By Fred Gaffney, President, Columbia Alliance for Economic Growth

Recently, the Columbia County Industrial Development Authority (CCIDA) and Columbia Alliance were seeking approval to bring significant tax incentives to the new Columbia County Business Park in Scott Township, Columbia County. Designation as a Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone (KOEZ) would have been a significant tool in marketing the Park by maximizing the competitiveness of the site in relation to the 3,700+ KOZ/KOEZ acres currently available in surrounding counties. Authorization was required by the County Commissioners, Central Columbia School Board, and Scott Township Board of Supervisors. Last Wednesday, Press Enterprise ran an article predicated by the Supervisors’ vote. There were two issues in the article that need clarification.

The article incorrectly stated that “38 acres in the park are designated for industry. The rest is reserved for commercial business.” No acreage or parcels have been designated for specific use. The entire parcel is zoned light industrial. In Scott Township, this zoning designation also permits commercial uses. In the applications to the State and Federal funding agencies for this project, it was suggested that, due to the situation of the parcel at the interchange, up to 12 acres might be utilized for traditional interchange commercial development. Therefore, my statement was that the park could have no more than 12 acres of traditional highway commercial use. The Press did print a correction on this issue. The goal of the CCIDA and Alliance is to create higher-wage, higher-density job opportunities, not offer competitive advantages against existing local employers.

Additionally, two of the Scott Township Supervisors questioned why the CCIDA and Alliance “waited until now to spring the idea on them considering the project’s been in the works for years.” Authorization for new KOZ/KOEZ applications is by legislative action. PA Senate Bill 1237, which authorized new applications, was only passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor in mid-February of this year. We learned of details of the latest authorization on February 28th. Following that, the CCIDA and Alliance Boards discussed the opportunity and decided to move forward with the request for authorization by the taxing bodies. Our solicitor then had to draft the language of the resolution and PILOT agreement with consistency between the Township, County, and School District. We may have been able to get the information to the Township a meeting or two sooner, but the idea was first discussed with the Supervisors at their April 24th meeting. At the May 8th meeting, we again discussed and attempted to address any of Supervisors’ concerns by the meeting on the 22nd. The article accurately noted that there is a June 1 application deadline. In no way did the CCIDA and Alliance intend to blindside the Supervisors with this request.

The Commissioners voted to authorize KOEZ designation at their meeting on May 3rd by a 2 to 1 vote. The Central Columbia School District approved the measure at their meeting on May 7th by an 8 to 1 vote. The PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) requires approval by all local taxing bodies impacted, so the Business Park cannot be included in SEDA-COG’s central region application with the Township Supervisors’ tie vote of 2-2 last Tuesday.

While disappointed in the final outcome of the KOEZ proposal, the CCIDA and Alliance plan to aggressively market the site with a goal of attracting quality, long-term jobs opportunities once construction is completed in the coming weeks. The Park was developed without an initial prospect of incentive programs, and while there are other options to be discussed, the Boards remain optimistic about the success of this project.

The Chamber held a Construction Update and Meet & Greet for Berwick businesses last week at the Berwick Elks. Approximately 35 members attended this event to listen to representatives from the Borough, PennDOT, and Peters Consultants. The representatives provided an overview of the construction project as well as a projected outline of paving efforts. PennDOT will be conducting overnight paving in order to alleviate traffic problems. The Chamber and Berwick Task Force are working on efforts to provide road closure updates and detours to the public.

PennDOT announced at the Construction Update and Meet & Greet that both PennDOT and Barletta Materials & Construction Inc. will be holding an informational meeting Wednesday, May 23rd in the Reliance Fire Hall at 2:00p.m. The public is invited to attend this meeting which will provide an overview of the Route 11 road construction project. PennDOT will also discuss the upcoming paving schedule. No RSVP is needed.

Kevin Smith of PennDOT explaining the paving stages.

The Chamber’s Annual Golf Outing sponsored by at&t will be held on Thursday, May 24th at Mill Race Golf Course in Benton. Registration and lunch will start at 11:00 a.m. followed by a noon shotgun start. For just $85 per golfer or $340 per team (foursome), you can participate in this relaxing day of golf. This full golf package includes your green fees, lunch, cart, beverages on the course, a dinner including made to order steaks, and great prizes.  There will be a hole in one prize of $10,000 and 4 other great hole in one prizes courtesy of Alexander Family Buick GMC Truck.

