing "delicious" Latin American Street Food, too. That's at best comical, and worst offensive, given the clearly stated policies of the City of Allentown to cleanse the downtown of any "ethnic presence." Give them Johnny Mananas instead of authentic Mexican. If that fails, give them subsidized tacos and burritos at Burrito Works. I am sure the food concourse at the arena will be loaded with lots of "authentic" ethnic food.

Maybe even a Korean food stand.

This is not "liberal" thinking. This is elitism. That's why CACLV's Alan Jennings should have refused to be part of the NIZ Board.

Geeting and other cheerleaders are ignoring, even justifying, the complete lack of transparency and accountability in the NIZ, the abundant conflicts of interest and rampant pay-to-play. Personally, I am shocked that these self-proclaimed urbanists can sleep at night, lying next to slithering snakes like J. B. Reilly.

"They came for the Korean merchants, and I didn't object - For I wasn't a Korean merchant;
They came for the low income residents and shoppers, and I didn't object - For I wasn't a low income resident or shopper;
They came for the homeless, and I didn't object - For I wasn't homeless;
They came for the Latinos, and I didn't object - For I wasn't a Latino;
Then they came for me - And there was no one left to object."

[With Apologies to Martin Niemoller, German Protestant Pastor, 1892-1984]

Lehigh Valley State Rep Races Should Be a Hoot

Thanks to Voice of Business, the Greater LV Chamber of Commerce blog, for listing all of this election cycle's candidates, both here in the Lehigh Valley and beyond.

In the state house races, only Democrat Bob Freeman and Republican Julie Harhart are running unopposed. The rest of them's got company.

Dave Molony is running against State Rep. Joe Brennan again. Molony, for those of you who do not know him, is a real prick. Actually, he's an acupuncture specialist, and a damn good one, too. But can the world of alternative medicine let him go?

State Rep. Marcia Hahn took over after her long-time boss, Craig Dally, became a Judge. Leslie Altieri, an active Democrat who has never sought public office before, is taking the plunge.

If I fall out of my estate in downtown Nazareth, I end up in State Rep. Joe Emrick's new digs. He's conveniently located on Main Street, probably out of some sordid desire to be close to me. Unfortunately, he's right next to the District Judge John "Cap" Capobianco.

Judge Cap wants to be close to me, too, especially when I forget about paying off a parking ticket. So far, I've been able to dive out a few windows and have eluded constables, but my day is coming.

Emrick is being challenged by Cap.

Not that Cap. Instead, it's former Bangor Mayor and Northampton County Council member Joe "Cap" Capozzolo, in what should prove to be an interesting race. Emrick has the incumbent advantage. Cap has the Slate Belt and his good looks.

If Mike Schlossberg thought he was getting a free ride into Jenn Mann's State House seat, those dreams have been dashed by an oxymoron known as Aryeh Spero. It's oxymoron, not moron. I call Spero that because he is a Rabbi and ... a conservative who's apparently been a talking head on Fox news. Perhaps Rabbi Spero will have a few pertinent questions about Schlossberg's rubber-stamping tendencies as a City Council member in Allentown.  Since there are only seven Republicans left in Mann's district, Schlossberg has the advantage.

Spero appears to be from New York, and so is Brooklyn transplant and Republican Ken Barreto. This Iraq War vet, who has a photograph of a Purple Heart Medal on his webpage, is taking on incumbent Steve Samuelson. I doubt that even the Congressional Medal of Honor would be enough to unseat Samuelson in his heavily Democratic district. Samuelson has long been a champion of legislative re-districting reform.

Like Craig Dally, Doug Reichley has ascended into the judicial heavens. Everyone left in his Lehigh County Emmaus-area district is running. Pat Slattery is the sacrifical lamb sent in by the Democrats. The real race is among Republicans Dennis Nemes, Arlene Dabrow, Ryan Mackenzie, Wanda Mercado-Arroyo and Rob Hamill.

in the hinterlands of western Lehigh County and Berks County, incumbent Gary Day will square off against Joe Haas, who was a forty or fifty year student at Kutztown last time I spoke to him. I first met him when he worked as an aide to then Congressional candidate Sam Bennett. He spent the entire time looking at his shoes. I'm sure he'll make a great impression on voters.

Finally, in the Salisbury area, incumbent Justin Simmons will face Kevin "pass the bong" Deely, an Easton school teacher and former union president who was so extreme that teachers asked him not to seek re-election. Can't wait to see the ads in that race.

