LANCASTER SUNDAY NEWS

On the surface, “Lancaster County Convention Center: What’s settled; what’s next?” is a well researched and informative article.

WATCHDOG: However, there are two salient issues that are glossed over and, for all practical purposes, ignored.

Penn Square Partners, consisting of subsidiaries of S. Dale High’s companies and the Lancaster Newspapers, Inc., clearly a major “stakeholder,” has refused to make contributions towards the Martin Plan bailout. Since both were the prime sponsors of the Convention Center Project and beneficiaries of the ‘sweet heart’ Marriott Hotel lease and option to buy, this is craven on its part, in the spirit of ‘the public be damned!’ Or, in other words, nineteenth century ‘Robber Barons’ emerging in twenty-first century Lancaster.

The second is the $5 million to be raised through a City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ). Sponsored by State Senator Lloyd Smucker, CRIZ amounts to a scheme to transfer tax revenue from our children and grandchildren to benefit current special interests.

Why is the $5 million needed for refurbishments and renovations? Because the normal allowance for such items was purposefully not budgeted by the project sponsors. If they had, the project could not have moved ahead. The consequence was tantamount to a fraud on the tax payers.

A normal CRIZ diverts future tax revenues from future generations to repay benefits to special parties today. That is horrible in itself. Since there is nothing new being created, his CRIZ will be a gift from taxpayers, both today and in the future.

When will taxpayers wake up to how powerful special interests are looting Lancaster ?

When will the citizenry understand that the current Lancaster Newspapers, Inc. no longer has an interest in protecting the public? The days of the benevolence on the part of the Steinmans are over.

Only then will the looting stop.