Oct 30, 2014

Trusted Poll Sidekicks Needed

If you could help out for a couple hours on Tuesday Election Day, please contact me. Being an independent, there's no party faithful to blindly donate, canvass or work at the polls. It also means that there are no special interests, obligations or agendas that I must accommodate in Harrisburg. My votes will be simply for the people's best interest, each and every time. Contact me by email at mmolovinsky@aol or phone at 610 395-1815. Thank you.

Oct 29, 2014

Lehigh Valley's Political Malaise

Last night I attended the Candidate's Meet and Greet, hosted by the Northampton Chapter of The League Of Women Voters. Between the media not giving this event proper publicity, and the public malaise, it was sparsely attended. That didn't stop local representatives Steve Samuelson and Bob Freeman from giving a long stump speech, as if on auto-robot. These well pressed suits are on their 9th term, unopposed. Some people wonder if they might be wasting their vote on an independent. In this valley, it would be the most meaningful vote they could cast.

Oct 28, 2014

North Of Route 22

If you have a family member or friend who lives north of 22, south of the Blue Mountain, and between Slatington and Bath, chances are that they live in the 183rd District. Please do both of us a favor, and tell them to vote Molovinsky-Independent next Tuesday. There's no party members knocking on doors for me, but there's a real opportunity for some change in Harrisburg. The 10 term Republican incumbent only concentrates on getting re-elected.  The Democrat simply needs a job. The former will bring nothing new to the table, the latter  has nothing at all to bring to the table.  This blog is an archive on my community activism for many years, and my application for election. Please reach out to your friends and family on my behalf. We have the right stuff to be uniquely issue orientated and elect an independent to Harrisburg, instead of the usual partisan agendas. Thank you.

Oct 27, 2014

Political Low Hanging Fruit

If it's kissing a baby or encouraging seniors to vote for them with absentee ballots, both our young and old are only props and pawns for the established political machine. Recently, I have been reporting on the machination at Luther Crest, where Ryan Mackenzie 134th, attempted to pass the baton to Julie Harhart 183rd, putting that facility in violation of it's 501C charter. If the residents of a premiere continuing care facility like Luther Crest are victimized and manipulated by incomplete voter information, despite explicit IRS rules pertaining to non-profit institutions, what shenanigans occur  at the lesser regarded nursing homes? Who protects the seniors from the very politicians who are supposed to represent them? In the ideal world, it would be the custodians of these nursing homes, who would make sure that the residents are given full information about their cherished voting options. In the real world, the managers of these nursing homes acquiesce to the influence of the career politicians. As I write this post, I am also filling out formal complaints about this one incident of election suppression which was visited upon Luther Crest by the hubris of the incumbents. Although there will be no remedy for the Luther Crest residents within the eight days until the election, perhaps my action will help some nursing home residents next year have full access to their voting options. Our elderly take their right to vote very seriously, so should their caretakers.

Oct 24, 2014

The Hubris Of Harrisburg

Our representatives in Harrisburg have not been doing a good job of guarding against arrogance, in addition to the their poor performance as legislators. When Ryan MacKenzie allowed Julie Harhart to attend the Senior Expo at Luther Crest on September 19th, he knowingly put Luther Crest in jeopardy regarding their tax-exempt political requirements. Ryan knew that the Luther Crest residents would find Harhart on the ballot come November 4th, not himself. As if redistricting and gerrymandering isn't egregious enough, they thought that they could pass the crown with no consequence. The regulations clearly state that all candidates for an upcoming election must be present, or subsequently invited. Between Mackenzie having no opponent for his election, and Harhart running for her 11th term, they think that they own those seats in Harrisburg. The seats belong to the people, and should be occupied by those who don't take that privilege for granted.

Elder Issues In Lehigh Valley

Over forty years ago, I did a series of photographs that were used by PBS39 for a program entitled Accent On Aging. Now, over four decades later, it pains me to still see elder issues in our communities. The Lehigh Valley Commissioners have cut the budget funds which were intended to modernize Cedarbrook. This modernization is necessary for several reasons. First and foremost, it would make Cedarbrook competitive in the rehabilitation field, which in turn would enhance it's economic viability. Secondly, it would indicate a commitment by the Commissioners, which is in serious doubt.