Armstrong: Allentown's Arena, Pawlowski's Black Hole

Scott Armstrong is a rare Allentown conservative whom liberals love to hate. But the Allentown arena transcends party politics and ideology. Here is Scott's take.

Several years ago Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski testified in front of the panel that would decide which local municipality would be granted the much sought after casino license. The mayor's testimony raised eyebrows when he stated that Allentown would become a black hole if it wasn't given the casino.

Speed forward to today and see Ed's prediction coming into fruition in the heart of the downtown. A square block has been condemned and demolished. This obliteration of countless individual buildings and businesses through the very questionable means of eminent domain is not the black hole of which Ed spoke. The box that Pawlowski will build there is the vacuum that will suck resources from the city, the school district, and surrounding municipalities. The arena project is the black hole.

Ed didn't get mad when the casino license went to Bethlehem instead of Allentown; with the help of local state legislators and campaign contributors,he is getting even.

Dent Files Four Times More Petition Signatures Than Needed

Late last week, Jackson Eaton's Congressional campaign announced that it filed nomination petition with twice the number of signatures needed to get on the ballot. That would mean about 2,000 signatures. According to Eaton, that's a "a show of strength."

Really?

Well, then he better move over for someone who's twice as strong. LV Congressman Charlie Dent filed nomination petitions containing 4,000 signatures, which is four times the amount needed. Dent, I'm told, was particularly gratified by the support from three new counties (Berks, Dauphin and Lebanon) in the 15th District.

"I want to thank everyone who took the time to sign a petition for me and especially those who volunteered to circulate a petition to get their friends' and neighbors' signatures. This was a great effort that was outstandingly successful," said Congressman Dent.

Although I don't have an exact total for Rick Daugherty, the third candidate in this race. I do know he was able to garner petitions in big numbers from all counties. Eaton, in contrast, had only six signatures from Lebanon County. In Berks and Dauphin, he had none.

Updated Sunday, 2 PM:  Rick Daugherty tells me, "I received around 1880 total signatures with 100 from Lebanon, 200 from Dauphin, and 46 from Berks."


Updated again, Sunday, 8:26 PM: Turns out Jackson Eaton did have one Petition from berks with 50 signatures.

My Email Account Is Back in Biz, Just Like the NIZ

After being hacked by someone who was sending penis and breast enlargement emails to everyone, AOL suspended by account. I apologize to one and all who were spammed.

AOL has reinstated my email account, and you can contact me now again at my usual email address - BOHare5948@aol.com.

Another Conflict of Interest in NIZ Biz

A few short months after NIZ legislation drafted by Senator Pat Browne became law, his wife quietly went to work as a registered lobbyist. Her lobbying firm, Pugliese Associates, just happens to represent NIZ developer J.B. Reilly, NIZ tenant Joe Topper and NIZ publicist Vaughn Communications. All of them, from Senator Browne to Vaughn, are headquartered in the same building, which just happens to be one by J.B. Reilly.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

State Rep. Jenn Mann, who also takes credit for helping "craft the language that created the Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ)," just happened to be on the nominating committee that named her to the NIZ Board. Although her employee, Peter Schweyer, recused himself from the actual vote, he defended the appointment during a City Council meeting. Another Council member, Mike Schlossberg, refused to recuse himself even though he worked for Mann and has been endorsed by her in his quest to take over her seat.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Both this blog and The Morning Call's Scott Kraus have detailed the cash connection between Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski and hockey arena beneficiaries, including whopping $10,000 contributions from J.B. Reilly, Joe Topper and a union looking for work at the arena.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Now it appears that the tentacles even extend as far as Northampton County's Tax Collection Committee, which is part of a regional bi-county effort that met on Thursday to seek answers from Allentown about its EIT tax grab.

At the end of Thursday's meeting, Solicitor Michael Gaul disclosed that one of his partners, Jerome Frank, just happens to be Solicitor to Allentown Commercial and Industrial Development Authority (ACIDA), the public entity that has paved the way for Reilly to poach other Lehigh Valley businesses. ACIDA also secured a $20 million line of credit for Reilly, which will be paid off with the very EIT proceeds that have both the Northampton and Lehigh Tax Collection Committees up in arms.

But it does not end there. Gaul, Frank and the other partners at King, Spry chipped in $625 apiece and contributed $2,500 to Pawlowski last year.

Nothing to see here. Move along. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

If you think something's wrong, you must be a "naysayer" or a racist.

