Senate Bill 367, introduced by Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16), has received unanimous support from the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee. The bill aims to facilitate mandatory audits of local tax transfers within the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ). It grants the independent auditor for the Allentown NIZ Development Authority (ANIZDA) access to state and local tax information of qualified NIZ businesses.
“I’ve been fighting for more transparency and accountability from the NIZ for more than two years, and I think real progress is finally being made,” Coleman stated. He expressed gratitude towards his Democratic colleagues for their support and emphasized the importance of these reforms serving the public interest.
The proposed legislation also addresses concerns regarding the ANIZDA board, where many members continue to serve expired terms. To address this, Coleman’s bill suggests establishing a new board with a revised selection process. The new board would consist of members appointed by various local officials, including three by the mayor and others by state representatives and senators. These members would have staggered but fixed terms and must comply with state ethics requirements.
The bill will now proceed to the full Senate for further consideration.
