LETTER: Broken promises

"WGAL is reporting that the hotel and convention center plans to hire 150 people, at $8.50 to $15 an hour. It was not made clear how many of these jobs would be full-time or part-time.

"So far, the project will cost taxpayers well over $140 million, nearly half over 40 years, plus interest. In addition, taxpayers will need to subsidize the operation of project with well over $1 million a year, every year,
forever.

"How can this possibly make any kind of economic sense?

"Where is the return on investment of OUR taxpayer dollars? Especially since the entire project will pay no real estate taxes whatsoever for at least 20 years, and the largest part will be tax-exempt forever.

"From the LCCCA web site: http://www.lccca.com/projectBackgrounder.htm

'Project Benefits

"'In late 2000, the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority commissions an independent study to evaluate and quantify the community benefits of the project. According to the analysis, the convention center and hotel will:

* Create 520 to 590 construction jobs.
* Create 200 to 300 full-time jobs to staff the hotel and convention center.'

"What ever happened to their promises?"