Amendments Removed From Redevelopment Bill

The Pennsylvania House has removed a number of amendments to a bill that would extend the Keystone Opportunity Zone program. The KOZ offers tax breaks for the redevelopment of blighted and contaminated areas like former mines. Amendments added by House Minority Whip David Argall would have required stricter reporting on the benefits of the KOZ program. Argall studied the KOZ program in college and found that even though the program created jobs, the state did not track who got the jobs or where they were. He says he removed the amendments because he didn't want to hold the bill up unnecessarily. He also says he was promised greater oversight by the Rendell Administration. The bill awaits further action in the house.