Blue Mountain Resort may make a donation to Lower Towamensing Township as a resident pushes for an amusement tax.

Connie Banko asked township supervisors last week if any progress was made on her previous request for officials to charge a levy on amusement to generate additional revenue.

Board Chairperson Connie Brown noted that the board did have some discussion on the subject since Banko initially broached the idea to supervisors at last month’s meeting.

Supervisor Michael Takerer said he received a phone call from Blue Mountain Resort about them possibly making a donation toward a township project.

Takerer added that they asked for a list of projects, and noted one of his thoughts was possibly for the septic system at the Stoney Ridge Recreation Center.

Rich Banko told the board he believes that the Aquashicola Fire Company and Palmerton Area School District could surely use the money.

Brent Green, a member of the Aquashicola Fire Company, cited instances where the resort has donated labor and supplies to the fire company.

“So they are supportive of us,” Green said. “They’ve been receptive to us over the years.”

Takerer encouraged everyone to come up with a list for him to give to Blue Mountain Resort for its consideration.

Connie Banko asked the board whether it was planning to accept a donation in lieu of an amusement tax.

She said that seemingly every month Blue Mountain Resort adds a new event, all the more reason for the township to charge a levy on amusement to generate additional revenue.

Resident Ralph Cortazzo said they were talking about this back in 1986 when he served on Palmerton Area School Board.

“There’s no reason in the world we shouldn’t charge at least a dollar a ticket split between us and the school district would solve a lot of problems,” Cortazzo said.

Cortazzo added that visitors come to the area and spend a good amount of money, and inferred that to charge them a dollar a ticket wouldn’t be too much to ask.

Banko remained steadfast in her belief that something should be done.

“We get the traffic, they’re using our roads,” she said. “There’s a lot of events you could probable go after.”

Banko said that when the late founder and former President Ray Tuthill started then-named Little Gap Ski Area, it was only a seasonal operation.

These days, she said there are a multitude of activities at Blue Mountain Resort, such as glamping, zip lines, wine festivals, beer festivals, to name a few.