Norristown council supports tax abatement plan

NORRISTOWN >> Council voted Nov. 5 to ask Montgomery County officials to support a 10-year tax abatement for a proposed $25 million apartment building.

The council action also sought a collaborative meeting to enjoin the developer, Westrum Development Co., to employ local workers and members of a Norristown laborers union. Council and the Norristown Area school board have already approved the LERTA tax abatement. Montgomery County `is the third, and last, taxing authority to act on the tax abatement.

Daniel Woodall Jr., the business manager for Laborers International Union of North America, Local 135, said the 10-year tax abatement for the proposed apartment building at 900 Sandy St. should be overturned. The union represents 800 workers including 200 Norristown residents, he said.

Mr. [John] Westrum does not work very well with our laborers union, said Woodall. I would like council to reconsider the tax abatement and rescind it.

Bernard Griggs, a representative of the building trades council, said, Westrum has no intention of working with local labor. We ask that you reconsider the tax abatement.

Tyrone Baker, an IBEW union member, said, If he is granted 10-year use of a tax abatement. He is not even a resident of Norristown. I pray you reconsider that vote.

Resident Jacqueline Jones said, I think if I have to pay taxes everybody else should pay taxes.

Council member Marlon Millner said, I would like us to send a letter to the board of commissioners supporting this project and asking them to broker a meeting with the construction trades over the tax abatement issue.

Municipal Administrator Crandall Jones said the tax abatement was not on the current tax on the undeveloped land. The tax abatement on the new $25 million apartment building would begin after one year and amount to a 100 percent abatement in the first year, diminishing over 10 years, to a 10 percent abatement.

Jones said the abatement would total $2.1 million for Norristown, the Norristown Area School District and Montgomery County. Continued...

The rest is here:
Norristown council supports tax abatement plan