The juxtaposition of the headlines pretty much says it all about the New Allentown. Although I'm low information on the symphony, I'm forced to be more up to date on the shootings. Although we learned that this is first homicide of 2024, we're not informed as to the number of shootings. It is that number, the shootings, that has gutted New Allentown's quality of life.
In my day, before Allentown became what I now will call New Allentown, a man from Alburtis usually meant that his family lived there for multiple generations. Now it may well mean that he moved there three weeks ago.
In the old times we never had or needed a Lehigh Valley Homicide Task Force.
People are asking; "where was Promise Neighborhoods?" Aren't they funded to prevent violence in the city? Now it seems clear they need more money and employees to be effective. Reasonable people will all arrive at this logical conclusion when they study the issue. We also must realize that the violence is due to racism and the violence the capitalist system imposes on the exploited working class. Remember, it isn't the upper classes engaging in street violence, clearly the system is working just fine for them. They/ we are the oppressors' and cause of everything that has gone wrong in our urban areas. The sooner we realize that the better. Scott Armstrong Candidate for city council
ReplyDeleteSome burning sarcasm here. Agencies like Promise Neighborhoods are like using CVS Band Aids during heart surgery.
Delete"Promise Neighborhoods" is simply nonsense to gain government funding to enrich the organization. The only promise is to drain the city treasury. If the problem is solved, the funding goes away, so other than words,, actions are for public relations, not for actually any problem-solving. Its a cash cow for the poverty organizations.
DeletePlaying the race card and class card isn't the problem. The problem is I don't have it and you do and I want it so give it to me. This philosophy breeds violence and criminal behavior in society, as well as other ills, generally caused by laziness and broken families.
DeleteClaiming racism is an excuse. Yes, there are people who believe in the superiority of one race over another, just as there are people who believe they can exploit others for their benefit. We had largely gotten past that in our society since the age of Jim Crow and the labor struggles of the early 20th Century (homestead strike, ford sit-down strike, etc.)
More people have escaped poverty due to Capitalism and our societal freedoms. We do not live in a caste-system based upon the color or your skin, and generally if you do work hard, obtain the tools that knowlege provides through our educational system, you can succeed in life. Most people in life make more correct decisions than bad ones. I.e. spending money on education, rather than buying the camaro, not smoking, rather than paying for cancer treatment, putting off pleasures and luxuries to save money to buy a home, rather than renting a lifestyle that enriches your landlord. Our society is very moveable and making the right decions in life mean that you can be successful, especially here in the United States, which there are more individual rags to riches stories anywhere else in the world. Take advantages of the opportunities our society provides, and don't give into that philosophy of failure and blaming someone else for your problems. The woe is me philosophy gets you nowhere in life and makes your life worse, not better.
Anonymous 8:18 you don't believe that I have finally seen the light? That I finally realized those leading the city, and those who vote for them have been right and I was wrong? it's very simple really, they just need more time and money. Who could question this wisdom?
DeleteIf more money and time were the answer, the ASD would be a model school district for the nation. Its the leadership and what they do with the money they recieve that is the problem. They either don't want to, or are incapable of solving the problems for one reason or another is why the ASD is at the bottom of the barrel in terms of rankings in the Commonwealth
DeleteThat can also be applied to City leadership as well to address the societal ills that affect Allentown. Bright, shiny new buildings may look nice, but overhauling a few blocks of Hamilton Street, while not addressing the urban issues of the rest of the city does not solve the problem.
My prediction is Allentown and other local urban areas will begin to see an uptick in violent crimes. While I still don’t know what was behind this particular shooting, nationwide we are seeing more violence. I believe this trend will continue under our lack of border control.
ReplyDeleteIn recent years we have seen millions of people freely walk into our country without accountability. We are paying to send them into communities all across the country. An unusually high number are single young men. They are coming from nations with extensive gang cultures. This means territorial battles for dominance in lucrative, illicit activities. Primarily drugs. Our government has opened attractive new markets to be conquered.
Fellow readers, you MUST demand more secure borders. And, of course, better law enforcement with real penalties for crimes.
Who attempts to force themselves into a 1 year old's birthday party? No idea what led to the shooting, but the reporting here is lighter than superficial.
ReplyDeleteWho attempts to force themselves into a one year olds birthday party?
DeleteApparently the people who travel the streets of Allentown
It seemed to me that the police released more information than they usually do, especially in regard to a homicide case.
DeleteThose who have submitted very politically incorrect comments which have not been published, can resubmit them using their name.
Scott at 7:57:
ReplyDeleteI’m a convert also!
In addition to your points, we can all be thankful that (as far as I can tell) the victim didn’t use a gun to defend himself. That would have been a terrible thing!
And finally it’s just too bad the Shot Spotters weren’t in place to lead the police to the doorstep of the shooter. Surely that would have made the victim’s family feel much better about the city!
Pardon me for being negative but it seems to me the poorer the Allentown School District performs the more state and federal money they are eligible for.
ReplyDeleteAND no matter how much more they receive, property taxes still manage to go up. Thus failure seems to be a bigger reward then success. I don't see a way out of this constant loop. Is there one?
I can give you one reason why your school property tax is so high. Multi-Family rental units DO NOT pay an equal proportion of school property tax per family as do Single Family Units.
DeleteA huge percentage of current ASD students come from some form of multi-unit structure. A half double home, for example, converted to a 2- family dwelling does NOT contribute twice the school tax as the same half double once did. So, in some cases, a dwelling once housing a widow or widower with no school age kids, is converted to a 2- Family home for, perhaps 4-6 kids. Similarly, a building with 6 dwelling units does NOT contribute 6 times the amount of school taxes.
Wonder how much school taxes comes from Public Housing Developments? Every ASD school deals with kids from those neighborhoods.
There is a financial disconnect going on.
That's why it's way past time to do away with property tax for schools in favor of a more generalized tax. Make these people (renters) get some skin in the game.
DeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteSoooo, I wonder as I drive down the Lehigh Street hill and gaze to my right and see the newly rebuilt houses in the Little Lehigh Acres Public Housing Development parcel… how much tax revenue do these homes generate?
Also, the REAL burning question in my mind is… how much did it cost the TAX PAYERS to rip down the old units and rebuild FEWER new units complete with a COMMUNITY CLUBHOUSE?
Who will be the lucky ones to be chosen to live in these new homes? ( At taxpayers expense) And how will they be chosen?
Just Asking for a Friend????
An Allentown Taxpayer