Numerous business deals are closed on the golf course, if you don’t play; this is the perfect opportunity to learn. If you do play, this is a perfect opportunity to get to know potential new customers in a serene setting with the scent of freshly cut greens. Register for this event today!

To maximize your exposure at the Golf Outing, take advantage of the Chamber’s sponsorship opportunities. From the Beverage Sponsors to our newly improved Hole Sponsor  there is an opportunity for all businesses large and small.

Below is a list of our current sponsors:

Event:       

Dinner: MetroCast Communications
Lunch: Berwick Hospital Center
Beverage: Mid-Penn Engineering
Hole-In-One: Alexander Family Buick GMC Truck
Snack: First Columbia Bank & Trust, ServPro of Columbia Montour & Sullivan Counties
Dessert: Berwick Medicine Shop, Zimmer Insurance Agency
Hole: Twin Bridges Storage, Dillon Floral, GordnerCoombs Insurance Inc., Berwick Hospital Center, 3B Consultant Services, Inc., Philadelphia Federal Credit Union, Burkavage Design, Lewis Barlett Klees, First Keystone Community Bank, Barry Isett & Associates Inc., ChamberChoice, Geisinger Health Plan, Walkers Jewelers, Peters Consultants
For more information on this event or any of our sponsorship opportunities please contact Amy Shortlidge at 752-3601 or ashortlidge@columbiamontourchamber.com.

Rain or shine, thousands of visitors will fill the streets of historic downtown Bloomsburg for the Renaissance Jamboree. This festival has something for everyone, free entertainment, games, food stands, and hundreds of art and craft vendors. The Jamboree is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and parking is available at the Fairgrounds. There will be a handicapped – accessible shuttle running all day from the Fairgrounds to the Jamboree.

The Renaissance Jamboree provides an opportunity for many local non-profit organizations to generate extra revenue. So come out and enjoy this fun, family oriented community event!

The collaboration of the University, Downtown Bloomsburg, the Town of Bloomsburg, and the Chamber help to make this great event possible. A special thank you to all the volunteers that spend numerous hours putting together this great event.

For more information, call the Chamber at 784-2522 or email Eleanor Stokley at estokley@columbiamontourchamber.com

As organizations that collectively represent close to 600 area businesses, the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce and Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau recognize the importance of maintaining connections with elected officials. Our joint Government Affairs Committee addresses issues that impact our members and communities. The Committee recently invited the two Democratic candidates for State Representative for the 109^th District to provide their position on issues of importance to the business community prior to the April 24^th primary. Neither the Chamber nor Visitors Bureau endorses any political party of specific candidate.

James Geffken, 38, lives in Benton and serves as the Director of Buildings and Grounds for the Berwick Area School District. Daniel D. Knorr, II, 26, lives in Bloomsburg and has been Mayor of the Town since 2005. He works as an auditor for Rose Consulting in Lightstreet.

Last year, the Legislature passed Act 6 of 2011 which reformed Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation system. However, the system still has holes that burden employers and allow abuse. Further, the reforms did not solve the insolvency of the UC Trust Fund. What additional reforms do you feel are needed to the UC system?

Geffken: First off, I would agree that there are some holes in Act 6 which allow for potential abuse of the Unemployment Compensation system. In my opinion, Act 6 should have been presented as an either / or scenario. Either an agreed upon severance package representing greater than 40% of an expected annual salary, or eligibility to collect Unemployment Compensation for  a defined time period (All of which should exclude payments for pension, retirement, accrued leave or defined supplemental benefits.). The current act forces businesses to calculate a payment for severance for exiting employees based on a probable reduction in the company’s Unemployment Compensation contributions for said employee going forward. It does not alleviate the financial burden on the employer. The current set up allows the recently unemployed to double dip with both cash payouts and adjusted Unemployment Compensation income. I do not believe that this creates incentive to return to the workforce. 

Knorr: With the recent recession and long-term high rates of unemployment, Pennsylvania has been paying out more money from its UC Trust Fund than it has been taking in over the past several years, resulting in a UC Trust Fund deficit of approximately $4 billion. While unemployment compensation is a crucial and necessary safety net for those who are out of work through no fault of their own, the benefits being offered have, over time, grown beyond the system’s original intent as a temporary measure for those who have given their efforts and abilities to the workforce. 

Unfortunately, there has been no action to address the UC Trust Fund’s insolvency and federal obligation. As State Representative, I will actively work to bringPennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation system closer to its original intent and purpose by tightening eligibility and beneficiary accountability, by supporting measures that reduce system abuse, and by fighting to ensure that UC Trust Fund solvency is not restored solely on the backs of the already-struggling business community.

