What most Allentonians know about the water leasing plan is limited to Mayor Ed Pawlowski's letter included with their current water bill. Although the plan has been covered by the newspapers and local television, apparently the public listens, but doesn't understand. I make this conclusion because although the City Council hearing was well attended, there were not thousands of homeowners there with torches and pitchforks. Pawlowski's
Dear Resident letter lets the homeowner know that there is a plan to rebuild Allentown, and it is working. The only thing between them and nirvana is the unfunded pensions, and
The Long-Term Leasing of the City's water and sewer services is the solution that brings both immediate and long-lasting financial relief....and keeps us on the road to prosperity.
Prosperity? Am I missing something? Every year this city deteriorates. It is a violent place and it IS NOT getting any better. This pablum is propaganda the makes the Wizard of OZ look like it is non fiction. Allentown is not a friendly place to live.
ReplyDeleteI'm leaving after 24 years.
ReplyDeleteI can't take any more of the arrogance and corruption that is raining down upon us - courtesy of our gubernment
I'm taking my tax money with me.
Good riddance to this dying dinosaur of a city.
scott armstrong is having difficulty getting pass the word verification, so i post two comments by him:
ReplyDeleteIs Allentown the new microcosm for America? I think so. Four years ago I wrote that Obama would turn America into Allentown. He is well on his way and if given another four years it will be a done deal.
Scott Armstrong
One more thing. Where are the civic leaders of the city, who, bound by a sense of the greater good, should be demanding that the long term lease of the water authority be stopped? What does their silence indicate? Answer: they are all in bed together. Who has the courage to point this out?
Scott Armstrong
MM said,
ReplyDelete"there were not thousands of homeowners there with torches and pitchforks"
SA said,
"Four years ago I wrote that Obama would turn America into Allentown."
To MM I'd reply-- Apathy or realistic expectations? Tons of people screamed and hollered at the council meeting regarding eminent domain and the NIZ. It passed. Since then there have been creditable people who addressed council with petitions and objections regarding the Cedar Beach playground, waste-to-energy, the selling of Queen City, etc. All to no avail. Short of a riot nobody stands in the way of this mayor nor the council. I don't care if "1,000's turned out, this water deal is going through period and we all know that.
I spent a lifetime on various committees both at where I worked and elsewhere. Even you admit committees are a farce. Andrew Kleiner pointed out (before he stopped blogging) that the city has multiple studies that support any argument the city chooses to support. The only thing that matters is election day and we haven't had a viable candidate from either party. Face it were stuck with this guy.
Which brings me to Scott living in his B&W world that the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.. PERIOD! If you will note many of the folks who attempted to block this mayor were who could be considered liberal Democrats who were against the water lease, waste-to-energy project and other issues that he himself found repugnant. He's his own worst enemy with his remarks.
Does he think liberals agree with the ASD spending like a bunch of fools? I don't!
Does he think liberals agreed with the waste-to energy? I don't!
Does he think liberals agreed with the NIZ? I didn't!
Does he think liberals support this mayor's record on crime and spending? I don't!
I've shown time and again on my blog why I disagree with both conservatives and liberals from time to time, but I'm not a Tea Party gun toting conservative either. I'm a realist. Neither radical conservatives nor liberals are worth spit. Scott has demonstrated time and again his intolerance.
I once worked for a boss who sat on the East Penn School Board. He voted down every measure that increased spending. Can Scott say the same?
Will Scott run for mayor?
Of course not!
LVCI,
ReplyDeleteName calling me as a radical is just typical blog slander. Instead of the rant why not answer my questions?
By the way, I didn’t support spending a million dollars on new turf for the stadium, or for the 12-13 ASD budget that does a real disservice to the taxpayers by not addressing the looming defined pension crisis that could in order bankrupt public education.
One more thing, I believe my jaundice view of Democrats is understandable and justified as I reside in a city they are destroying.
Scott Armstrong
Mr Armstrong must take great comfort from his simple worldview.
ReplyDeleteConservative --- Liberal
Republican --- Democrat
Small Gov --- Big Gov
Right --- Left
Right --- Wrong
Good --- Bad
Good --- Evil
It's all so very simple.
Scott said, "Name calling me as a radical is just typical blog slander... Instead of the ranting
ReplyDeleteI wasn't ranting and I didn't call you any names. I said you were intolerant. I meant that regarding your narrow views regarding Democrats who you perceive to be your enemy even when they agree with you. That's certainly true and most definitely not "slander".
