Last week blogger Bernie O'Hare reported on the Lehigh Valley Mayor's Dinner. Although he presented a glimpse of statements made, he neglected to report on the food served, Korean. I don't mean Asian style rice and pork, but they ate actual Koreans, former Allentown merchants. These unusual victuals were arranged by Sara Hailstone, Allentown's Community Development Director. Although the above is satire, now some ugly truths. Although Hailstone promised the merchants assistance in relocating, in reality, obstacles were put in their place. In one instance, a long standing displaced merchant was told by a landlord in another location that he wouldn't rent to him, because of his merchandize and clientele. The landlord said that the City wanted a new look, and he didn't want to jeopardize his hopes for a future grant. Another merchant was denied relocation funds previously promised. Although I attended the meeting between Hailstone and the merchants, and heard the promises, I will provide no details about the identity of the merchants. These unfortunate victims of Allentown's progress still hope to make a living here, despite the city.
The "Tribune of the People" fights injustice and discrimination for all. It makes no difference whether one is Asian, Puerto Rican or Pennsylvania Dutch----The "Tribune" fights for all. (Perhaps those folks whose income is below the federal poverty line will not agree, but the man is changing)
ReplyDeleteMM
ReplyDeleteOn the Mayor's Watch.
In summer a group of Allentown residents from Midway Manor appeared at council meeting asking for help with a 200-year-old log cabin allowed to fall into ruin and apparently illegally allowed to be subdivided by one of the city's very own government entities. Does anyone know what's happening with this issue?
gary, i'm not changing at all. no one living in allentown ever experienced any discrimination from me. such erroneous presumptions actually came from a few middle class, like yourself, from political motivations.
ReplyDeleteDesperate times, desperate people.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor and his cronies are a bunch of thugs. They will do anything to fulfill their personal agendas.
The people of Allentown got what they voted for.
Only when they gain a voice and stand up to the grant funded marauders will this ever stop.
Until then legalized white collar crime will prevail.
One of Those People
Wow! That is one heck of an allegation - if these landlords really did receive direction from the city to deny tenancy to these merchants, then that is a lawsuit. Plain and simple, what the city is doing (has done) is illegal. I wish the best for these poor merchants who have been given the shaft. It is a terrible portrait of how business is done in Allentown.
ReplyDeletemomma, the landlord had certain impressions and fears, but the word directions was never conveyed to me.
ReplyDeleteI am sure they have planned their strategy well.
ReplyDeleteMany of the do-gooders seem to hold a real deep seated sublimated contempt for those they purport "to serve".
Classic transference of their own unresolved fears and generalized angst.
The administration is composed of masters of innuendo, the wink and the nod.
Their greatest transgression though is the sin of omission.
All I ever seem to see these days on the front page of The Morning Call these days are stories about how these people are so poor, those people are even poorer, these children are starving over here, but not as bad as those children starving over there.
ReplyDeleteI realize that this is ALL the fault of those evil, greedy Rich People who do not want to pay their fair share of taxes because they are too busy taking hostages and holding guns to their head.
Nevertheless, I have what I feel to be a valid a question, Mr. Molovinsky.
From one I gather reading The Morning Call ... apparently no one has anything at all, much less money for ice hockey tickets.
So I ask --- exactly where does Chairman Pawlowski think he is going to find enough people to fill his stated attendance 'guarantees'?
CAN'T QUITE NEGOTIATE THE PROPAGANDA, PLEASE HELP!
MM: dismissing my view as "political" is not justified. Of course my views are political. You seem to imply that political views and values are less important than other views. Almost every thing you post about Allentown or Israel is a political view. I take exception to your views, not because they are political, but because I believe they are erroneous or not beneficial to our country or the world. Stating that the city should not adopt policies, programs or seervices that aid the poor is political and mean-spirited. Advocating removal of programs and services for one group of folks, based solely on income, is discriminatory!
ReplyDeletegary, you have me confused with some politically correct piece of wimp. your left hand compliments are tiring. you call me the tribute of the people, unless they're poor and of color. i stated in 2003 that allentown was becoming a poverty magnet. i stated this simply because it was true. as a landlord, I was uniquely aware of many programs which was causing an unprecedented migration of unemployed to the area, to reap competing rent grants given by competing advocates for the low income. pawlowski ironically talks about his current plan for the transformation of allentown, in regard to his arena. the real transformation of allentown has already occurred, when he was one of those low income advocates. (director of the alliance for building communities) i am guilty of always telling it like it is, not changing suits for my own benefit. the transformation of allentown to a low income city succeeded. I now work to protect the current crop of allentowians, mostly low income, from being the victim of a new broom called flavor of the week, gentrification. the city now seeks to displace the merchants and their customer base to construct a white elephant. one more urban renewal experiment at human expense. successful development is organic and private, not induced by bureaucrats. that's why the lehigh street hill is still vacant, 40 years later.
ReplyDeleteSo you heard from a guy, who heard from a guy who heard from a guy/girl that it works for city who said something... Sounds like a whole lot of hearsay to me. When will you guys get over the conspiracy theories and hearsay. It adds zero to your credibility.
ReplyDeleteDestroying natural charm and beauty is fun. Knocking down buildings and displacing people and businesses is even better. But knowing the pivotal role I play in constructing monuments to (corrupt?) bureaucrats using such as stepping stones to higher rungs on the political ladder is by the most satisfying thing I get to do.
ReplyDeleteI know who puts the gas I need to engage in the never-ending frolic I get to enjoy in my tank.
UNSTOPPABLE POLITBURO BULLDOZER
Those Koreans taste like chicken.
ReplyDeletedear future attendee and present apologist, quite the contrary. although i still decline to supply names and addresses, i have understated the degree of discrimination and intimidation employed.
ReplyDelete"Taste like chicken"
ReplyDeleteWhy is this derogatory post appearing?
Chumscrubber
"momma, the landlord had certain impressions and fears, but the word directions was never conveyed to me."
ReplyDeleteOK, well, whatever happened, if a landlord didn't rent out his/her first floor, then there must have been one heck of an impression or fear. It is, as you well know, harder than Hades to get a tenant downtown right now - a business tenant, that is - and I just cannot imagine a landlord turning down any business owner with a proven track record of paying the rent on time every month for years. It really is a stunning allegation, but I don't doubt you for a second.
I would still like to put an 8 lane bowling alley downtown, but I don't give to certain campaigns, nor will I hire Cityline construction to do the work. Two not so subtle demands I would never meet.
ReplyDeleteMM
ReplyDeleteThis is not gentrification - this is purification and the cleansing of Allentown.
Chumscrubber