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| photo by molovinsky |
Julio Guridy is the longest serving member of the current city council, on at least his fourth term. I didn't attend the council meeting Wednesday night, but according to the Morning Call, Julio's speech was the longest, and today they printed his entire text. Julio essentially said, over and over, that he worked with Pawlowski on city matters for fifteen years, and believes that they both contributed much to the city. However, his statement near the end of rambling speech is startling.
We are the stewards of the city's money. I'll give an example. Just in December, we had a big budget, $100 million budget. And I didn't think it was the right thing to pass that budget. Basically, I thought that budget needed some work. Basically, I disagreed with some of the things, and for the first time since Pawlowski has been mayor, I voted against that budget.Herein lies the trouble with Guridy and the entire city council. It was the first time Julio voted no against something advocated by Pawlowski. Council is supposed to use their no vote as a strategic negotiating tool to help mold better policy, not just vote, yes, yes, and yes. Guridy may be proud of his service to the city, but one must ask how he justifies only voting no once in twelve years.
EXTRA, EXTRA SPECIAL WEEKEND EDITION POST AT 5:00PM THIS AFTERNOON
Mr. Guridy voted for the catastrophic Police Pension. He is not fit to hold office ever again.
ReplyDeleteNot in Allentown.
Not anywhere.
Ever.
Julio wants to be a good person but sadly has failed badly time and time again to demonstrate integrity in public office. For this there is no adequate excuse.Scott Armstrong
ReplyDeleteCouncilman Julio Guridy is lobbying to have his candidate installed to replace the disgraced Ms. Koval. This nomination must be rejected for the same reason Councilman Glaiser's nomination must be rejected. Both of these candidates are tainted by their close association with the criminal Pawlowski administration.
ReplyDeleteJUST SAY NO
MM,
ReplyDeleteJulio followed the path set before him by Mr. Pawlowski, as most of them did. He promised them all success if they did as he said. Julio started on the path earlier than most and just KNEW he would be the next Mayor of Allentown, PA if he stayed loyal. Unfortunately, blind obedience is its' own reward in this case. He will forever be tied to the hip of this tarnished administration as will the rest of those in his company. It's a sad legacy but we all know the risks when we play the game...
Alfonso Todd
Mr Guridy carries a lot of Pawlowski baggage. Also he was a water-carrier for Afflerbach. He voted for that horrible police pension deal, and he's got a job for life representing the Hispanics on city council.
ReplyDeleteGiven his tight relationship with Pawlowski, perhaps he's in the sites of the FBI as well?
Forgot to mention that Julio, along with Cynthia Mota, Candida Affa, and Jeff Glazier were all on Pawlowski's payroll for campaign donations from his Political Action Committee.
ReplyDeleteHaving that kind of relationship with Pawlowski tells me they all need to resign along with Ed. They are likely as tainted and in the FBI's sights as Ed it. Let's get rid of the "slate" and start with a clean one.
Hopefully Republicans. Allentown is basically a one-party city. That needs to change to keep a check and balance in our municipal government
unfortunately, bill hoffman has withdrawn his name for controller. the solicitor has ruled steven ramos ineligible as a republican. that leaves only two pawlowski endorsed people, glazier and aguiar for controller. if allentown moves forward from the pawlowski malaise, it will be only at a very slow pace.
ReplyDeleteEXTRA, EXTRA SPECIAL WEEKEND EDITION POST AT 5:00PM THIS AFTERNOON
ReplyDeleteHoffman was the only reasonable choice.
ReplyDeleteOthers have said it before---there's no relief in sight.
Let us not forget that as a cabinet level player in the storied Afflerbach administration one Ed Pawlowski was a major supporter of the police pension disaster.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to learn more about where the two former police department executives now on city council stood on that ruinous thriving deal.
The rot runs deep, and now one of two very tainted cronies is about to be appointment City Controler.
Perhaps it's time for the cities management to enter some kind of receivership status.
The ship has been talking on water and is being to sink. Only the pirates are left at the helm.
The recipients of these police/ fireman pensions must think every day of what they got away with. It's not over . Think about it, have another drink,think about it. Tick tick tick!
ReplyDelete"The recipients of these police/ fireman pensions must think every day of what they got away with."
ReplyDeleteAgreed. These pensioners take money from the Allentown Citizens every time they receive a pension payment. Do the right thing and correct your pension payment before we correct it for you.
Again, thankfully the FBI is here to help Allentown clean up the corruption at City Hall.
First, I congratulate Mr. Molovinsky for maintaining his blog. I would had preferred that he would had contacted me to get the true and correct story of what he wrote about me. However, I will try to set the records straight and address some of Mr. Molovinsky's pedantic, condescending and accusatory statements.
ReplyDeleteHere are the facts: In the 14 plus years I have been serving the public in Allentown City Council, I have been chosen by my colleagues in council as their president for 3 years, and vice president for 5 years (4 years in early 2000s and in 2015). In 2009, I was again nominated by the late Councilman Michael Donovan (may he RIP) and seconded for VP of Council and I declined it as a good gesture to give the position to newly appointed Tony Phillips, the first African American councilman who unsuccessfully ran for mayor as the Republican candidate against Mayor Pawlowsky.
Mr. Molovinsky, please know that before being appointed by Gov. Rendell to the DRJTBC position as director of Compact Authorized Investment (now I am Director of Contract Compliance), I was Vice President of Bank of America. I started banking as a Management Trainee for First Valley Bank and rose to become Assistant Branch Manager to an Assistant Vice President and from there to Vice President and worked in the Community and Economic Development Department in Summit Bank, Fleet Bank and Bank of America. I worked in the banking industry for over 11 years. Simultaneously, I opened a Travel Agency with my wife which we had for 13 years and employed 3 full-time and 4 part-timers people. During the same time, in 2001, I ran for City Council and with the support of the great voters of Allentown (Republicans, Democrats and Independents) I won and have been reelected ever since.
I am always mindful that God has blessed me as I came to the this beautiful country at the age of 15 years old not speaking a word in English and have been fortunate enough to be elected as a councilman to serve ALL people. In my tenure in council, I have sponsored and supported hundreds of legislations to make Allentown a better place for ALL.
Mr. Molovisky, I am sure you can remember that since the early 1980s decades there were hardly any new economic development projects in Allentown coupled with an immense amount of corporate flights from the city as well a significant number of homeowners moving out of Allentown to the suburbs. As you can see, now there has been over 1 billion dollars of investment in the city and a great number of middle class and upper class coming back, as well as millenniums buying and renting properties in Allentown. I don’t think you would deny that thousands of people are coming to Allentown’s restaurants, stores, and entertainments at the PPL Center, AAM, AOWM, and others venues! For more information please go to www.allentownpa.gov. Yes, I understand that we still have a lot to do and we are trying to make the city a better place for all citizens. I know there are a lot more good people in our city than bad ones. Hence, many of us will continue volunteering our time to make our city a better place to live for all of us.
Lastly, please speak with me and I will gladly share with you what we do at the DRJTBC. I wish you the best and hope that we can productively work together for the benefit of our citizens. I know that some tend to feebly fall into the abysmal of negative criticism of those whom they don’t like or agree with, but it is a lot more fruitful if we all work together for the benefit of our city, state, country and the world, regardless of the populists demagogue harangued by a few. I believe that we the people who truly care will continue working to make our city a better place for all. God bless you, and God bless our city.