The Tamaqua City Revitalization and Improvement Zone Authority and Tamaqua business community again posted another year of record funding.

A recent letter from Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Patrick M. Browne certified $1,638,588.82 in state funding and $63,255.60 in local funding, for a total of $1,701,844.62 for filing year 2023.

“Thank you, Tamaqua, for another record year,” said Tamaqua CRIZ Authority Chairman Dan Evans.

The CRIZ program allow incremental tax revenues generated by borough businesses and customers to return to the community for reinvestment. The returned funds can be used for debt service, property acquisition, new construction and other costs related to development.

In the borough, the funds have helped with an expansion of the Head Start Program, and have allowed the Perla Building to house a program for adults with disabilities and a gym for older adults and others. The returns have assisted with a new roof for the Tamaqua Train Station, have transformed an old factory into the Bischoff Inn, and helped the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership acquire a vacant building that someday may feature housing for college students.

This marks the third consecutive year that the CRIZ has posted record funding.

Evans said the 2023 record funding once again demonstrates the strength of Tamaqua’s business community and investment interest in Tamaqua on a local and regional basis, CRIZ Authority Chairman Dan Evans noted.

In addition to 2023’s record funding, Tamaqua’s business community reached a record 90% compliance filing rate with 198 of the 227 entities reporting, he said.

Since the program’s inception in 2014, the Tamaqua CRIZ Authority has returned a total of $6.7 million to support acquisition, renovation and infrastructure investment in the Tamaqua community.

“Once again I would like to recognize the strength of Tamaqua’s business community with another record in 2023,” Evans said. “Our continued investment in Tamaqua Borough is the main driver for growth in eastern Schuylkill County.”

Evans thanked state Sen. Dave Argall, state Rep. Jamie Barton, Deana Zofsky of FourScore LLC in Allentown and the Tamaqua Chamber of Commerce for their support of the program.

Last year, the CRIZ received a record $1.6 million in state and local funding, based on 2022 revenues. It received $1.1 million in 2022 based on 2021 revenues.

Tamaqua is one of three municipalities in Penn-Sylvania with a CRIZ Zone. The others are Lancaster and Bethlehem.