Allentown Finance Director Has Few Details on NIZ Biz

Allentown Finance Director Garret Strathearn

There were no pitchforks or torches. No coffee, either. The mood in the room at Hanover Township Community Center was angry. This was no ordinary lynch mob, but an assemblage of nearly 80 municipal officials from both Lehigh and Northampton County, meeting at 8:30 AM. They wanted answers. How could Allentown could take earned income taxes intended for them, without so much as a thank you? Why would their local taxes, some of which are set aside for open space, be diverted to finance a hockey arena and business improvements in Allentown's 130-acre Neighborhood Improvement Zone? When they left at the end of four long hours, they knew little more than they did when they came. But Allentown Finance Director Garret Strathearn promised to return again on March 15, to answer their questions.

Technically, this was a meeting of both Northampton and Lehigh County Tax Collection committees, called by Executive Director David Woglom, purely "to educate ourselves." But in addition to tax collectors, the room was also packed with Township Managers, Supervisors, Borough Council members and school district officials.

Allentown's NIZ, buried deep inside a state budget approved in 2009, is what drew them. Allentown State Senator Pat Browne drafted the bill as a mechanism to finance a hockey arena and other improvements in the Queen City. In addition to using state taxes, the earned income taxes of nonresidents who work within the NIZ, can be used to pay the debt service on the financing. This will result in a reduction of EIT revenue owed to other municipalities, from Bethlehem to Coplay.

The exact impact is still unclear. Local officials were largely unaware of this legislation until a Morning Call report in January, followed by a blog report that Senator Browne's wife is employed as a lobbyist with Pugliese Associates. That firm has coincidentally just added NIZ developer J.B. Reilly, NIZ tenant Joe Topper and NIZ publicist Vaughn Communications as clients.

"To be honest with you, a lot of this stuff is still being worked out," explained Allentown's Strathearn. He was able to identify 96 businesses within the NIZ, which is only 50-60% of the total. From that, the Finance Director went on to say there is approximately $550,000 in annual EIT revenue owed to non-Allentown municipalities and school districts. Allentown and its school district will also lose approximately $300,000.

"That's in pencil," he cautioned. "With a big eraser on the end. It could go up. It could go down. I don't mean to make light of it."

Although Strathearn held out the possibility that the EIT could eventually find its way back to the municipality, Forks Township's Jim Farley was skeptical, noting he is still waiting for EIT from Allentown from 2008, 2009 and 2010.

That was disputed by an Allentown official.

Noting the complete lack of projections, Upper Mount Bethel Township Manager Maureen Sterner complained, "You may be forcing us to raise taxes to make up for the tax money that you're taking away from us. ... I would think the City of Allentown would be a little more involved and know a little bit more about this issue that has so much of an effect on neighboring municipalities and school districts."

In addition to lost EIT revenue, one school official complained about the loss of state tax revenue.

Another difficulty for Strathearn is that, at this point, "they haven't really sized up the bond issue."

Lower Macungie Township Manager Bruce Fosselman complained that he and three other Township Managers have been unable to meet with Senator Browne, who has postponed two scheduled meetings, including one set for that day. Senator Browne's Chief of Staff, Ellen Kern, acknowledged that the meeting has been postponed until later in the month, but only because the Senator wants to include some experts who could explain the EIT process.

Fosselman defended Strathearn, who did not write the law.

"Got any band-aids?" asked Strathearn as the meeting ended. He was thanked for facing a tough crowd.

Over the next week, municipal officials will send questions to Tax Committee Director Wolgrom, so that Strathearn can work on responses in advance of the March 15 meeting.

Although he was short on details, Strathearn strongly advocated the NIZ after the meeting was over. He stressed that the bonds issued for improvement will not be general obligation bonds and that no real estate taxes will be used to pay the debt service. "They will not be backed by the full faith and credit of any municipality," he insisted.

Noting that there will be 1,000 jobs during the construction phase alone, Strathearn is confident that surrounding municipalities will benefit. "Allentown is the heart of the Lehigh Valley," Strathearn argued. "If that heart denigrates, it's going to eventually spread."

NIZ foe Michael Molovinsky later retorted, "If Allentown is the heart of the Lehigh Valley, we all should be dead."

Updated 11:50 AM, to reflect a conversation this morning with Senator Browne's Chief of Staff, Ellen Kern.

Sweeping Changes Proposed at Gracedale

Premiere Healthcare Resources, which assumed management at Gracedale on September 26, has concluded an operational assessment. In a presentation to Council's Human Services Committee last night, President Joanne Jones proposed sweeping changes, from a reduction in beds to a reduction in staff. Here's a summary of the recommendations:

* Reduce the number of licensed beds by 33 to 688 licensed beds. This will make it easier to obtain a 90% occupancy, which for some reason results in higher reimbursements. This could lead to a $300,000-500,000 increase in revenue.

