(9th in a series of posts on Wind Creek Bethlehem)
Steve Melnick has had a career in economic development for over 35 years in several states, with the last 20 years here in Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley.
Gadfly:
It seems to me that Mr Callahan is trying to set an very acrimonious tone with Wind Creek. Politically, it would appear that the mayoral race is already underway, and Mr. Callahan is trying to present himself as the advocate for the common man rather than the big corporate donors that have funded his campaigns in the past. It is beyond comprehension to expect Wind Creek to willingly overpay their taxes just to make life easier for city council during their budget negotiations. In an attempt to position himself as the financial watchdog for the city, and in the interest of transparency, I would presume that he chastised the Benner building owners when they did the same thing and asked the city to backstop a $17 million dollar garage for their primary use. I presume that Mr Callahan has also had this discussion with the owners of the Martin Tower site as well as with Jeff Parks and his group over their project. Fair play across the board.
Steve