Morning Call Still Spinning For Reilly

The Morning Call today continues its long time tradition of distorting the news about the NIZ and its main beneficiary, J. B. Reilly. We're told that tax revenues rebounded, and that Butz and Jaindl both got some tax money for their debt service, but that the lion's share, $44million, went to City Center Allentown. 

Don't confuse city center with center city, as you're meant to. City Center is a private company, owned by one man, J.B. Reilly. Don't confuse rebound with a thriving downtown. I use the services of two large tenants, in two of the largest new buildings, and visit their offices on a regular basis. Downtown remains a dead zone. So, where did the increased revenue come from? From the BIG OMISSION from the Morning Call. The NIZ law was amended to allow the state cigarette tax to be used by Reilly. The former Morning Call building itself is being used as a cigarette warehouse. All this deception is the most wholesome part of the story. Previously, before the amendment, the cigarette tax was used for CHIP, children's health insurance program. 

Although I have lowered my public profile and reprint many of my historical pieces, I will still take local government and press to task as necessary.