So now we have a gift ban ordinance in the City of Bethlehem that doesn’t ban all gifts, because of a number of exemptions. Perhaps the biggest of the loopholes is the one that allows an unlimited number of gifts of tickets to public events. Tickets to the public events at the Sands Casino cost from $38 to $225, with the street value of tickets to sold-out events ranging up to $600. At an average of $105 per ticket, one ticket per month or two tickets every other month would amount to over $5,000 in an election cycle. Such a figure is more than one-third of the average cost of a city council campaign and should produce equal gratitude. There are of course tickets for the Eagles, 76ers, Flyers, IronPigs, Phantoms, SteelStacks, State Theater, etc., etc. I look forward to the day when a Bethlehem City Council gets really serious about banning all gifts greater than a very nominal value.

Bill Scheirer

Bethlehem, PA 18018