EASTON, Pa. – Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure said in a statement Thursday evening that the Northampton County Council has ‘refused’ to approve the proposed Tax Increment Financing plan (TIF).

The proposed TIF has been the subject of discussion by Northampton County leaders for over a year. 

Northampton County Council still not sold on tax break for Dixie building redevelopment

The tax financing plan is tied to the $185 million redevelopment of Wilson borough’s old Dixie Cup plant.

Under the TIF, developers would continue to pay taxes on the more than 10-acre property’s pre-construction value but would not pay the reassessed tax value on the completed building for 20 years.

The Wilson Area School District and Wilson borough also had to approve the TIF, and did. Northampton County Council, after getting the approval from its Industrial Redevelopment Authority, has now shut the plan down.

In a statement released Thursday night, Lamont McClure said in part:

“Council’s decision also forfeits $1.1 million that would have been invested directly into affordable housing within Northampton County, funding that could have provided real relief to working families and residents most in need.

With Wilson Borough and the Wilson Area School District both voting in favor, the County Council’s refusal stands out as obstructive and denies residents the benefits of a plan that had broad local support.

While the federal government is shut down and Pennsylvania lacks a state budget, County Council had the chance to act decisively for its residents. Instead, this decision delays potential economic growth, housing opportunities, and community improvements for those who would have gained the most.”