I'm fan of Ce-Ce Gerlach, despite her campaign for Inclusionary Zoning. Ce-Ce told WfMZ that the city has an affordable housing problem. "These apartments(Strata) are great, a block away there is poverty," There is always poorer people a block away, no matter what city you go to. The contrast is even greater in the more affluent cities. Unfortunately, to some extent, it is more of a people problem than a housing problem.
Ce-Ce should visit the Social Security Office. There she will see many young people signing up for disability. While there are certainly people who really need such assistance, too many have chosen assistance as a life-style.
I support Ce-Ce because I see her as a genuine candidate of the people, as opposed to a poser. I was an opponent of the NIZ, because it made the playing field so un-level. Even a building like the magnificent PPL Plaza cannot compete against the taxpayer subsidized new Reilly buildings. Ce-Ce proposes incentives for affordable housing within and adjoining the Strata buildings. Allentown would need a new Department Of Incentives to keep track of it all. What Allentown really needs is more incentivized people.
Ce-Ce is what she is, part of the problem in Allentown, just another politician without a clue on what's wrong with city government or how to fix it. I can go further and tell you that she routinely tells people what they want to hear rather than what she really believes(what ever that is). On the school board she routinely used issues to self promote while others did far more without the grandstanding.
ReplyDeleteAll this said it is beyond a doubt that Ce-Ce will soon be a fixture on city council, there she will join the most clueless bunch of hacks the region has ever seen.She will fit right in and Allentown will continue forward into future saddled with leadership that can't lead.
One more thing, if Ce-Ce really cared about the "people" in Allentown she would give them good advice and offer real solutions instead of the damaging dictates of the left, victimization, racial politics, economic dignity, inclusionary zoning...she would tell them that discipline, work, faith, integrity, self respect, self motivation... are far better remedies to escape poverty than any government program.
Ce-Ce told WfMZ that the city has an affordable housing problem. "These apartments(Strata) are great, a block away there is poverty,"
ReplyDeleteMM -
Since you're one of Ce-Ce's fans, I'm hoping that you can explain what she means here. If there's a shortage of affordable housing, how can there be poverty a block away? Wouldn't that mean there IS affordable housing in those areas?
Given Allentown's already high poverty rate, wouldn't that also mean that the entire city is ALREADY saturated with affordable housing?
I'm no fan of the NIZ (or Ce-Ce), but with a large segment of the city's population already at or below the poverty line, I would think that the last thing Allentown needs is MORE affordable housing.
Or is the attempt to link the Strata apartments with a non-existent lack of affordable housing just a way for Ce-Ce and groups like CACLV to shake down Reilly and other developers?
This is happening in most cities. When new apartments are built, there have to be a certain number of 'Affordable' units.
ReplyDeleteThe proper term would be "Housing Paid For By Taxpayers". It's not that these units cost less a sq/ft to build - it's a 'set aside'. Developers don't mind doing it, they get paid and don't have to live there. Any additional cost will be shifted to the other renters.
It's been shown that if you finish HS, get a full time job, get married, then have children, and stay married, you will be self supporting.
Unknown@8:46, I agree and have always said that there is no shortage of affordable housing in Allentown. However, If you had attended a candidate's night, you would understand that the realities presented on this blog, and its comment section, are not part of the city dialogue. That ship has sailed away in Allentown's past. For viable candidates (chance of winning), there is a new set of criterion.
ReplyDeleteThe election of Donald Trump signaled the start of soft Civil War II. It was a statement of the people who were fed-up with ever creeping socialism and entitlements.
DeleteThere is no solution once the Progressives are the majority elected into office. They gain and grow their power - buying votes with programs and give away's. Eventually they have a large voting block of dependent people. One just has to look at Chicago / Baltimore / Philadelphia / NYC. All run by Progressives for many years. There's not a chance of a conservative elected in those cities.
I predict the Balkanization of the US. Eventually people will migrate to states/locales that support their political POV.
Hense, Allentown is doomed to be governed by clueless lefties such as Ce-Ce.
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