* Open a 26-bed short-term rehab unit, complete with therapy gym. This could increase revenue by $1.1 million.

* Establish and streamline an Admissions Department to achieve that 90% occupancy rate.

* Reduce fringe benefits for union and nonunion employees, which currently average 65% of salary and are well above other county-owned nursing homes.

* Establish new policies regarding overtime and comp time.

* Eliminate the Risk manager and three nurses in the Wound care team, which will save $315,000.

* Privatize Housekeeping, Laudry and Dietary Departments.

* Revamp the scheduling, which could reduce overtime and agency costs by $500,000.

* Eliminate Nurse Aide II and Housekeeping II slots via attrition, which will save $213,000 per year.

* Reschedule security to reduce costs by $39,000.

* Modernize inventory control so supplies don't walk out the door.

Call Him Controller Chico

Bethlehem City Council was unable to appoint a Controller last night. In a 2 1/2 hour meeting, they heard from six different candidates for the vacancy, created by Meg Holland's unexpected resignation. But when it came time to vote, they deadlocked among three nominees. After three rounds of voting in which nobody budged, they decided to try again after the Council meeting on Tuesday night.

If they fail to make an appointment, it goes to the judges.

Since Bethlehem is split between two counties, it's unclear to me which Court - Lehigh or Northampton - would have the honor.

City Council member Dave DiGiacinto, who previously had withdrawn his application, was nominated anyway by Council member Jean Belinski. She and Council member Bob Donchez held fast for DiGiacinto through three rounds of voting.

But so did Council members J. Willie Reynolds and Mike Recchiuti, who like George Yasso.

Council member Karen Dolan, after subjecting both Bill Scheirer and Bob Pfenning to intense questioning about their ability to be impartial, ended up nominating both of them for the 22-month job. But she only voted for Scheirer. She was joined by Council Prez Eric Evans, who is really impressed by Scheirer's volunteerism and willingness to help people who stumble into City Hall.

After being nominated, DiGiacinto was unable to participate in any way in the selection of a new Controller.

So he went to the can.

One of the concerns I raised here earlier this week is that the Third Class City Code requires that the Controller be a "competent accountant." That would seem to eliminate three candidates. But Council member Recchiuti, who is a lawyer in his spare time, found a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision construing a similar requirement in the Borough Code. According to the Supremes, that only means that a person must possess the skill of any man engaged in managing his own business.

By that standard, all six would be qualified.

When they meet again on Tuesday, I feel fairly comfortable in going out on a limb here and predicting that one of the applicants, Duran Chakarian, will be overlooked.

When he introduced himself, Chakarian told Council to call him Chico because nobody can pronounce his name. But his strange coiffure made me wonder whether we should instead call him Chicette.

Chico told Council members that, although he may have lived in Bucks County the past few years, he still follows the news. Then, to demonstrate that he knows what he's talking about, he turned around to the peanut gallery, and thanked Governor Casey for coming.

Last time I checked, Governor Casey was slightly dead.

The Governor Casey to whom Chico referred was actually State Rep. Joe Brennan, who was sitting in the audience with Moravian College's John Morganelli, Jr. Unlike Casey, Joe Brennan is still alive, and nodded to Chico after being called Governor Casey.

After the meeting was over, I had a chance to talk with John, Jr., who looks and sounds exactly like his DAd. But Joe was nowhere to be found. Morganelli told me that now that he's Governor, Joe has rushed off to Harrisburg to veto as many bills as he can.

I hope he puts me on the Bridge Commission.

My Email Has Been Hacked

Some enterprising soul has managed to misappropriate my email address and is sending out numerous spam emails from that account. AOL has frozen my email account and I am unable to get on, not even to change my password. Until I get this sorted out, you can reach me at BernieOHare@aol.com.

I am very sorry to those who have already been spammed.

Jackson Eaton Campaign Files For Congress

Lehigh Valley Democratic Congressional candidates Jackson Eaton and Rick Daugherty have both filed nomination petitions. According to Eaton's campaign, "we filed 2,117 signatures with Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth in order to appear on the Democratic ballot. In a show of strength we submitted more than twice the minimum required. This is a true testament to all the hard work of our volunteers and supporters."

I do not have figures for Daugherty.

Either Daugherty or Eaton will face incumbent Charlie Dent in the Fall. No Republican has challenged him.

