Board, council critics skip KOZ meeting
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share thisBY JEREMY G. BURTON
Bringing together elected Scranton officials to discuss extending tax incentives for developers is proving easier said than done.
Supporters of renewing Keystone Opportunity Zones - including a majority of Scranton City Council and a county commissioner - met Thursday at the behest of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce to talk about the issue. Austin Burke, chamber president, fielded questions and outlined why he believes the tax breaks are crucial to creating jobs.
But no one from the school board attended. Neither did council's KOZ critics.
In response to Mr. Burke's invitation, school board President Thomas Gilbride wrote a letter calling for an open meeting Wednesday at Scranton High School, which he said would be a better forum for KOZ applicants and the public. Mr. Burke, seeking a renewed KOZ for a major chamber project, called the board meeting a welcome idea.
The county has already approved extensions for all unoccupied KOZs, but the requests also need to pass council and the school board. Council has a special caucus scheduled Monday to weigh 21 requests before a vote Tuesday.
At the chamber, the crowd of 17 included council President Bob McGoff, Councilwomen Judy Gatelli and Sherry Nealon Fanucci and Commissioner Corey O'Brien, along with chamber and county staffers.
Mr. Burke said KOZs are "not a perfect incentive," but the city needs them to stay competitive in the region for business.
Mr. O'Brien said "our chances for success dwindle dramatically if we don't have this tool in our arsenal."
Without KOZs, investors "might as well write us off the map," said Ms. Fanucci, who called the tax breaks key to luring jobs and said it's nonsense that critics call them welfare for the wealthy.
Mr. Burke said current tax-exempt sites are home to more than 6,200 jobs in the county.
Ms. Fanucci lamented the school board's absence. Mr. McGoff said a board meeting Wednesday would not impact council acting first.
Mrs. Gatelli, a skeptic on KOZs, said she won't approve all the requests, but "the rest, we'll see."
The chamber meeting was not public, but Mr. Burke allowed a Times-Tribune reporter to attend. Individual KOZ requests weren't discussed.
Meetings must be public under the state's Sunshine Act if there is a quorum to take "official action and deliberations."
Mr. McGoff and Mr. O'Brien said the gathering was informational and educational.
Contact the writer: jburton@timesshamrock.com
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