Increased criminal activity taxes North Belle Vernon police
Posted By Admin on August 31, 2011
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NORTH BELLE VERNON Mayor Ed Lyons said a migration of tenants to rental properties in the borough has added to a spike in police activity.
Our incident reports have doubled compared to last year, which is not a very good situation, he said at a council meeting Tuesday. There appears to be a migration into the community, which is requiring additional police action.
Lyons said people who have moved into the borough from other areas have been involved in drug activity and domestic disputes, along with several repeat offenders who are long-time North Belle Vernon residents.
We have our own, home-bred-type people causing difficulties, and you have other people coming in from other municipalities renting these apartments, he said. The apartments are probably being rented cheaper. As a consequence, the police car has to go there more often.
Lyons urged council to adopt an ordinance it has considered for several months that would require landlords to provide the borough with names of tenants and have properties inspected when new people move in.
Council members Brett Berish and Diann Donaldson, both landlords, said a recurring, annual fee in the proposed ordinance is the hangup.
The proposed ordinance states that landlords would have to pay an occupancy fee for each tenant, each year they rent in the borough.
If Im renting to (someone) for 20 years, why should I have to pay every year and have somebody come in and look at everything? Berish asked.
Berish said other landlords have complained about the proposed fee.
I have no problem with the ordinance, but I think we need to not have to crush people on these yearly fees, he said. Youre not punishing the bad people. Youre going after the good, and I would be upset if that was happening to me.
Basically, its like taxing people (per) person for having a good rental property, Councilman Craig Ambrose said.
Donaldson said she supports the ordinance but also said the fee should be applied once – when new tenants move in.
Right now, I have stable tenants, good tenants, she said. I do believe that in ways Im being punished because I keep my rental properties. I do criminal background checks and credit checks to make sure they are good citizens. Landlords like myself and Mr. Berish are rare, and stable tenants are rare.
The mayor said the ordinance should be top priority.
What it needs is a committee review, and thats where it was held up before. That committee never met, Lyons said.
In an unrelated matter, streets superintendent Dennis Hill said the borough crew on Thursday will begin cutting overgrowth in alleys.
Lyons said the crew will also watch for garbage and debris some residents have been placing in alleys.
The mayor said citations will be issued for those dumping in the alleys.
He added that residents are responsible for trimming overgrowth from their properties that extends into alleyways.
Council agreed to advertise an ordinance that would increase the fine for late payment of refuse bills to $600. It now ranges from $100 to $300.
The board agreed to advertise an ordinance that would increase the occupational privilege tax from $10 to $52.
Donaldson said anyone making less than $12,000 a year would be exempt. Donaldson said 247 people who work in the borough would have to pay the tax, which would be taken in a lump sum at the beginning of each year or near the anniversary date of employment.
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