What reforms, if any, do you feel are needed to Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation system?

Geffken: I believe that one of the main issues is the perception of and unfortunate reality of the systems abuse. I would like to see the development of a continual evaluation, and occupational therapy / retraining program set into effect as a condition of acceptance of Workers’ Compensation payments. While I remain sensitive to the needs of injured workers, I believe that the rehabilitation and when necessary retraining of workers is vital to validating the Workers’ Compensation process. Workers’ Compensation is ideally structured as a short term solution but too often becomes a drug out process en-route to disability claims. I believe that safeguards can be added to the process which would insure the active participation of claimants in their own recovery.

Knorr: As Mayor of the Town of Bloomsburg, a role in which I oversee nearly fifty employees across several different fields, I recognize the importance and support the payment of benefits to employees injured as the result of work-related occupational injuries and illnesses.  However, I likewise understand the need to protect employers’ rights, benefits and interests, too. 

There has been little activity in the legislature towards finding ways to improve Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation system. As State Representative, I would actively work to ensure that benefits are only for legitimate, work-related occupational injuries and illnesses and that the ultimate goal of the system is to aid in the safe return of employees to productive and rewarding employment.

A number of bills were advanced by the House Labor and Industry Committee last October which would reform Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage Act. (H.B. 1271, H.B. 1685, H.B. 1329, H.B. 1367, H.B. 1541, H.B. 709, H.B. 1191) Most of these bills have stalled due to lack of support. Do you support any or all of these bills?

Geffken: The pending reforms to the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act are pretty interesting.  Although these House Bills are presented in several forums as a block, their potential impacts should be discussed individually.

• House Bill 709 – Makes the Prevailing Wage Act a local option for school districts by school board referendum.

This Bill along with HB1191 and HB1271 is really at its heart a Right toWork State versus a Prevailing Wage State issue. The danger of this lies in its underlying union busting agenda. I believe that many of the issues that impede the daily operations challenges of school districts would be alleviated by the passage of HB1329 which would raise the Prevailing Wage Act bid threshold.

• House Bill 1191- Makes the Prevailing Wage Act a local option for municipalities or school districts by ordinance or referendum.

This is really just an expansion of HB 709 with the addition of municipalities and the ability to opt out of Prevailing Wage through ordinance which could be done at one time and therefore avoid the need for continual per project referendum votes. Again, I believe that a properly constructed HB1329 could trump this issue.

• House Bill 1271- Exempts several basic road maintenance actions from the Prevailing Wage Act.

Again, this could be handled under HB1329 and would be redundant for projects under a reasonable financial threshold, which routine maintenance should fall within. I believe that it is unnecessary legislation.

• House Bill 1329- Increases the total cost that a public project must exceed in order to fall under the jurisdiction of the Prevailing Wage Act from $25,000.00 to $185,000.00 – to then be adjusted annually based on changes to the Consumer Price Index.

I completely agree with this piece of legislation and I believe that it is the key to finding a proper balance between protecting the integrity of major projects and union jobs without holding local school districts and municipalities hostage over union wages during routine maintenance and small project development.  I also believe that this piece of legislation promotes opportunities for smaller scale, local businesses to serve their communities in an expanded role, as it gives them an option to compete for mid-level projects, and maintenance contracts.

• House Bill 1541- Requires a public project to be at least 51 percent publicly funded in order to fall under the Prevailing Wage Act.

This Bill could come under fire for not having a cap dollar amount.  I believe adding one would make it more passable.  However, I personally think that this is a good way to encourage more private / public partnerships for community and school improvement projects.

• House Bill 1685- requires the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to develop one set of job classification definitions for use by contractors statewide, making compliance with the Prevailing Wage Act’s payment requirements easier for contractors.

I would support this.  The current system is confusing, difficult to enforce and an unnecessary burden on contractors, architects, engineers and specification writers.

Knorr: In my role on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, I have continually fought for reform of Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage Act.  While I support fair and gainful wages for those contracted to work on large, expansive projects, due to a complete lack of legislative action since 1961, the current cost threshold of $25,000 includes virtually every public infrastructure undertaking. 

As State Representative, I will work to increase the threshold to reflect the current value of the dollar, fight to better define those projects that fall under the prevailing wage mandate, and look to automatically adjust the project threshold for inflation moving forward so thatPennsylvaniadoes not find itself in this same situation again.

