Altieri Flip Flops on NIZ

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Leslie Altieri is seeking the Democratic nomination to oppose Marcia hahn for State Representative. When I spoke to her at Friday's forum on the state budget, she was critical of Hahan's 2011 vote for the NIZ. "Altieri was also critical of the NIZ legislation, which Hahn supported in a 2011 vote.

"We don't need to make those investments if it's taking away from other people who directly need our help now," Altieri said at the time. In fact, I recorded her to make sure I would not misquote her.

Now, according to what is apparently a public statement on her Facebook Page, Altieri claims she supports the NIZ.

"I would like to take this opportunity to state that I am in full support of the development of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone in Allentown which will include the new Phantom’s hockey arena. I believe that this will promote job and business growth in the Lehigh Valley – starting from the construction which will employ many skilled and outstanding union workers, to bringing in many new businesses which will hire local employees and create significant positive financial impacts.

"The NIZ is a permanent investment in the future of both the Lehigh Valley and for Allentown. Since the time when I first moved to Bethlehem back in 1998 to attend Moravian College, I have seen a lot of positive changes and know this is an area that is continuing to expand for the better. I knew that this was a place where I would want to stay, have a home to raise a family in, work and become part of my community; which is what I am proud to be doing now!"

So a vote for Altieri is a vote for the NIZ, a vote to support the appropriation of EIT revenue from her own district to prop up the sinking ship known as Allentown.

Then again, a vote for Hahn is also a vote for the NIZ.

In Altieri's case, she seems to like those union construction jobs, even though limited state tax revenue is being dverted from the programs she claimed to support on Friday. In Hahn's case, it appears to be an unwillingness to oppose State Senator Pat Browne, the Majority Whip. In both cases, it's a lack of leadership.

Updated Noon: Altieri's NIZ answer is posted on Youtube. I taped her on my flipcam to be accurate. I should have spoken to her in more detail, but she said what she said.