F.A.I.R. is required by ORD. 2018-01, ARTICLE 349 that was enacted by Bethlehem City Council.
Reports will be requested from beneficiaries of economic development incentives in the interests of fairness, maintaining community trust, increasing transparency, educating the public, and promoting responsible stewardship of local tax revenue and City resources. In the interests of fairness, maintaining community trust, increasing transparency, educating the public, and promoting responsible stewardship of local tax revenue and City of Bethlehem resources, this Article contains provisions, including without limitation: (a) supporting more efficient City resource allocation by establishing a system for periodic, evidence-based performance evaluations of economic development incentives and related programs; (b) making the City budgeting process more transparent and effective through regular reporting of economic development tax and other indirect expenditures, thereby allowing the public and the City to track indirect expenditures, whereas previously only direct expenditures were visible during the budgeting process; (c) improving transparency and educating the public about the types of costs incurred in connection with economic development incentives through online publication of incentive program summaries and tax expenditure information; (d) supporting development of improved procedures for holding recipients of economic development benefits accountable for complying with their City tax and other obligations; and (e) improving the City’s capacity to collect economic development data in support of City efforts to help local businesses and spur economic growth.
F.A.I.R. Article 349