Governor Corbett’s proposed 2012-13 budget would permanently eliminate $30M in conservation, park and recreation funding from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and use the Fund to pay for general government operations. (http://conservationadvocate.org/keystone-fund/) Do you support this proposal?

Geffken: Governor Corbett’s proposed elimination of $30,000,000.00 in funding from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund is just plain wrong.  I do not and will not support any legislation that threatens to undermine the continued management and development of our natural recreational environment. I am and avid outdoorsman who would argue for the addition of funding and absolutely stand in opposition to any reductions in this important funding stream.

Knorr: I do not support Governor Corbett’s proposal. The Keystone Fund, which allocates a small portion of the state’s real estate transfer tax to recreation, conservation and open space, has been overwhelmingly supported and utilized by the voters of Pennsylvania since its inception in 1993. The monies invested into the Keystone Fund have been used at every level of Pennsylvania government to improve outdoor recreational opportunities, enhance health, and stimulate local economies.

Governor Corbett’s proposal puts a quick, one-time boost over long-term investment in the quality of life for the people of our Commonwealth. It is a short-sighted proposal that attempts to make up for the lack of a true, comprehensive economic plan and vision. One ofPennsylvania’s greatest assets is our natural habitat, and as State Representative, I will fight to ensure that our citizens have the chance to experience and enjoy it.

Do you have an economic development plan or goals for the Commonwealth?

Geffken: I believe that it is time to develop legislation that will more effectively deal with Property Tax Reform. One of the main weaknesses in our current system is in the unfairness of the current assessment process. I would propose that Property Tax be levied based upon agreed property value at the time of construction or sale, with reassessment only at the time of re-sale or renovation.  This would have the two fold effect of increasing taxable revenue for municipalities and school districts by providing real higher taxable value for recently sold and renovated properties, while protecting the assets of long term property holders and senior citizens.

Knorr: Currently, there is little to no economic leadership or vision being proposed for our Commonwealth. We are moving from one budgetary crisis to the next, and our legislators merely hope for better revenues and increased economic activity. As Mayor of the Town of Bloomsburg, I have shown that economic success and fiscal responsibility can be had even in the midst of the worst of recessions, producing three, consecutive surpluses while fighting any attempt at raising taxes during my five years in the position.

In order to better develop our economy and become more competitive, our legislature needs to first recognize the important role investment plays in our Commonwealth’s long-term economic health. While I will always be on the lookout for waste and abuse as State Representative, we cannot reduce or decline our way to prosperity. Rather, I will fight to ensure continued investment in our infrastructure, higher education, public education, and quality of life.

Secondly,Pennsylvania needs a more competitive corporate income tax structure.  At 9.9%, the Commonwealth has one of the very highest rates in the nation. By reducing business tax rates, closing loopholes, creating a tiered system so that people have an incentive to start small, start-up businesses, and by closing the “Delaware loophole” that allows companies headquartered in Delaware but operating in Pennsylvania the ability to write-off trademarks, patents, or investments as business expenses, thereby reducing their tax obligation to Pennsylvania, we can make our Commonwealth more competitive, business-friendly, and prosperous.

The 109^th District needs a state representative who will actively pursue such economic and fiscal reform and will become a leader for Columbia County as well as for Pennsylvania.

Member businesses and individuals of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce were recognized during the organization’s 71st Annual Meeting on Thursday, February 2nd.  The event was held at Rolling Pines Golf Course & Banquet Facility in Berwick, and was sponsored by PPL Corporation. 

More than 190 people attended the dinner meeting which celebrated outstanding member achievements, elected members to the Board of Directors, highlighted Chamber activities of the past year, and previewed the year ahead.

During the event, four Chamber Member Awards were presented for their significant contributions to the business community.  The Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by First Columbia Bank & Trust, was presented to Walker’s Jewelers of Berwick.  The Large Business of the Year Award, sponsored by the Columbia Alliance for Economic Growth, was presented to Kawneer Inc. / Alcoa Foundation.  The Community Progress Award, sponsored by Berwick Hospital Center, was awarded to Service 1st Federal Credit Union of Danville.  And the Outstanding Citizen Award, sponsored by the Berwick Industrial Development Association, was presented to Eileen Chapman.

Featured from left to right: Joe Scopelitti of PPL (Chamber Board Chair) , Axel Heinrich of Kawneer/Alcoa Foundation, Jeff Cerminaro of Walker’s Jewelers, Karen Wood, Tom Rambo, & Linda Brown of Service 1st Federal Credit Union, Eileen Chapman of AGAPE, and Fred Gaffney (Chamber President)