In nursing home options, the opposite of the county's Cedarbrook might be the exclusive Luther Crest in South Whitehall. As I posted yesterday, I have been denied entry as a candidate, despite Julie Harhart's appearance there five weeks ago. I'll let that post serve as a discussion place for the legal and political issues, but will make an observation here about Luther Crest. I was somewhat shocked that generally there are only two events on their monthly calendar, and that management would be deciding what information is made available for the residents, who are a former Who's Who of the valley business world.
photocredit:molovinsky

Oct 22, 2014

Political Gate-keeping At Luther Crest

Although the residents of South Whitehall's Luther Crest are politically sophisticated, this year is particularly confusing. After having been part of the 134th state house district for over 20 years, this year for the first time residents will be voting for the 183rd representative, although they're still currently represented by Ryan MacKenzie of the 134th. Ryan, being a good Republican, had Julie Harhart, the 183rd incumbent, at Luther Crest's Senior Expo last month. Needless to say, both Republicans knew that they were attempting to pass the mantle with soft campaigning. As the independent candidate I have been unsuccessfully trying to gain access to the Luther Crest community room since early Monday morning. I believe that the residents of this exclusive community would not be happy to know that information about all their upcoming voting options is being stopped at the door by management.

UPDATE: Under IRS rules pertaining to non-profits and political candidates, because Julie Harhart appeared there in September, and she's not the state representative for Luther Crest, but an active candidate to be the state representative for Luther Crest,  I must now also be permitted equal access.

Vanilla or Chocolate, The Sad Lack of Political Choice

Yesterday, some fella came on to my campaign site, Mr. Molovinsky Goes To Harrisburg, and asked why I'm any different than the Republican. I replied that it was a strange question, considering that recently the former chair of the Republican party accused me of having Democratic positions. Within another two questions, it was very apparent that this visitor to my site was in fact a junior political operative cadet. After a visit to his page revealed a picture of Tom Wolf as his cover photo,  operative in training pants was dispatched. The trainee then reported the results of his mission to Terri Powells' Campaign page. Another pack member then congratulated her on being the only candidate in the debate who answered all the questions.

The Morning Call article on the debate accurately reported that I questioned several of the questions. The article made it less clear that after my editorials, I did in fact answer every question. In the case of the student loan question, I replied that there are different colleges available with a large range of  tuitions. I feel that if one contracts a loan, or a mortgage, it is an obligation that should be met. Furthermore, honoring those obligations is educational in itself.

It's sad that the political machine is Pennsylvania is spending a 100 $million dollars to give most voters only two choices for each position. That wouldn't be much of an ice cream parlor, regardless of how fancy it might be. It's my honor to give the voters of the 183rd District a real choice.

CORRECTION: In the majority of the State Representative races, 6 out of 11, there are no choices, the incumbents are unopposed.

Oct 21, 2014

Molovinsky WPA Mini Tour

Many long time readers know that several years I started a group whose mission is to help preserve the WPA structures in the Allentown Park System. Consequently, I led two tours of Lehigh Parkway, in conjunction with Friends Of The Allentown Parks. This coming Saturday, October 25th, again in conjunction with Friends, I will be directing college volunteers to help clear some structures. While there, between 9 and 11-am, I'll be glad to conduct a mini tour of several sites. We will be meeting at the Robin Hood parking lot at 9:00-am, and concentrating on that side of the creek.

Oct 20, 2014

Molovinsky Stands Out

Independent candidate Michael Molovinsky may be a long shot for the 183rd state house district, but he had little trouble standing out in a three-way candidate debate Saturday morning. The candidate, known best for his "Molovinsky on Allentown" blog and persistence on infrastructure and environmental issues, combined confidence and bold, stylistic responses to questions posed by hosts from the League of Women Voters of Northampton County.Samantha Marcus/The Morning Call/Oct.20,2014
I agree with The Morning Call that I outshone my opponents,  but believe that my odds of being elected are much better than the paper indicated. Although it is true that independents are at a disadvantage of not having a party machine and money behind them, the people have had enough of politics as usual. They realize that Harrisburg is broken, with either Republicans or Democrats. They realize that the incumbent has been there long enough, and it's time for a change. They realize that too much of their taxes have been going to the large cities, and that they're not getting their fair share. They realize that I have the tenacity to stand up for them in Harrisburg.

