On the morning of March 10th, the Chamber of Commerce is proudly,* no less, hosting breakfast with Mayor Ed Pawlowski, at the Renaissance. For a mere $99 dollars, $49 for members, you can learn about all the development news in Allentown's NIZ. The event is being sponsored by Alvin Butz and the other benefactors/beneficiaries of the Allentown regime. I'm sure that the defenders of this event will say that it was scheduled last year, like the Rotary's State of the City. Instead of the sponsor's table, perhaps there will be the subpoena table.
* although the word proudly was used in previous years, for some reason it does not appear on the Chamber event news announcement this year.
What's the purpose behind this dog and pony show? Sounds like the NIZ public relations is getting a bit thin in the public's mind and repeating the same old same old again, plus telling the public how they're going to do more of the same is going to make it all better in the public's minds.
ReplyDeleteWe need more buildings, we need more restaurants, we need more parking decks downtown. We need to spend more money so Allentown is a better place.
However, north of Linden Street, they don't care.
This is EXTREMELY disappointing and troubling.
ReplyDeleteI've tried to keep an open mind about the Chamber, despite the fact that Pawlowski-crony Mike Schlossberg worked there, despite the fact that Pawlowski-crony Charlie Thiel heads the Allentown Chamber, and despite the fact that the Chamber's LV leader was named in the FBI subpoena. But this does it for me.
More than any group, the Chamber should recognize the position that Pawlowski has put the city in. They should be leading the call for his resignation, not sponsoring a forum to make Pawlowski appear legitimate.
I would urge all HONEST Chamber members to boycott this event, and cancel their memberships over it. Similarly, I would urge non-chamber members to boycott this and any other event associated with the Chamber.
The Chamber is enabling Pawlowski and hurting the City. They need to be held accountable.
I find this a helpful reminder that Charlie Thiel, created in the image and likeness of the Savior from Chicago, Edwin Pawlowski himself, is being setup to be the next captain of the sinking ship now that Julio finally realized Ed sure as he'll won't/can't put him on the Fifth Floor.
ReplyDeleteGod save us from the Charlie Thiels of this town.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Again useless people gathering at a useless event!
ReplyDeleteThis is akin to the Masque of the Red Death. Everyone's pretending that the mayor isn't going to go to federal prison and that a whole bunch of people in that room didn't end up on on an FBI subpoena list.
ReplyDeleteAnd that there is a lot of bad things coming and they are all self inflicted by the decisions made by you guessed it - some of those people in that room.
This is why if you really want to bleach the City post-Pawlowski, you can't just stop at City Hall. As someone else astutely stated, you've got to clean out all of the enablers too.
50% off if you show your subpoena.
ReplyDeleteJust stop it! Let us list the profound accomplishments of this august gathering, ok you first. They have to hang with their own. You've got to admit, they do have a set.
ReplyDeleteThe FBI should get a copy of the guest list. It might give them a few new leads.
ReplyDeleteShow your microphone and get a free dessert.
ReplyDeleteI love it when public entities like Lanta sponsor events that aren't free to the public.
ReplyDeleteA vibrant Chamber of Commerce helping businesses grow and expand in the Lehigh Valley is a major contributor to a vibrant public transportation company. I think lanta has a long-standing relationship with the Chamber that seems to have worked for both. If I had any qualms about Chamber 'partnerships' it would be with media companies like the Morning Call and Ch 69. I never thought it was wise of Tony Ianelli doing that full page ad in the Morning Call saying that's where he gets his news; not when there is another thriving daily newspaper in the valley.
ReplyDeleteCheck the LANTA board and get your answer.
ReplyDelete4:37 had to have been written by a "vibrant" somebody at the Chamber who doesn't get it.
ReplyDeleteLanta is a bus company, charged with getting a bus from point A to point B. It's public and nowhere near self sufficient without massive public subsidy. Not private. They serve nobody by spending taxpayer money to sponsor a chamber breakfast that taxpayers would have to pay to attend. This is what happens when boards just appoint the same corporate cronies over and over again. They forget or willfully ignore that they are stewards of public money.