Chess match: Brownsville should avoid sideshows
The 20-year-old chess match involving revitalization of downtown Brownsville has played out another stymieing hand, with the state nixing any idea that a $150,000 grant for code enforcement could be redirected toward property acquisition. That idea came in the aftermath of an offer from Ernest Liggett, who owns at least 89 properties in Brownsville, including most of downtown. Last month Liggett told council he was willing to put a “For Sale” sign on his extensive holdings, and would consider transferring ownership to any group that came up with the cash, although no specific price was reportedly mentioned.
Liggett’s short list of potential suitors included the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp., the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority, Fay-Penn Economic Development Council and, or course, any private investors.
While apparently sincere, the timing of Liggett’s offer seems interesting. It came just as the redevelopment authority, which obtained the aforementioned state grant on behalf of the borough, was taking steps to hire a code enforcement officer just to focus on downtown.
Since “downtown” is synonymous with “Liggett properties” in Brownsville, it’s pretty clear that no one needs to visit the optometrist to see the handwriting on this proverbial wall. From his or her first day on the job, the part-time code enforcement officer will be checking out Liggett properties.
Could that have something to do with his decision to sell? Maybe. Maybe not. But it sure seems a tad coincidental. And it doesn’t take a political scientist to figure out that if money earmarked for code enforcement is used instead to purchase Liggett buildings, well, there just wouldn’t be anything left for any code enforcement.
However, in the aftermath of Liggett’s offer, Councilman John Hosler suggested the borough investigate the possible redirection of grant money. Even if the state approved such a switch, how much Liggett property would $150,000 buy?
The answer is: “Not much.” A check of the Fayette County tax assessment Web site shows that a single property owned by Liggett’s Manor Investments Ltd., located at 4 Market St., is assessed at $88,150. A second commercial property, at 21 Market St., is assessed at $18,790. That’s $107,000 for two properties. The remaining $43,000 might buy one or two more – hardly enough to put a dent into the required effort to revitalization effort.
Through the years Liggett’s plans for Brownsville have resembled an economic strip tease: an outlet store mecca, the site of riverboat gambling, conventional casinos operated by displaced Native Americans. None of those has come to fruition, for whatever reasons.
We commend Liggett for offering his properties for sale. – But $150,000 wouldn’t carry out much of anyone’s revitalization effort.Borough officials should remain focused on the primary job at hand – code enforcement. They shouldn’t get sidetracked by any sideshow.