Oct 16, 2014

Another Oversize Postcard And Fib By Julie

Voters in the 183rd District received another oversize card and fib by Julie Harhart. In the latest fib, Julie portrays herself as an independent leader, working for educational funding in Pennsylvania. Very small print reveals that the very large card was paid for by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, where Julie is known as a chair warming rubber stamp, certainly not a leader.

Oct 15, 2014

The Politics Of Wehr's Dam, 2

The South Whitehall Historic Overlay District resulted from about 1,000 signatures to save the King George Inn. Currently, there are 5,000 signatures to save Wehr's Dam, of which 4,600 were collected at the dam itself. The recent public meeting and power point presentation conducted by the Wildlands Conservancy on dam removals, was requested by the President of the South Whitehall Commissioners. When the Overlay District was enacted, I suggested that "and dam" be added to the Wehr's Covered Bridge listing.  The solicitor chimed in that such changes were not permitted at the ordinance reading; Actually, that is the exact legal reason for the final reading. The Commissioners have used every conceivable excuse and cover since June to protect the agenda of the Wildlands Conservancy. It's apparently incumbent upon the people of South Whitehall to now protect their park.

photograph by K Mary Hess

Oct 14, 2014

The Politics Of Wehr's Dam

Taking on the influence of the Wildlands Conservancy is no easy task. Their sponsors and donors are a who's who of Lehigh Valley, but that doesn't make them correct on every issue and endeavor. Although they may be a sacred cow, there are other things precious in this valley, such as our parks. Allentown's two recent park directors were from out of town, with no knowledge or feel for local history or tradition. The first one was given an award for his cooperation with the Conservancy. The second one, although he only stayed for about a year, is quoted on their website. That gentleman endorsed the demolition of the Parkway's Robin Hood Dam, after being in town for only several weeks. In Allentown, many local residents are upset about the riparian buffers in the parks, a Wildlands Project. These buffers block both view and access to the creeks, but because the storm runoff is piped directly into the streams, they serve no purpose. Just as the science of buffers isn't site specific to Allentown parks, their rationale for dam removals have also been generalized. This generalization was very blatant in regard to the Robin Hood Dam, which was only 14 inches high. Combine a sacred cow, with generalizations and a brand new from out of town park director, and you lose an historical structure of beauty forever.

Beauty and history is what Wehr's Dam in Covered Bridge Park is about. Last June, Wildlands told the South Whitehall Commissioners that the dam was neither aesthetic or historical. That distortion of fact has now awakened over 5,000 people, who beg to differ with the Conservancy. I personally don't believe that their conservation projects are appropriate to our parks. There are millions of acres of stream front in the state to conserve. I believe that the public, and especially children, are entitled to the stream side experience that differentiates parks from wildlands. The children are also entitled to the history of their parks, if it is a WPA dam from 1941, or a mill dam from 1904.

photograph by Gregg Obst

Oct 13, 2014

The Wildlands Conservancy Fakes Science

Chris Kocher, executive director of the Wildlands Conservancy, forgot to mention in a recent editorial that they will arrogantly fake and lie about the science, if it moves their agenda forward. Their current agenda is demolishing Wehr's Dam in South Whitehall's Covered Bridge Park, but lets examine their destruction in Allentown's Lehigh Parkway. I have a copy of the original 1940 rendering of the Robin Hood Bridge and Dam. This was the last WPA project in Allentown, and the city took great pride in it's design. The bridge piers and approach walls were designed to match and merge with the magnificent WPA stone walls, built in the park between 1935-37. The small dam, only 14 inches high, was no barrier to any self-respecting fish. The Wildlands testified in front of Allentown City Council that the dam was prohibiting fish migration with their canned speech about being experts on such things, never mind thousands of fisherman in the Parkway for 80 years. They also removed the Trout Nursery Dam, contributing to the kill of 2.000 fish this summer, but I digress. The firm hired to prepare the Covered Bridge Master Plan clearly states that removing the dam may very well increase flooding, as untold tons of silt change the downstream bed. The current firm, hired by Wildlands, calls that potential flooding a myth; Science to fit the agenda. Back to Lehigh Parkway. Although it is not my normal format to use two photographs in one blog post, the before and after views of Robin Hood Bridge are a tragedy. Before the Wildlands, the stone bridge piers raised photographically out of the water, a beautiful sight pleasing park goers for over 70years. After demolishing the dam, the Wildlands broke up the concrete and had the rubble placed around the bridge piers, despoiling the the vista forever.


