Sanofi eyes move to Upper Saucon

[Sam]

Observer:

Great point.

Cunningham did a complete 180 from his platform after being elected.

He won't get my vote next time around.

[Frank]

On the surface, I agree with you. But the unfortunate reality is that other states have nice locations too and will be offering incentives to attract these jobs away from PA.

I wish there were a federal law prohibiting all states from engaging in this kind of economic development competition, so that they would compete for jobs based on merit rather than financial incentives. Unfortunately, I think such a law would be unconstitutional.

observer wrote:

<quoted text>
The company can locate anywhere they want, just not with tax incentives that Allentown taxpayers help fund.
This corporate welfare for the rich has got to stop somewhere. With a location as attractive as the Upper Saucon one, why do they need incentives at all?
This should have been denied. I thought that Cunningham ran on a platform of revitalizing the cities and preserving farm land, not giving greenfield developments tax breaks!

[The Scotsman]

Ah yes, bring in another company and give them tax breaks so that the Upper Saucon Residents get the burden of paying Sanofi's fair share of taxes....just like Olympus.

[Ruadhri]

Joe wrote:

I'm willing to bet they are considering one of the KOZ zones in Allentown but they figure hey, if the county and other government bodies will grant us the KOZ on old farmland why not. That is why the mayor is upset.
I say let them relocate to an existing KOZ site or let them stay in Monroe County.

I agree. If this location is granted KOZ status, it is prostituting the original intent of what the KOZ's are for.

[Sally]

"On the surface, I agree with you. But the unfortunate reality is that other states have nice locations too and will be offering incentives to attract these jobs away from PA."

Frank,

Please name another state that will offer such a package. If you can, it is 500+ miles away. I'm betting they will not take advantage of any of those because their intent is to stay local to their plant in Monroe County.

Let them build in Downtown Allentown. That would be great for our city. No incentives are needed in Saucon Valley.

[Jeff Woehrle]

Expect to see even more industry flee Monroe County as the Democrat-led board of commissioners continue their quest to remove more and more land from the tax rolls for 'open space' projects.

Rather than maximize tax revenue in this difficult economic time, Democrats insist on typical snail-darter mentality in county affairs.

Get ready, Monroe County taxpayers! More Democrat chickens are coming home to roost.

[employee]

MonkeyMomma wrote:

Well, the VP said what he found attractive:
"Company Vice President Frank Epifano told the commissioners that the Stabler Center is attractive because of its location near Interstate 78, its proximity to Lehigh Valley International Airport and the ''excellent'' schools, colleges and universities in the area."
It's the ASD and location that instantly kill the deal for A-town. Sanofi employs professionals who simply will not send their kids to Allentown schools.
Pawlowski is putting the cart before the horse. He's not going to get more professionals in the city until he cleans things up for good.

I couldn't agree more!

[JOE]

ASD has little to do with it. This place could be smack dab in the middle of Allentown and other school districts will be less than a 10 minute drive away.

The reasons given are in reference to the valley as a whole, but could really be applied anywhere. These guys are just trying to sell the locals on giving them their tax break.

[i agree]

Ruadhri is correct. KOZ zones were created to help the redevelopment of inner city brown fields. maybe pawlowski should challenge the use of such zones in affluent settings.

[Saucon Valley Scam]

That whole Saucon Valley thing is the biggest tax payer funded sprawl mess ever.

History:

- 78 is located over the mountain to make land viable south of the valley
- Center Valley Parkway east is built with Taxpayer money
- Improvements to 309 & Parkway made with Taxpayer money
- Center Valley Parkway West is built with taxpayer money
- Olympus America is given KOZ 10 year tax free status
- More proposed upgrades to 309 & Center Valley Parkway
- Tons of tourism and economic dev. funds spent to promote events at the SV Country Club

What happened to the free market? Why are we subsidizing sprawl?

[Esm]

I would rather work in lower saucon than allentown. I used to go to lunch with my sister when she worked at the express times downtown and every time I went down there, hoodlums would stare at me and comment on my female parts and such... who needs it? I am a professional and I went to college so I don't have to associate with filth.

[Justice]

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski disappeared into a room with several commissioners after Sanofi's presentation and twice was heard arguing with administration officials over the proposed move, telling them the new office should be in Allentown.

