Northampton County Council met July 21 to discuss Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act exemptions for deteriorated areas in Wilson Borough.

The Dixie Cup Factory, located at 1610 Van Buren Road, has sat “largely vacant” for many years, Joseph Reibman, one of the building’s owners, said. Currently, there is a potential developer for the building.

In order to make the building an asset to the borough, it requires many renovations, including new windows, roofing and elevators; further, there is lead paint and asbestos in the building. The high costs of these necessary renovations have led Reibman and Wilson Borough to ask for LERTA exceptions.

The LERTA Act, passed in 1977, allows “local taxing authorities to provide tax exemption for certain deteriorated industrial, commercial and other business properties.”

Essentially, the taxes would be frozen for five years, then doubled for the following five years.

Wilson Borough Council and Wilson Area School District have both approved the exceptions.

However, resident Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen spoke out against approving the exceptions because of increased truck traffic deteriorating local roads and introducing safety hazards near homes and schools.

County council was to hold a public hearing and possible vote regarding the LERTA exemptions at its next meeting, Aug. 5 at the county building, 669 Washington St., Easton, and streamed on the county’s YouTube page.