May 12, 2010

A Tale of Two Cities



"We're a medium-size city
with big-city crime."
   -Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Allentown

For those of us who grew up in Allentown, we always considered ourselves a medium-sized city with a small town feel. We were literally designated the All American City. One of the most amazing aspects of this transformation, is that our total population has essentially stayed the same since 1928, when we first achieved 100,000 people. Twenty years ago we lamented the loss of Hess Brothers and other symbols of our prosperity, now we mourn the loss of basic civility and safety.

11 comments:

  1. I guess the mayor finally said something you like.

    ReplyDelete
  2. anon 7:03, he's finally conceded something he has been in denial about. I would never expect him to acknowledge his role in our demise, but it can't hurt to a least recognize we have a problem

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stand on any downtown corner and count the number of cars with dark tinted front seat windows. Visit any city park and count the number of dogs without leashes or owners without poop bags. Drive many downtown streets and count the number of double-parked cars,
    blocking the road for others.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah, baby.

    City With No Limits.

    Hooray for the policies of Progress!

    I believe Pawlowski swept to re-election with 70% of the vote.

    He must be doing a bang-up job.

    (PS - Go Bulldozers)

    ROLF OELER

    ReplyDelete
  5. When did Pawlowski make this comment? I must have missed this in the MSM. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. monkey moma, the quote is from yesterday's story about the safety task force for students.
    http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-mc-allentown-security.7269377may11,0,1353439.story

    ReplyDelete
  7. OK MM. So the JC comment was too much,although you know it's true. {Shows political correctness is not limited to one side of the game.} Lets try again. Allentown is a mid-size city with big size city problems, and small size mind
    in charge ----- with a very few exceptions. At least if you live in Philly or Boston lets say, you get some big city positives for your big city problems. We should all give the Mayor credit for finally coming to grips with this reality. This is a real break thru of sorts. Maybe now the powers that be, esp regional private corp,leaders can,just maybe,start looking for solutions. The whole Valley loses big if Allentown continues down the crapper.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Twenty years ago we lived in a row house near Tilghman. In the dog days of summer, we would sleep on the little back porch and never worry about our safety.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Allentown has gone from being a city that works to a broken city. Mayor Humpty Dumpty has been put in charge of fixing things.

    His statement is akin to the mayor of Hiroshima saying "What a mess" the day after the boimb dropped.

    No kidding, Sherlock.


    VOR

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh wait, Ed, I thought it was all just a perception? Really, it's really nice and safe in Allentown. People keep saying it's bad but it's just a perception. Hey Ed, stick the perception, sharp end first. Ed Pawlowski is not competent to lead Allentown in any direction except down.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Imagine the Morning Call not asking each councilman to speak to the mayor's comment? Where's the journalism?

    ReplyDelete

ANONYMOUS COMMENTS SELECTIVELY PUBLISHED. SIGNED COMMENTS GIVEN MORE LEEWAY.