You demonstrated that yet again with your response when you said "One more thing, I believe my jaundice view of Democrats is understandable and justified as I reside in a city they are destroying.". You couldn't resist could you?
Who's this "they"?
I was born almost 65 years ago in the Allentown hospital and have never left this city and continue to live here & pay taxes here unto this day. Get over yourself thinking that anyone with a view other then your own must be either somebody who moved here, doesn't live in this town or an Obama worshipper.
Democrats aren't destroying this city, idiotic politicians are. Other then Tom Burke, Lou Hershman and Bill Heydt (all who I voted for), Republicans have offered nothing serious in the way of candidates. In due respect to MM- I didn't mean you.
"Instead of the rant why not answer my questions?"
What Questions!
That "Allentown is a microcosm for Obama's America" and that America's done for in four more years.
Just what the hell does Obama have to do with Afflebach's pensions schemes or Republican Whip Pat Brown's NIZ shenanigans. In your world they are both products of Obama , right?
This is the end of my discussion with you. When it comes to Republicans and Democrats there's no talking to you. Never was. Never will be.
“I didn't call you any names. I said you were intolerant”
ReplyDeleteNuff said.
Scott Armstrong
I have good freinds and also enemies that are slumlords in allentown pa, the latter outweighs the first. Here is my way to solve the pension problem that the king helped create with his pedecessor. All and I mean all rental properties should have a higher tax paid in this pay to play house rule. A reasonable fee $500.00 to $1000.00 depending on the nuseinse leavel of the property. These are the properties that cause the high level of police presense in most cases of this once fine city. The money should only go to the pension issue and not used as a slush fund for what current fancy the king has as with other untouchable revenues.
ReplyDeleteREDD no1
As a 24 yr old independent who moved back here after college and found a job in the NIZ there is nothing more exciting then the 'transformation' of the city I grew up in. For the past two years I've seen the lack of transparency from the mayor and a mastermind of writing legislature from our state senator to all try an improve my city. of course countless other opportunities or we can call them life lines to bail out the city to make the outsider king eventually get a higher paid position in the state capital and not worry about the future of Allentown just disgusts me. I have so much hope that the arena and lease transforms our city and I want to thank MM for the great work you do in this blog so that two compassionate individuals can express their views but the more I read the less hope I have. I wonder what the bickering would escalate to if this city wasn't controlled by the Ds or the money the mayor gets from developers. I'm just glad people like you care. Thanks and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletereddno1, already landlords are second class property owners, thus the term "slumlord" used so freely. we have not been able to apply a code system in an equitable way, who would determine the "nuisance level" of each property? we can't even do a reassessment without thousands of appeals, your proposal would be impossible to apply in a fair fashion.
ReplyDeleteDear MM,
DeleteREDDno1s perposed seggestion would be very simple to ennact the kings cops could do the numbers by number of calls to these infected properties. Low calls the low dollar amount high calls high dollar amount.
Not only would this solve the pension problem and save allentowns water system asset it would also solve the kings economic destruction and blight problem. This would truely be a win win for allentown as a HOLE?
If the present king and all his court jesters as well as pasts have not been dipping into the publics taxbase revenues they would not have to try to play the shell game with the money?
REDDno2
Do city residents realize they will lose control of their water source for 50 years? If they do and agree to this plan, okay, but it's doubtful many understand this serious matter.
ReplyDeleteThank you for returning to an easier way to post. Your last way was impossible to use. Understand why you needed it but glad youre back to this.
ReplyDeletereddno2, actually there is a similar program on the books called disruptive tenant act. this ordinance evicts the tenant, but does not charge the landlord a tax penalty. i have in the past explained that no landlord sets out to find problematic tenants, hoping to become a slumlord. i have explained how allentown inadvertently created a poverty magnet through an abundance of programs and organizations destined to assist low income housing. good intentions, bad consequences. i have explained how the new loft apartments will actually add to the problem by increasing housing stock. it is much more politically correct and easier now to attack one class of property owner, the landlords, than deal with the actual problem.
ReplyDeletethe following comment was submitted yesterday by guy williams;
ReplyDeleteCan't help but wonder if Scotts disdain for Democrats extends to those that signed his petition when he cross filed for his current position.
Mike, thanks for bringing up this important topic and not letting it go.
ReplyDeleteI fully expect the Allentown public to start taking to the streets with pitchforks and torches.
If people are not outraged, they are not paying attention. Your blog serves an important role in bringing the issue to the attention of many.