J.B. Reilly and Joe Topper have purchased a cigarette distributorship and moved the business address to their 702 Hamilton Street address. This maneuver allows their company, City Center Own Allentown, to use the $1.60 per pack Pennsylvania cigarette tax toward the debt service on their growing empire. Perhaps this was the conflict of interest which propelled Reilly to resign his position on the hospital board. One would like to think that tobacco taxes are used for health care, not private enrichment. Pat Browne, in the well done report by Matt Assad and Scott Kraus of The Morning Call, once again assures everybody that nirvana is coming. Allentown is fast becoming a well deserved national joke.
Feb 26, 2012
Allentown Arena Zone Barons Push Cigarettes
J.B. Reilly and Joe Topper have purchased a cigarette distributorship and moved the business address to their 702 Hamilton Street address. This maneuver allows their company, City Center Own Allentown, to use the $1.60 per pack Pennsylvania cigarette tax toward the debt service on their growing empire. Perhaps this was the conflict of interest which propelled Reilly to resign his position on the hospital board. One would like to think that tobacco taxes are used for health care, not private enrichment. Pat Browne, in the well done report by Matt Assad and Scott Kraus of The Morning Call, once again assures everybody that nirvana is coming. Allentown is fast becoming a well deserved national joke.
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Alcohol vendors scored so why not a cigarett seller.
ReplyDeleteCould you have imagined this as going any other way?
They are creating the rules as they proceed to abscond with all their entitlements.
Welfare for those not in need.
So, the NIZ is going to fund a $160 million arena AND a $50 million office complex...what else is it funding? What is the limit to this borrowing from the anticipated NIZ funds??
ReplyDeleteHave JB Reilly and Joe Topper every run cigarette distributorships?
No, but they stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.
ReplyDeleteMr. Molovinsky, Do you believe the Pawlowski Family would actually divert millions of Pennsylvania cigarette taxes into the pockets of a small group of connected individuals.This NIZ legislation would have to have been very carefully drafted and approved by The City,Lehigh County,The Pennsylvania Legislature and Senate and signed by the Governor.Now that the cigarette tax heist was exposed it cannot possibly go forward.
ReplyDeletewhile the barons aquire wealth, I just received a notice that my home tax assessment is going to double.
ReplyDeleteWhat bastards came up with this?
I purchased my center city home in 1989 and the value promptly dropped and NEVER recovered.
I could not sell my property for half of the stated new assessment.
Many people will walk away from this rip-off.
A general revolt is greatly needed here in Allentown PA.
Not to change the subject here, Mr. Molovinsky, but I think you might have a look at this particular article :
ReplyDelete"AN OPEN LETTER TO THE BROOKS GROUP"
http://noisenation.wordpress.com
The author states, "DON'T - count on concerts to fill the arena."
Interesting statement, considering even IF the Phantoms succeed in selling out all 40 home hockey games, that would amount to only 340,000 people ... but the Chairman, previously, made bold predictions of "between 1 million and 2.5 million per year" in The Morning Call.
Sure would be interested to read your particular thoughts on this stated concept, that the arena cannot count on concerts to boost its attendance figures ... or am I the only one would found the author's theory troubling?
LITTLE GRASSHOPPER
http://noisenation.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteAnother little cheer leader puff.
A total load of crap.
I just got an incredibly high tax assessment on my home as well. I am so upset I am cursing in my head while maintaining proper decorum in this post.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they thinking? I need to stop posting as all I may accidentally type the works I am thinking....
I just received a notice of reappraisal of my house as well---it's listed as worth almost $50,000 less than what I paid for it 4 years ago.
ReplyDeleteMy taxes are slated to go down. I live in the West End.
we are being screwed some more with an unbelievable new tax assessment.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs to call the Lehigh county tax assessor at 610-782-3038.
You will then get an appointment giving you 15 minutes to state your case.
A deluge of calls is needed to straighten out these theives.
.
Cut services or whatever is needed to stay out of our pockets!
"Enjoy a smoke and help pay for the $ 160.0 million dollar Palace of Sport all at the same time"!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an effective as well as memorable marketing campaign to me.
Shaibu!
VIKTOR TIKHONOV