Atiyeh Sues Over NIZ Plans

Two Abe Atiyeh corporations, which own two properties "adversely" affected by the NIZ Arena plans, have sued in Lehigh County Court, seeking to have those approved plans set aside. In Atiyeh's Complaint (you can read it here) the authority of Allentown Commercial and Industrial Development Authority (ACIDA), is challenged. Although ACIDA is helping finance and facilitate the project, it is not the owner, developer or operator.

Atiyeh also points to other the City's failure to vacate streets; ACIDA's failure to produce plans for review four weeks in advance; and the Planning Commission's decision to declare the project exempt, as a "municipal use," from certain provisions in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

I'll have more about the NIZ later ...

Worker Comp Claims at Gracedale Under Scrutiny

On her first day at Gracedale, one 28-year old employee filed a claim for worker's compensation. So did another, age 22. Both claims were paid, too. In a presentation to Northampton County Council's Personnel Committee on February 15, PMA Management's Scott Bogdan reports an excessive number of claims by new hires at the County's nursing home.

Between 8/1/10 (when PMA started as the County's claims administrator) and 12/1/11, nineteen claims were filed by Gracedale workers, mostly nurses' aides, who had only been employed there for only 90 days or less. Cost to the County? $28,177.

Countywide, only one other new hire reported an injury during the same time period.

"It just seems ridiculous," complained Personnel Committee Chair Ken Kraft. "It just seems like there's a trend, and we should get to the bottom of it."

PMA's Chris Rothwell, a risk control consultant, answered that this is a "low hanging fruit." There will be a "thorough investigation," starting next week, to make sure "these claims are legitimate." PMA will also initiate preventative programs and "change the culture" there.

In addition to an abnormally high number of workers comp claims being filed by new hires, Gracedale also has the highest total - 480 between 8/1/10 and 12/1/11. Countywide, this dwarfs the rest of the County, where only 170 claims were filed, including 94 at the jail.

This high number of claims overall is consistent with PMA's experience at other nursing homes, Manager Bogdan told Council. But still, the amount of money being spent for worker's comp at Gracedale, is disproportionately high. On a cost to payroll basis, it's 35 per cent higher than other nursing homes in PMA's entire portfolio.

Kraft suggested incentives for employees who can keep the workplace injury free, mentioning that the workers he represents are sometimes rewarded with a truck for worker safety at construction sites.

"But I'm not saying we should give a truck away," Kraft cautioned.

"We have a few old deputy sheriff cars," joked Executive John Stoffa.

Gracedale also accounts for $2 million of the $3.1 million spent on worker's comp claims between 8/1/10 and 12/1/11.

Aside from the disappointing news from Gracedale, Bogdan told Council that PMA has saved the County $1.78 million since 8/1/10, when it became the County's claim administrator. Open claims have also gone down from 102 to 58. Assistant Solicitor Curtis Creveling, who handles the worker's comp claims for the County, stated this is primarily a result of settling clear claims instead of engaging in expensive and lengthy litigation.

The top reasons for a workers comp claim from a County worker, in descending order, are: lower back, knee, shoulder(s), multiple body parts, and hands. Treating shoulders costs the County the most money, an average of $6,781 per claim.

Swaption Still at $25.4 Million

In January, county financial advisers asked Council to designate two members who would have authority to "pull the trigger," i.e exercise the County's costly swaption when the time is right. Council member Lamont McClure, sure there must be some other solution, asked Council to get another opinion.

Since that time, McClure has taken no action, at least nothing that complies with the Sunshine Act. But unlike McClure, the swaption has gone down, and now is on its way up again.

Acting fiscal Affairs Director Doran Hammon told Council's Finance Committee last night that the swaption is currently at $25.4 million.

McClure was absent.

Tonight, John Stoffa will parade his financial team before Council again. Maybe McClure can get his second opinion by asking them to repeat what they said in January.

Northampton County Only $17 Million in the Hole

Acting Fiscal Affairs Director Doran Hamman told Northampton County's Finance Committee yesterday that the County is swimming in red ink. As a result of the budget recommended by Controller Steve Barron, there's a $17 million gap between budgeted revenue and expenditures.

It's only money.

The County contribution to Gracedale is still slated at $6.245 million, but Human Services Director Ross Marcus warns that, of Governor Tom Corbett's budget is passed, the County will have to make up a $1.4 million loss in medicaid funding.

Gracedale's administrator, Premier, will present an operational assessment tonight, and hopefully will have good news.