With millions of dollars of economic development on the line, Scranton's city council met Tuesday to determine if some properties should remain tax free.
It was a packed crowd in Scranton's city council chambers for a Tuesday morning. Taxpayers were there to talk taxes, specifically Keystone Opportunity Zones, or KOZs. They allow businesses to develop land without paying state and local taxes for seven or 10 years.
"All KOZs do is allow people to live and businesses to operate outside of their means, seven to 10 years longer than maybe they should," said Brett McCloe of Scranton.
He was one of many residents in attendance, upset that about 20 undeveloped properties in the city could get extensions on their current tax free, KOZ status set to expire next year.
One of those big KOZ properties, the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center on West Linden street. Machinery continues to prepare the site for development. More than $7 million has been spent to bring new business there.
Chamber leaders said there are currently seven businesses considering building there and none of them is from Scranton. That's why, they said, that KOZ status is so important.
"Several of those companies, it does hinge on it. There may be one or two we can get to relocate here one way or another but we will not get all the opportunities that we want here. We will miss opportunities for new jobs in Scranton if it doesn't get KOZ status," explained Austin Burke of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
He added the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center will bring dozens of family- sustaining jobs.
After heated discussion between residents and city council, members approved the KOZ extension for the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center but not for every property.
The Mount Pleasant Corporate Center has one more hurdle to jump before its KOZ extension is official.
Mount Pleasant still needs the okay from the Scranton School Board. There is a meeting Wednesday night.
It was a packed crowd in Scranton's city council chambers for a Tuesday morning. Taxpayers were there to talk taxes, specifically Keystone Opportunity Zones, or KOZs. They allow businesses to develop land without paying state and local taxes for seven or 10 years.
"All KOZs do is allow people to live and businesses to operate outside of their means, seven to 10 years longer than maybe they should," said Brett McCloe of Scranton.
He was one of many residents in attendance, upset that about 20 undeveloped properties in the city could get extensions on their current tax free, KOZ status set to expire next year.
One of those big KOZ properties, the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center on West Linden street. Machinery continues to prepare the site for development. More than $7 million has been spent to bring new business there.
Chamber leaders said there are currently seven businesses considering building there and none of them is from Scranton. That's why, they said, that KOZ status is so important.
"Several of those companies, it does hinge on it. There may be one or two we can get to relocate here one way or another but we will not get all the opportunities that we want here. We will miss opportunities for new jobs in Scranton if it doesn't get KOZ status," explained Austin Burke of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
He added the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center will bring dozens of family- sustaining jobs.
After heated discussion between residents and city council, members approved the KOZ extension for the Mount Pleasant Corporate Center but not for every property.
The Mount Pleasant Corporate Center has one more hurdle to jump before its KOZ extension is official.
Mount Pleasant still needs the okay from the Scranton School Board. There is a meeting Wednesday night.
