Schember and Laughlin: Erie must speak with 'one voice' and seek a CRIZ to fund growth

The city of Erie has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain a City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we are excited to set aside politics, reach across the aisle, and work together on our application. We are committed to leaving a legacy by doing what's best for our residents and the entire region.

Since 2018, the city has more than tripled our revolving loan funds for businesses from $6.2 million to $21.5 million and brought in more than $80 million in grant funding to implement initiatives. This is extraordinary; however, we cannot count on grants alone.

If we can speak with one voice to Harrisburg and are awarded a CRIZ, we will be able to bring back around $10 million in state revenue each year. This comes from seven state taxes businesses pay that can be invested in the city's CRIZ: corporate net income tax, capital stock and franchise tax, bank shares tax, sales and use tax, state hotel tax, personal income tax, malt or brewed beverage tax and liquor taxes.

Erie urgently needs this sustainable funding for economic development, industrial blight remediation, brownfield development, environmental cleanups, real estate acquisition, demolition, site preparation, construction and grants and loans for small businesses for façade improvements, equipment and expansion. This is an incredible economic development tool that will enable us to leverage millions more in private and public investments.

We have already done a lot of work to prepare our application, and there's much more to be accomplished before the application window opens. In partnership with Infinite Erie, Erie Insurance, the Erie Community Foundation, Erie County Redevelopment Authority, and Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, we have begun to create the master business list, hone the Infinite Erie Investment Playbook, and identify the 130-acre CRIZ map, which will encompass various commercial districts throughout the urban core.

On Wednesday, July 19, and Wednesday, Aug. 2, we will ask City Council to pass an ordinance creating the City of Erie CRIZ Authority and appointing the inaugural board so we can expedite our application.

Background: Erie poised to take another shot at state’s CRIZ program to fuel economic development

To appoint a qualified, well-rounded board, we carefully selected each director based on their individual qualifications, the state's guidelines, and a diverse mix of skills in the areas of law, finance, banking, economic development, community development, planning, project management, project engineering, real estate development and environmental remediation. We are happy to introduce the candidates for the board of directors of the City of Erie CRIZ Authority:

Emily Aloiz holds a master's degree in historic preservation. She serves in the Erie County Planning Department as the transportation planning administrator. Emily administers the Erie Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and works with municipalities throughout Erie County to advance impactful projects and create safe, vibrant communities through transportation.

Tony DaBreo serves as vice president and regional officer of sales for the northeast region of Erie Insurance. He holds a bachelor's degree in business and a master's in management. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and a board member of the Enterprise Development Fund of Erie County and the Minority Loan Approval committee.

Daria Devlin serves as director of social impact at Hamot Health Foundation, executive director of the Erie Center for Arts and Technology (ECAT), and president of the Erie School Board. She has experience in communications, program development, fundraising, government relations, securing New Market Tax Credits, supervising renovation projects and managing budgets.

Matthew Good serves as CEO of Housing and Neighborhood Development Service (HANDS). He previously served with the Regional Center for Workforce Excellence and as a Pennsylvania state representative. He has expertise in grant and proposal writing, contract compliance, project management, research, data analysis, community and government relations, real estate development, site identification, acquisition, zoning, planning, housing development and construction.

William McLaughlin serves as business manager of Laborers Local 603. He has experience in construction, planning and scheduling, project management, supervision, work zone safety, and asbestos abatement, and brings his knowledge of direct fieldwork to the table.

Ashley Porter has more than 39 years of experience in engineering. He has extensive experience on a wide range of engineering projects, civil and structural engineering, surveying methodologies and procedures. His expertise includes project design engineering, project management, construction, operations management, project data acquisition and interpretation.

More: Erie region must make use of all economic development tools: James Grunke

Roger Richards is a local attorney, instrumental in successful economic and community development projects throughout Erie County. Attorney Richards has vast experience in commercial banking, corporate finance, mergers, acquisitions, municipal finance, real estate finance and tax-exempt finance. He served as the solicitor of the Erie County Industrial Development Authority and the Erie County Redevelopment Authority.

Katrina Vincent is assistant vice president and business banker at Marquette Savings Bank with extensive qualifications in economic development, legislative relations, corporate real estate, financing, grant development, marketing, public relations, project management, and community and business development. She previously served at the Erie County Redevelopment Authority, DevelopErie and the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.

Matthew Wachter is a local tax attorney who currently runs investment and finance for Carnegie Foundry. Attorney Wachter used his keen understanding of Opportunity Zones and historic tax credits to advance a $100 million transformation of downtown Erie through his role as the vice president of finance and development for the Erie Downtown Development Corporation.

This all-volunteer CRIZ Board is dedicated to using their skills and expertise to revitalize the city. Together, this impressive team will ensure that our tax dollars are deployed on impactful projects that benefit our residents for years to come. As we move forward, we will continue to provide updates and share the 130-acre map, the master business list, and the Investment Playbook strategy. We value our strong public-private-nonprofit partnership and are committed to working together in service to Erie and our residents.

Joe Schember is the mayor of the city of Erie. State Sen. Dan Laughlin, of Millcreek Township, R-49th Dist., represents a portion of Erie County.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Schember, Laughlin press Erie City Council to create CRIZ Authority