What concerned Emma wasn't so much the concept, but the proposed size of the district, sixteen square blocks. The planners unfortunately all wanted their homes included, and they lived in an area spread out from Hall Street to 12th, Linden to Liberty.* Shoving property restrictions down the throats of thousands of people who lived in the neighborhood for generations didn't seem right to Emma. As the battle to establish the district became more pitched, Emma began referring to it as the Hysterical District.
Emma eventually lost the battle, but won the hearts of thousands of Allentonians. Emma Tropiano would be elected to City Council beginning in 1986, and would serve four terms. In 1993 she lost the Democratic Primary for Mayor by ONE (1) vote.
Her common sense votes and positions became easy fodder for ridicule. Bashed for opposing fluoridation, our clean water advocates now question the wisdom of that additive. Although every founding member of the Historical District moved away over the years, Emma continued to live on 9th Street, one block up from the store. In the mid 1990's, disgusted by the deterioration of the streetscape, she proposed banning household furniture from front porches. Her proposal was labeled as racist against those who could not afford proper lawn furniture. Today, SWEEP officers issue tickets for sofas on the porch.
Being blunt in the era of political correctness cost Emma. Although a tireless advocate for thousands of Allentown residents of all color, many people who never knew her, now read that she was a bigot. They don't know who called on her for help. They don't know who knocked on her door everyday for assistance. They don't know who approached her at diners and luncheonettes all over Allentown for decades. We who knew her remember, and we remember the truth about a caring woman.
* Because the designated Historical District was so large, it has struggled to create the atmosphere envisioned by the long gone founders. Perhaps had they listened to, instead of ridiculing, the plain spoken shopkeeper, they would have created a smaller critical mass of like thinking homeowners.
reprinted yearly since 2010
Yes, Emma lost by one vote... MINE!!! I couldn't sneak away to vote that day and worked way too late to make it to the polls after work, I approached Emma and told her I was sorry,,, she said, not to worry, since I wasn't the only one that approached her with the same apology... and I rarely vote democrat, but Emma had the answers I liked.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the 'hysterical' district goes, yes, the founders are gone or deceased. What was interesting was talking to folks that were long time residents that were all FOR it to "get these people to fix up their houses" but were NOT for it when the boom ultimately came down on THEM... they all stated they NOW regret voting for it. Isn't it funny how that works???... rules for thee, but not for me...
In the end it turned into a cash flow for city endorsed contractors which I wouldn't allow to work on my property, but that's a whole other story. We no longer own nor control our property, we just "kiss the ring" of those who rule over us. We have lost our country and it's going down in flames in many areas... all by design and the desired result(s), sorry to state...
Emma really was a "people's" candidate. I doubt anyone will ever call Tuerk that. As a Democrat who supported Tuerk, I understand the need for occasional tax increases and some of the proposed spending sounds practical. However, I take issue with the following:
ReplyDelete1. Part of the tax increase will be used to accomodate a more diverse population. So his administration gets accused of tolerating racism in City Hall, so now his token act of appeasement is to raise our property taxes??
2. I hate that he said "the tax increase will have limited impact on a majority of Allentown". So because he hates himself and is afflicted with white privilege guilt, he's going to stick it to homeowners instead of renters (majority of Allentown). It's so arrogant to use this tactic, that because privileged homeowners (like him) are so wealthy, they can afford higher taxes. It shows a complete lack of empathy for the City's homeowners who have resiliantly stayed here despite all the crime and City/ASD tax increases. I think Tuerk should be investigating ways to lessen the tax burden on homeowners, not stick it to them as part of his personal social equity project.
Michael, Thank You for re-posting this article on a good woman (true Allentonian} who cared about the City.....I knew Emma, and her husband well....Tropiano's was one of my accounts for years......PJF
ReplyDeleteAnon 12:30: I absolutely agree about Tuerk’s lack of empathy.
ReplyDeleteA large portion of Allentown has an income below the federal poverty line. Go tell the working family struggling to feed their family or the widow on a fixed income how the impact will be limited on them. Especially when coupled with a trash fee hike.
I believe that Tuerk said the tax hike would raise about $2.6 million. Does he really expect us to believe that there’s nothing to be cut in the city’s budget that could eliminate that? Is the city so efficient and are all programs so effective that NOTHING can be cut to offset the need for a tax hike?
City government doesn’t have a lack of revenue. Instead it suffers from an overabundance of misplaced priorities.
Now that I think of it, how much is the city paying Promise Neighborhoods to bully unpaid school board members?