While the NIZ Tax Incentive will provide almost a $Billion dollars in
paid for real estate for a few men, the potential neighborhood workers will get only peanuts, as made official on Friday. This blogger maintained, early on, that there would be
no jobs of substance, beyond selling peanuts at the arena. The banking and health care jobs, associated with the new office buildings, are far too sophisticated for any training programs or local unemployed. Friday's job fair, the first of two, attracted hundreds of locals, never the less. The potential employer, the arena, was
upfront about the offerings. All but a few dozen will be part time with no benefits and most will pay $8 to $10 per hour, including the food service, event staff, operations and even supervisor jobs. Our experience is that they're good jobs for young people just getting started and good second jobs for adults looking to supplement their first job," said Jacque Holowaty, PPL Center assistant general manager. So, while they're only offering peanuts, as I said last year, we have created a new task force and bureaucracy, to delude the desperate.
I always find it amusing when officials refer to the NIZ arrangement as a 'one of a kind' plan. It certainly is. For the sake of Pennsylvania taxpayers, let's hope it remains that way!
ReplyDeleteFred Windish
MM,
ReplyDeleteIt is simply called taking advantage of the disadvantaged? This is the Trangretional Transforational Developmental Tool? Very similar to circus trix, but more heneous upon the populus all the while claimin this is for the publics best intrest?
Still I am only seeing blight and degredation with a coat of paint to make it more colurful?
redd
patent pending
What jobs should people with a high school education at the minimum be offered? Should someone with just a HS degree be offered a position as a physical therapist, a lawyer, an accountant, etc? The 300 positions that are offered are easily five times the amount of jobs that where available before the block was torn down. No only does the block employ more people in lower income brackets it also employs more people in higher income brackets by a vast margin of what was available before. I don't understand what you are upset about. You have also said that you are a champion of people in lower incomes, and now those people are starting to receive those jobs. Mind you these jobs are also only available to Allentown residents.
ReplyDeleteblog mentor@6:05, ah, one of your subversive comments, hoping to discredit my position, instead of your usual blatant insult. i assure you that there were many more than 60 jobs on that block, before it was torn down. recall that both family dollar and rite-aid were on the block, with 32 other merchants on the square block. the high end jobs are new, and a major plus to hamilton street. the purpose of this post is to highlight the theatrical dog and pony show being made out of mostly part time jobs. fyi, allentown residents get first crack at the jobs, but the arena retains the option of hiring whomever it chooses, from where-ever.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the dog and pony show and the job outcome so far. The arena and downtown development is a major gamble with the taxpayers as a major investor. Feel this whole concept was initiated after the success of the sands and coca cola park. I fought with Tom Burke and many others to try and bring the Tropicana to the east side.We lost that one but that deal was mostly privately financed. There was a lively debate in bethlehem about the merits of the proposed Sands as there should be. Same holds true with coca cola park which was funded by the taxpayers with a big advantage to team owners. I am on the fence on the arena project as I am not privy to many of the proposals and daily surprised by the actions so far. Only time will tell as the story unfolds and above all hope for the best for the city I love.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, the NIZ idea will need to be evaluated by its return on investment. Not at all about whether the area supports hockey, likes concerts, etc. Unfortunately, we likely won't have much of an answer for many more years.
ReplyDeleteThe outright GIFTING of taxpayer dollars, rather than retaining some loan repayment or ownership equity in the buildings is MORE than troubling, to me.
Considering the billion dollars involved, the employment increase seen so far, the new taxation potential, etc. is MICROSCOPIC, to say the least.
Fred Windish
What happened to the $12.00/hour jobs? They must think we have a short memory span
ReplyDeletePainfully obvious that the best we can do for jobs is Sports areas, stadiums, entertainment, gambling, and dining out.
ReplyDeleteNotice these business produce NO tangible goods.
Not if, but when the SHTF, we are going to be in sorry shape - investing in folly that returns nothing of value.
If you haven't, Google the Fourth Turning.
The US of A continues to circle the drain.
I've been saying..these charlatans now have dominion over a substantial portion of the lives of the residents of Allentown, whom have been displaced, disenfranchised, and disrespected. Now I can add insulted to those injuries- as if these piddling, menial, part-timey, some-timey positions can actually hold a candle to an actual job.
ReplyDeleteAnd Doug_b..the shyte has been hitting our fans..the headlines of the Morning Know-it-All have been proof for years.
ReplyDelete