top photograph by Tami Quigley

Oct 11, 2014

South Whitehall Commissioners Double Down On Master Plan

It's the year 2030, and a young girl asks her mom if they can go to Playworld's Plastic Playground. As they enter the parking lot, the mother tells her daughter that right beyond that large swath of trees and bushes, is where she played as a girl with grandmother.
  Why did you play there? the girl asks
  Grandmom used to like and sit and look at the dam, the mother replies
  What's a dam?
  It's a wall that the creek water would flow over.
  Is there a creek there mom?

In January of 2014 the South Whitehall Commissioners adopted the Covered Bridge Park Master Plan. It was an expensive plan created by a landscape architectural firm in tandem with input from the Wildlands Conservancy. The public input meetings were either sparsely attended or not at all. What emerged is a unimaginative hodge podge of contemporary environmental hocus pocus and catalog recreational tubberware. What is gone is the beautiful park, enjoyed by generations of township residents. The environmentalists would demolish the dam and replace the vista with a 75 foot wide riparian buffer. This buffer would run the entire length of creek, leaving only a glimpse of the creek as residents cross one of the three bridges. Former icons of the park, such as the dam, would be represented by interpretive signs. A huge playground, featuring Playworld equipment, would be the park's new centerpiece, replacing the current beauty and history.

Enter the Wildlands Conservancy in June of 2014, realizing that the Commissioners are invested both financially and mentally into the Master Plan. Out of this opportunity, they declare that demolishing Wehr's Dam is now their highest priority. We who are defending Wehr's Dam are here to tell you that like water over the dam, the money spent on the Master Plan is gone. However, we will not allow the beautiful park to be lost to our children and grandchildren, just to accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy's agenda.
photograph by Mary K Hess

Oct 10, 2014

South Whitehall And Wildlands Mislead Public

It's becoming clear that the public is being mislead by not only the Wildlands Conservancy, but also by their own Commissioners. In Thursday's editorial, Chris Kocher, Executive Director of the Wildlands stated that the master-plan for the park has the dam removed. What he and the Commissioners fail to acknowledge is that this master-plan was created in conjunction with the Wildlands.  So, currently the Wildlands and Commissioners are justifying removing the dam, based on a master plan inputed by the Wildlands. In the dog and pony show called government, they would retort that there was public input to the plan. At last night's presentation, they distributed a public questionnaire, hoping once again to actually use the objectors present, as public input to justify their agenda. I left in protest. If all this isn't disingenuous enough, the dam removal director, Abigail Pattishall, told me last night that Koch's editorial was misinformation.

Both the Commissioners and the Wildlands are ignoring the DEP report that states that overall, the dam is in good condition. The Wildlands' hired engineer tried to dismiss that report, by saying that their study is much more thorough. Although the water is only several inches deep, they actually brought in a scuba diver. The dam officially stands or falls by degree of the DEP, which has no problem with it. The problem is the agenda of the Wildlands, and the complicity of the Commissioners.

Oct 9, 2014

An Open Letter To Lehigh County Commissioners

Although the state mandates prisons, and no such mandate exists for nursing homes, I believe that a sacred covenant exists between the county and it's elderly, to maintain Cedarbrook. Northampton has a very old prison and a modern nursing home. Here in Lehigh County, we have a modern high rise prison and a very old nursing home. Prisoners in Lehigh County have nicer amenities than the patients at it's nursing home. What's wrong with that picture, what's wrong with those priorities?
UPDATE: I fully support County Executive Tom Muller's plan to renovate a wing of the Cedarbrook into private and semi-private rooms.  His analysis has the project paying for itself within three years, by attracting rehabilitation residents.  Instead of pursuing this viable turn around project, the Commissioners would rather explore the sale option.
photograph by K Mary Hess

Oct 8, 2014

Lehigh County Poor House

The Lehigh County Alms House, or poor house, goes back to the 1840's. Today, 175 years later, now known as Cedarbrook Nursing Home, the residents are still fighting for their dignity. A few years ago I visited the county pauper's grave-field. It is now separated from the nursing home by the 309 highway at Hamilton Blvd. Although the name of Cedarbrook has changed over the many years, nobody ever chose to become old and poor.

