MCall this morning, featured a story by reporter Paul Muschick*, on Pawlowski assaulting community groups with his powerpoint presentation. Strange thing these groups, they assemble once a month and submit themselves to some speaker, usually selling something packaged as useful information. Muschick thought Pawlowski was trying to sell Allentown, but I saw the earlier version during the 05 campaign, and I realize Pawlowski is selling Pawlowski for 2010. Does Pawlowski really think that he's going to change someone's decision regarding investing in a home or business with his slide show? Can anyone really feel more secure because a crime surveillance system has been put in place? With the exception of a few cheerleaders, most of whom recently purchased a house in center city, it is apparent from the readers forum, even Stephen Spielberg would be hard pressed to sell Allentown through a presentation. The perception of Allentown is a result from a ton of litter, scattered by a legion of uncouth, committing horrendous crimes, which have become so commonplace, the stories appear in the local section. Pawlowski may well have the formula for being re-elected, in a democratic stronghold with a sympathetic newspaper, but not for saving the city.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5survey.6408850may18,0,7302110.story
I'd comment but it would not be posted.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteThis was a pathetic piece even by MCall standards. It was pure propaganda with not even a hint of journalism mixed in for good measure. What struck me was the total absence of any objectivity, not a single negative opinion or counter perspective was included.
Dressed up as the Pawlowski PR was it is still hard to make lemonade from the lemon that is the paltry number of residents (39%) who think Allentown is moving in the right direction.
Scott Armstrong
There were actual negative points used the article: The woman store owner moving business to Emmaus, statics on poverty,crime, etc, and there was even two captions under photos of LV residents that spoke of Allentown's plight and how things AREN'T getting better.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure the only reason MORE weren't used is because The Morning Call knew its blogging Legion of Doom would do more than enough to make up for the slack.
And they did...
Alfonso
my posting is based on the mcall article, i didn't see the newspaper version, which often has more detail. i have had the agony of seeing mayor ed's power point presentations quite a few times. alfonso, although you find the blogosphere negative to pawlowski POV, i find it has many more cheerleaders than cynics; you're actually turning into quite one yourself. you may well be in for a surprise, i sense pawlowski will become more 'right wing' and start throwing some of his supporters under the bus as the election draws closer.
ReplyDeleteMayor P has far more earning potential in the private sector than he does as the Mayor of Allentown.
ReplyDeleteIf you are trying to imply that our mayor is not passionate about Allentown it really exposes how much of a cynic and crybaby you really are. Not to mention a liar.
When was the last time you did anything for this town other than run your mouth MM? Pitiful.
East Side Mike
Actually, the entire Sunday edition was more worthless than usual, not just the Mayor P story. I read thru it twice searching for something intelligent to read during the Sunday rains, woefully inadequate.
ReplyDeleteMM, I think you may be right. I have been caught between a rock and a hard place. On one side I am all for Allentown and am attempting to do events and actions that will PROVE its' value and give needed vindication, but on the other hand, as much as I DON'T agree with EVERYTHING Pawloski does when it comes to IMPROVING the city, I have to stand on his side whenever he champions the cause known as Allentown. As far as being thrown under the bus, I am not even worried about it. I am so radioactive right now due to my work with CATCH 22, alliance with the poor and felons, and criticisms of the mayor's actions, that you might as well call me Spiderman.
ReplyDeleteAlfonso Todd the Renegade
The MCall article was insultingly bad, but why would Pawlowski be marketing himself to a bunch of suburbanites? They don't vote for Mayor of Allentown. I'll certainly concede that the "marketing" of Allentown to suburban groups through powerpoint presentations at Denny's is a colossal joke, but I think you miss the mark on the Mayor's agenda here.
ReplyDeleteLOLV, I think he is marketing himself to suburbanites so they will come downtown at night to spend money. For me the bigger story here is the Morning Call's bogus survey. See my blog for details.
