Emrick Details Allentown NIZ Tax Decision

"Tax dollars aren't for sports arenas."

That quote from , during his legislative breakfast in Forks Township Friday, basically summed up his feelings regarding the use of local dollars helping pay for Allentown's hockey arena.

Emrick and members of the Lehigh Valley House Republican delegation voted Saturday to discontinue the practice, which was protested by government bodies in Forks and Palmer townships.

even joined a lawsuit with several other municipalities to protest the move.

The taxes were being collected from residents who work within Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone to pay for the proposed $220 million ice hockey arena complex.

The taxes were earmarked to repay bonds issued by Allentown to fund economic development projects.

"A deal was cut behind the scenes in 2009," Emrick said. "But why should people who live in Forks and Palmer have to pay for a hockey arena in Allentown?"

So legislators go to work to discontinue the tax, thus ending the lawsuits.

"We appreciate the support of our House and Senate colleagues in making this critical change to Pennsylvania's fiscal code," the Lehigh Valley legislators said in a joint statement. "We have heard loud and clear from the people of the Lehigh Valley, who expect and deserve good stewardship of their hard-earned tax dollars."

Emrick said the issue was a complex one to resolve because of the litigation.

"When I walked away from voting, that was a huge victory," he said. "We were able to crack that problem. Tax dollars aren't for sports arenas. It's not the taxpayers' responsibility."