Dec 15, 2016

Allentown's Runaway Monster


Allentown City Council created the monster that they are now trying to reign in.  They turned the mayor into this rebellious creature, by granting his each and every wish for eleven years.  Although that will not be the defense used by the attorney he hires to defend his budget,  it could be.  The attorney could claim that council itself conditioned the mayor to think that he was entitled to create every position he desired, and fund it to the extent that he wished.  Council for three consecutive terms never voted no against his requests.  The longest sitting member,  Julio Guridy, never had to learn  how to say "no" in English. *  Pawlowski was so strong that he actually decided who should cast his yes votes, and stacked the council to his will.  He likewise stacked every authority in Allentown with board members assigned to approve his greater agenda.

Credit the FBI for finally subduing the monster.  It was certainly something that the voters weren't up to.   It is ironic and painful that the citizens must pay for both Pawlowski's and Council's legal costs to defend their relative budgets.  However,  call it the price to pay for those eleven years of indiffernce.  As to which case will prevail,  I don't think that the taxpayers will win either way.

* please pardon my culturally insensitive little joke

12 comments:

  1. Somehow those who enjoyed being married to the mob at City Hall now want to be divorced. Apparently when no one knew about their gravy train, they were joined at the hip. But now, when the big bad FBI is looking into the relationship, they're all scurrying for cover and can't denounce the mayor hard enough or often enough.

    I wonder what the 2017 budget would be like if J Edgar's descendants weren't in town visiting? Be careful what you wish for City Council, you may be next.

    Oh, on a side note. I jointed the Allentown City without limits facebook group. After a few comments, I find that I'm no longer included in the propaganda posts from our Illustrious Mayor. I suppose Ed runs the Facebook group the same way he runs the city. My way or you're gone.

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  2. MM,
    I have come up with a nue catchline phrase to impliment for the allentown debatical that the citizens responsible for now, ' I gotta get yours so I can get mine"? The Administration grant grab specialalitist will be reeling with that statement alone!
    The recipients thereof reely don't realize there part is butt a stipend compaired to the administrational costs? This is mainly because most are just trying to eat and live in a inhabitable tenament!

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. McKenna, report back to your mentor that i deleted your comment.

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  5. I guess MM never learned to research his accusations in English. I've voted against the budget several times, including last year's budget. You are one of those who thinks that being derogatory against other cultures is funny.
    I wish you could speak another language, at least as much as I can speak English, Spanish, or French. If you think it's easy...try it!

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  6. Julio, i welcome your comment, can accept that you're offended, but reject the notion that i'm being derogatory against another culture.

    for your information, i never succeeded in learning another language, despite multiple attempts. even my english is flawed.

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  7. Mr Guridy

    I'm curious about another issue that was mentioned above. Now first off, I'm a Republican, not a Democrat, so the only Iron I have in the fire is that I'd prefer our city government to be controlled by Republicans, but that's not the question I have.

    For years and years, you and the other members of City Countil supported Mayor Pawlowski's annual budget. Nearly all by unanimous votes of approval. Given that the FBI is investigating the city government, and that the United States Attorney has not indicated there are any charges against Mayor Pawlowski, what is the source of the disagreement Council has with the Mayor?

    I also understand there was the "no confidence" vote against Mayor Pawlowski, on the assumption, yes the assumption that the Mayor is guilty of some crime, we don't know what, but because his associates in City Government agreed to plea bargans with the U S Attorney, the City Council is presuming that Mayor Pawlowski is guilty also?

    Given that you supported the Mayor for many years, isn't this a very unfair way of treating the Mayor? Also this same seemingly prejudicial action with regards to the budget which is going on right now. I'm very supportive of reducing the city budget, probably far more that you are. However why are you doing it now in what appears to be a clear attempt to force the Mayor to resign? Would you be voting for these actions if the FBI was not investigating Allentown City Government?

    This all works to the final question. Just what is the reason for all of this acrimony?

    Thank you for serving the City for all of these years as well :}

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  8. I just want all this to be over and for our city to move on. We have so much potential for growth! I pray for our city everyday! I wish I could do more! Lets try to stay positive my friends as nothing last forever.

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  9. Luiz@7:21, when it comes to positive attitude, you're right up there.

    I don't purport to process that quality. However, before this blog, I'm the one who surveyed the merchants for the first parking meter rate increase, and demonstrated that not only hadn't they requested it, they didn't even know about it. never the less, council approved the increase. I'm the one who held a press conference at 9th and chew, to protest the meters out that far as a de-facto tax on the poorest residents. I'm the one who begged council to spare the Robin Hood Dam and protect the beautiful park system. on these efforts, and many others i have been mostly unsuccessful, but i continue fighting, never the less.

    This blog is going on a decade old. You didn't find critical analysis of city policy in the newspaper, and certainly none of our public officials have ever been introspective.
    although Julio accuses me of being derogatory, he knows me from appearing in front of council for countless issues for over two decades

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    1. I understand. I was speaking more of the cloud and infighting thats going on.

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  10. MM
    I was at every water war debaticle as well as this weeks debaticle. Holio was counsil prez at the time and I stood before counsil as a whole when this asset sale took place as well as this weeks
    The first, I had my whole house filter and asked, 'What we drinking" there was silience and chirps from counsil? The other night I had stated that the water being feed into homes through out the city smells like the jordan creek and is now clogging filters to my refrigerator prematurely too?
    I forgot to mention, that during the original counsil meeting bottled water upon counsils desk was the norm than! That stopped and most deffinitly has become a home delivery to those that vote yea to the consessionair sale that seems to be one big conflict hidden by many others?

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  11. Jamie, from your comment, I take it you do not attend City Council meetings. If you had you would have your answer. For a number of years, City Council consisted of people that were supportive of the Mayor in office. This goes back before the current Mayor. Bill Heydt's time as Mayor was one of the few that had disagreements with a City Council that had a Democratic majority. City Council under Council President Michael D'Amore was very critical of Fed-Ed. Fed-Ed had a Christmas present when Dr. D'Amore resigned to become a District Magistrate. Council since then was primarily composed of members that owed their allegiance to Fed-Ed. The exception was Janette Eichenwald. As members of Council changed so did the block of influence the mayor had on council. Ray O'Connell was elected and later so was Daryl Hendricks. But the mayor still had influence over City Council until February 2016. Council received two new members that were critical of Mayor Pawlowski. Roger MacLean was elected and Dr. David McGuire was appointed to fulfill the term of Pawlowski loyalist Jeff Glazier, who became the City Controller. This gave City Council a new look. One where the majority was critical of the Mayor. The actions of the FBI and subsequent indictments of City staff, turned former Pawlowski loyalists Cynthia Mota and eventually Julio Guridy.

    The acrimony of City Council has been building after his first term in office when he forced excellent city employees out, Betsy Levin and Eric Weiss to name two. HE also brought in people not from Allentown or even the Lehigh Valley at higher salaries that used the city as a stepping stone to pad their resumes.

    I will be the first to agree that Mayor Pawlowski accomplished some good in Allentown, especially considering the cesspool he inherited from Roy Afflerbach. But the manner in which he accomplished it did much harm. HE finally got caught up in his own greed.

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