ReplyDeleteI hope MM will answer east side Mike regarding what he has done to help citizens of Allentown.
dottie, i find it interesting how upset the mayor's supporters get at anybody who criticizes him, but then again so does he. to his question, there are several groups who have appreciated my efforts over the years. better landlords who questioned if the landlord act of 1998 would improve the housing or result in a sell off to outsiders, we know the answer to that now. west park residents who questioned if relinquishing their property rights to a historic district would be worthwhile down the line when secure doors, etc., may be in order,we know the answer to that now. merchants in 2005 who felt doubling the parking meter rates would discourage downtown shopping, we know the answer now. merchants in 2007 who felt the lanta changes would hurt their bottom line. residents in 2008 who are opposed to point of sale home inspections. an assortment of small items along the way, such as trash limits,and generally being one of the dozen or so who try and keep city council accountable. east side mike, what have you done?
ReplyDeleteEast Side Mike -
ReplyDeleteContrary to the Mayor's constant claim that he works "24-7" as Mayor, the Mayor has two consulting gigs.
Hmm... we hire a Managing Director to do the Mayor's job so he can work on the side?
How committed is he?
The Morning Call can do anything it wants to do and get away with it. In this case, it took a statistically skewed and laughably invalid survey sample that basically refutes "signs of progress" ... and used it anyway to "support" its rosy headline about people's perceptions of Allentown showing signs of progress. Maybe there are signs of progress but The Morning Call's Junk Science poll surely does not show it ...
ReplyDeleteMike has done more than most for the city of Allentown to this I will attest however he doesn’t hold a press conference when he does it. In return he has like the rest of us been vilified and scorned. No good deed goes unpunished in Allentown. Often I find myself thinking the city deserves what it gets!
ReplyDeleteScott Armstrong
East Side Mike,
ReplyDelete"Mayor P has far more earning potential in the private sector than he does as the Mayor of Allentown."
What does this have to do with the point Mr. Molovinsky is trying to make with this post? Mr. Pawlowski has two more years to his term, so his earning potential in the private sector should not factor into how he uses his current time in public office.
And if he is planning on entering the private sector in 2010, some might say he really needs to focus more of his remaining term on internal city management instead of public relations in other communities.
Is Pawlowski marketing A-town to suburbanites or himself? He is raising a ton of cash for his campaign, but knows he will be easily re-elected. I suspect he's planning on taking on Dent next time around.
ReplyDeletestarting in 2010 the mayor's salary has been significantly increased, if pawlowski runs for a second term, which i believe he is doing right now, when he leaves office the salary will be about 100k. although i do not believe pawlowski's agenda is the correct one for allentown, i do believe he works hard and long hours.
ReplyDeleteEast Side Mike,
ReplyDelete"If you are trying to imply that our mayor is not passionate about Allentown it really exposes how much of a cynic and crybaby you really are. Not to mention a liar."
Please re-read the original post. Mr. Molovinsky is not trying to imply anything about the mayor's passion for Allentown. He is specifically stating that he takes issue with Mr. Pawlowski's choice of public relations activities as mayor, his assertions about the crime situation in the city and his possible re-election formula.
How expressing his opinions about the article and the mayor makes Mr. Molovinsky a "liar," I do not know. Following your logic, does that make you a liar for "implying" that he is a "cynic and a crybaby"? I am pretty sure you wouldn't think so. The blogger's opinions are just as legitimate yours, even if you don't like what he has to say. There's no need for name calling.
Mr. Molovinsky "exposes" himself mostly as is a concerned and frustrated taxpaying voter. Rather than trying to electronically shout him down, it might be more productive to take a good look around and see how many more voters have this negative "perception" of Allentown's current administration. You can start with the actual Morning Call/Muhlenberg survey, which found that of the slighltly less than 100 Allentown residents actually included in the poll, 48% said they felt the city was heading in the wrong direction, with 43% of them saying crime was the main reason why. Crime was the number one reason given for Allentown's troubles, and it was selected almost twofold over the #2 response ("other/not sure").
Isn't this the reporter who didn't report Mayor Ed's hope that the new cameras downtown scares the criminal element back to New York and New Jersey where they came from? Imagine if Heydt would have said that. It would have been page one!
ReplyDelete