Oct 7, 2014

Julie's Big Fib

Julie Harhart's oversized card contains an oversized lie of omission. While she claims that she voted against a pay raise for state representatives, she omits the fact that she voted for a 50% increase to her pension payments, for life. Although she claims that she has a proven record for jobs and small businesses, the empty storerooms along the main street in Slatington and Northampton prove otherwise. In very small print we learn that the mailing was paid for by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. I hope to send one mailing, paid for by the people of Lehigh Valley. Please consider using the paypal button the the sidebar, to help me inform the voters that they now have an alternative to politics as usual in Harrisburg. Thank you.

Oct 6, 2014

The Party Machines

I've worked with a local Democratic activist on several causes who would like to think of herself as bipartisan. When I asked her why she was working for my Democratic opponent, Terri Powells, she stammered and said that she and Terri met Michele Obama together. Powells herself, lists her experience as having campaigned for Barack Obama. Apparently, in Democratic circles, having worked on a campaign counts as relevant experience. She is also being endorsed by some unions, although she never actually worked on an issue. Likewise, local Democratic promoter Sam Bennett has held fund raisers for her. All the local elected officials and advocates know me from my involvement in one issue or another for the last two decades, although none has crossed party lines and publicly endorsed me. I've been told that when they close the curtain, they vote their true choice. I don't think that's good enough. I think that's why Harrisburg is paralyzed. I ask those, in and beyond the 183rd District, who want more choice politically, to contribute to my campaign. I have installed a paypal button on the sidebar, thank you.

Oct 5, 2014

The Heart Of Harhart Country

Harhart family businesses dominate the main intersection in Northampton. While Northampton has been good to the family, it's not apparent that Julie Harhart's twenty year reign as State Representative has been good to the 183rd District. While she rubber stamps $billions of dollars in Harrisburg going to Pennsylvania's large cities, the smaller towns in her district haven't received their share. I erected a billboard in Northampton, close to the entrance of her office, to let the citizens know that an alternative is available. They may decide to allow Julie to retire this year, and start receiving the 50% increase in pension that she voted for herself.

Oct 3, 2014

The Culture Of Harrisburg

Today, before any revelations about pornographic emails, I intended to write about Pennsylvania's DEP. One must wonder exactly who they have been protecting? Opponents of hydraulic fracturing are dubious about the oversight at the drill sites. Considering the resources and influence of the gas companies, plus the economic benefits to portions of the state, the suspicions of the opponents are very well justified. In this current election cycle, the politicians on both sides of the aisle only concern themselves with the tax equation, nobody talks about public health concerns. This blog has been questioning the DEP for years. While sewage overflows along the Little Lehigh for years, repair plans keep being extended, rather than implemented. Pennsylvania has torn down more dams than any other state in the country. Are we more environmentally progressive than Washington state or California, or just less discriminating with approvals? Locally, the Wildlands Conservancy has a pipeline of grants from the state's DEP, destroying our parks under the disguise of stream improvement. The indiscriminate demolition of the Trout Nursery Dam contributed to the unprecedented fish kill this summer. Like the Girls Gone Wild videos, Harrisburg has been wild for years. Notice I mentioned both sides of the isle. That's part of the problem, there should be more than just two sides. I'm an Independent, fed up with the culture of Harrisburg.

Oct 2, 2014

It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's An Independent

Yesterday, on my campaign page, Mr. Molovinsky Goes To Harrisburg, a member the local Republican Party chided me for taking a Democratic position on the minimum wage increase. He must have mistaken me for a Republican Lite, which I am not. Likewise, I am not a Conservative Democrat. I'm an Independent, who analyzes each issue separately, free of any party playbook. I'm pragmatic, looking for solutions which could be implemented to improve our situation. The voters have been programmed to partisan politics for too long, but they realize that they are being victimized by the stagnation in Harrisburg.