What an idiot .. if it wasn't for crime there would be no news coming out of Allentown, clean up the city you moron !!! I would never put a business in Allentown the way things are there at this point !!

[Joe]

Esm wrote:

I would rather work in lower saucon than allentown. I used to go to lunch with my sister when she worked at the express times downtown and every time I went down there, hoodlums would stare at me and comment on my female parts and such... who needs it? I am a professional and I went to college so I don't have to associate with filth.

Express Times? Not in Allentown. Over 15,000 people working in Downtown Allentown when to college as well and they seem fine.

Anyway, that is not the point. The question is should we be granting KOZ status to an in state company to relocate in an a suburban office park?

[Darwin]

Pawlowski is right, it should be Allentown. BUT, Allentown has done nothing in the last 30-40+ years to attract such a big corporate player to the Allentown area. Lower income rental housing plagues the City, along with the caliber of people they attract. Where would they go? There's no real estate for a company like Sanofi to develop or grow in to, no City infrastructure to support their needs, and Sanofi Scientists and other professionals working in Allentown would only be assaulted by the local wildlife.

Note to Mayor and City Council: Re-Zone the entire City to forbid any rental units or Allentown will only continue to see such opportunities sail on by.

This is a huge opportunity missed. What a shame.

[i agree]

impossible to know, but wouldn't it be interesting to find out how many lehigh valley residents olympus actually did hire.

[BullHalsey62]

No brainer, that location is 15 minutes from NJ and will start the exodus of brain power and more pharm companies to the Lehigh Valley. That tax abatement is candy to NJ pharms.

NJ is close to bancruptsy and their corps want out ASAP, might as well have them more to the LVI, its good living.

Allentown should be nuked

[Enough is enough]

Saucon Valley Scam wrote:

That whole Saucon Valley thing is the biggest tax payer funded sprawl mess ever.
History:
- 78 is located over the mountain to make land viable south of the valley
- Center Valley Parkway east is built with Taxpayer money
- Improvements to 309 & Parkway made with Taxpayer money
- Center Valley Parkway West is built with taxpayer money
- Olympus America is given KOZ 10 year tax free status
- More proposed upgrades to 309 & Center Valley Parkway
- Tons of tourism and economic dev. funds spent to promote events at the SV Country Club
What happened to the free market? Why are we subsidizing sprawl?

You hit the nail on the head. Not only does the Stabler Property come with 10+ year tax free status, Stabler officials make "behind the door" deals with the Township officials. You bet they do.

[The Scotsman]

Miro would never do such a thing.(Please note the sarcasm)

Enough is enough wrote:

<quoted text>
You hit the nail on the head. Not only does the Stabler Property come with 10+ year tax free status, Stabler officials make "behind the door" deals with the Township officials. You bet they do.

[SOS]

But Allentown signed itself up decades ago to agree to be a Welfare State with potential to turn itself into Gangland in the very near future. Allentown sold its soul a long time ago to accommodate the slumlords, drug lords, and lowest common denominators society has to offer. Well done.

Sanofi is a top shelf Pharma. Why would a company like that ever consider moving into the nightmare of Allentown? Perhaps they can create a vaccine for all of Allentown’s social ills while they’re busy working over in Saucon Valley.

[Think before you talk]

It's hard to believe the number of people in this thread that are oblivious to the big picture. Here are some facts to think about.

1) Corporations coming into the area require supporting businesses. Every office building will soon bring - a coffee shop, a few deli's, a few stores, gas stations. Some of these are in place, but more are sure to follow.

2) Corporations don't burden the school districts, houses do. Why should any company fund the education of the public through taxes? They don't send anyone to school.

3) People will relocate closer to the job. The "high wage" jobs that are prevalent in this business will be coming to the area, buying houses, utilizing more local businesses, and paying school taxes.

These are just the top 3 reasons to give tax incentives to corporations. Had this been a condo complex or apartments it would be a different story.

Where does this sense of entitlement that "other people HAVE to pay for the taxpayers immenities?"

Don't you people realize that you would get more bang for your buck if you spent your energy controlling where the government spends the money, rather than crying over where they get it from. As with any budget, where the money goes is more important than where it comes from.

Let's see what genius wants to try to tell me I'm wrong.