The Lehigh County commissioners will hold a public hearing next month on a proposed “wealth tax” that proponents say could generate more than $25.5 million annually by taxing Lehigh County residents who own stocks, bonds and other assets. County Controller Mark Pinsley is proposing a tax of $4 per $1,000 of asset value on selected financial assets. Without the new revenue or cuts, Pinsley says Lehigh County could be forced to increase property taxes as much as to 21% in the next budget cycle. The meeting date is June 17th.
Rescue crews were needed after a crash in Bethlehem on Thursday. Officials said three people were taken to the hospital following a two-vehicle collision at New Street and Elizabeth Avenue, including a person who reportedly had to be freed by first responders using the jaws of life. Their conditions are still unknown. The crash is being investigated.
The convenience store wars may be getting a new participant. The Bethlehem Planning Commission heard an application Thursday night for a proposed Royal Farms convenience store and gas station near Lehigh Valley International Airport. The plan is for the 5,194-square-foot store and fueling station at 2355 Avenue A. The closest Royal Farms is in Montgomery County.
A touch of summer is on its way. "It's going to feel more like summer. Looks like we'll get into the 90s both Monday and Tuesday," says Accu-Weather's John Ferrick. He says we'll at least approach record highs early next week.
Pennsylvania State Police are acknowledging a communication failure following the discovery of an alleged "hit list" targeting state lawmakers. PSP Acting Commissioner Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens said the department failed to "fully notify" lawmakers as more names were found on the list allegedly made by Lebanon County resident Adam Berryhill. Berryhill was arrested last week after authorities said he posted the list and other threats on social media. Bivens said PSP is revising its notification process to ensure all involved parties and law enforcement are informed more quickly.
Hersheypark's workers' union is addressing concerns about a possible strike with the park's summer season less than a week away. Officials with Chocolate Workers Local 464 say "no strike is imminent," and they plan to return to the bargaining table in the coming days. The union acknowledged rumors about a strike being considered, but said that no work stoppage has been authorized at this time. Hershey Entertainment and Resorts said it remains committed to a deal that supports both employees and the company.
A bill advancing through the New Jersey legislature to shield transgender patients and their health providers from prosecution has been amended, so all references to "gender-affirming care" have been removed. The Assembly Health Committee was scheduled to take up the bill Thursday, after the Senate Health Committee approved the amended version on Monday. The original and edited versions of the legislation are meant to protect abortion patients and providers, and redefine reproductive treatments and services to include those used by transgender patients. If passed and signed into law, the measure would make it illegal to interfere with those services.
Renting a home at the Shore this summer will take lots of cash. Zillow reports that renting a home in Margate City will set you back about 21-thousand dollars a month, the most of any community in the state. NJ-dot-com reports Ventnor City is a relative bargain, with rentals coming in at around five-thousand dollars a month. Atlantic City is among the least expensive places to rent at just under two-thousand dollars.
At his year end news conference, Flyers general manager Danny Briere said the Flyers success this year and rebuilding plan overall are making Philadelphia a destination for players around the league. "Even before, they knew how well they'd be treated here but now that we have a team that's fighting for a playoff spot, a team that's on the upswing, I think that has them excited. I've seen that players around the league are taking notice of that as well," Briere says. The Flyers also released a list of players who played through injuries in the playoffs, including Travis Konecny playing with a broken rib and broken nose; Christian Dvorak playing with a broken rib and separated shoulder; and Garnet Hathaway playing with a broken fibula.
At the team's yearend media availability, Sixers interim director of basketball operations Bob Myers says his search for Daryl Morey's replacement as the team's general manager will center on character and leadership. Myers says there are a lot of subsets that fall beneath those two qualities. "There's responsibilities for managing star players. There's responsibilities of managing up to ownership. There's contract negotiations. There's a draft process. There's evaluating analytics. There's medical staff. You go down the line, these jobs have an enormity to them so I'm looking to find someone that can check as many of those boxes as possible," Myers says. He says he'd like to have Morey's replacement in place before the June 23rd, but says the goal is to have the right person in place for a long time after that date.