Allentown City Council never fails to disappoint. On Wednesday evening they voted to fund another non-profit to promote business on Hamilton Street. Although J.B. Reilly essentially now owns Hamilton Street, the taxpayers are once again providing a service to enrich him...we're also dressing up the buildings he doesn't own, to make the streetscape better for him. Council was told "a thriving downtown is the heartbeat of a city, and that success would permeate throughout the entire city."
Ce-Ce Gerlach wanted to know what color the people working for the new non-profit will be? In our Allentown, color is more important than actual qualifications. Cynthia Mota said "With this initiative, I'm excited that the wealth will be trickling down.”
I see the this new non-profit as another job program, like Promise Neighborhoods. Although it won't fulfill the mission that it was created for, it will give some people a paycheck, and make other people feel better about themselves.
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I must be of a different generation.
ReplyDeleteIn previous generations, when a new buisness opened up on Hamilton Street, they offered products that they hoped people would want to buy.
Also, they took out advertizing either in a newspaper or on radio so the public would be aware of their existance.
In addition, the buisness would offer items on sale to bring in customers to sell their products. We just had a new pizza place open up about a block from my house. They offered free slices of pizza when they opened to promote their buisness.
Having a DEI non-profit to promote a buisness is something of the 21st century I suppose, especially if it is funded by the government. It must be an Allentown thing, as we don't do this in the little village I live in .
Ce-Ce's plan that hiring be raced based is illegal. After years of this civil rights law beening flouted, it appears raced based hiring is again coming under scrutiny and enforcement actions could follow. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Ce-Ce and her cohort are ignorant of the EEOC law. Someone might want to bring this up to council. One might want to attend that meeting to witness the clueless faces that would receive that advice.
ReplyDeleteCe-Ce wants people of color working on the messaging operation. Mota wants it done in Spanish language applications for her part. Am I wrong in assuming that the target audience is your Caucasian, up scale English speaking types from the West End and the burbs, peeps looking for just the right fashion forward casual shirt and a craft burger.
ReplyDeleteSounds like another version of minor league ice hockey for Latinos, but, ya’ know, different.
Mota better get some new boots.
I see a lot of stuff trickling down.
Is the Morning Call on board with the project?
ReplyDeleteIt’s Dr. Mota. How about some respect here.
ReplyDeleteIm sorry but online degrees dont count as someone qualifying as a doctor. Just because you have a doctorate degree still in my opinion doesnt mean i should address you as a dr. So since I have a Masters degree. I expect everyone here to address me as Master!!!!! Actually Master of the Universe. Thank you
DeleteCan’t this just be subbed out to Promise Neighborhoods?
ReplyDeleteThe new advertising campaign should be designed by people of color for people of color.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a minority majority city.
At least half the campaign should be focused on Spanish speakers.
Anything else is racist and discriminatory from the git go.
I won't be hosting anymore comments on what should be the racial composition of new non-profit, or anything else.
ReplyDeleteAllentown could hire the motorcyclists that wheelie around to have the way flag with NIZ in big letters as advertisement. This is sure to get people in downtown allentown.
ReplyDeleteCity Council has been a disappointment for years and it is not going to get any better next year. Remember that Pongo works for BUTZ (building new police station) and Binder is linked to JB and Thiel.
ReplyDeleteTuerk really is the victor here , he essentially eliminated his opponents on Council (Zucal and Hendricks) and replaced them with rubber stamps for his agenda. Cece and Natalie have already bowed to Tuerk’s agenda because they realize the shift that is about to happen.
Buckle up.
anon@7:50: Although there is much unfortunate truth in your comment, Ed Zucal is on the ballot in November. While a Zucal victory would certainly be an "upset", I and others are working toward that end.
DeleteMike. I hope that you and your group that you’re assembling are successful in creating an upset and Ed is victorious in November. I remain cautiously optimistic, but I will point out that Ed voted for a large spending increase in the most recent council meeting. He caved to supporting the nonprofit receiving $300,000 and allowed for unnecessary promotions. The city has to get it spending under control.
Deleteanon@9:04: That unanimous vote is what this post is about. I'm supporting Ed Zucal, but don't expect that all his votes will be to my liking. While I'm trying to meet with some other Zucal supporters, his victory will require a bigger network than my efforts alone.
DeleteDecades ago downtown Allentown was a happening place offering convenient shopping and entertainment options at reasonable prices acceptable to many Allentown residents and people from other locations in the greater Lehigh Valley. There is little now in downtown Allentown other than a hockey game or a unique occasional entertainment event that would encourage me to travel there at night from my residence located less than ten miles away. No amount of non-profit cheerleading will change my mind anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteIf you think this is a joke waste of State tax dollars don't tell Molovinsky, tell your State representatives: Schlossberg, Schweyer, Siegel, Miller. They're the ones hemorrhaging your money.
ReplyDeleteanon@8:31: you have a point, but here their opinion is shared with thousands of others, while at the Rep's office, it may go into the assistant's waste can.
DeleteFree stuff won’t bring the people who shop in the booming LMT into downtown Allentown to park and stroll around with the natives.
ReplyDeleteNobody with kids and an income chooses the Allentown School District.
The NIZ is still waiting for that flood of young urban loving professionals eager to colonize center city with all it amenities and, ya’ know, cool stuff.
This messaging campaign is just what the doctor(s) ordered to jump start Allentown’s Age of Aquarius.
The future is so bright you’re gonna need shades.
This non profit isnt going to help. Gerlach's comment is just ignorant. Who cares if the board is all black people or hispanic if they are qualified. That is not the focus of wasting 300k of taxpayer money. Then Dr. Dolittle Mota, says shes excited to see money trickle out to the community hahahahahahhahahhahahhah. Its not trickling out of those two scam artists wallets. I bet their salaries are 150k each. Then next year they are going to ask for another 300k or more. How did Ms. Patel conviently find 300k extra. And then she thinks instead of keeping it to keep taxes down she offers it to these two guys. Its simple follow the money like the one gentleman said. Patel and Tuerk will ask for say 100k for park benches in the budget knowing he needs 20k. Then when Tuerk needs money for one of these scams he has Patel transfer funds out of that account and say "oh look public, we had a surplus of money in this account so we Just moved it here,". And no one questions this corruption. Lastly, why are raising discussed outside of budget time? Why are they all lumped together so that council members are forced to vote yes or no to raises they dont support. Very slick Tuerk. All adds up to how corrupt you and your administration is.
ReplyDeletePatel is a Pawlowski regime holdover. She should have been fired when Ed was sent to jail. She’s a liar and a thug who enabled that corrupt administration. I speak from personal experience and have no compunction about saying this in a public forum.
DeleteNone.
mj adams
The city has been saying it has no money! So when budget comes out let’s remember they didn’t save anything. Spending is out of control, but some departments can’t buy paperclips!! I’m tired of seeing money dumped into downtown, we need quality of life issues addressed and it’s not happening with this Mayor !!
ReplyDeleteStart with traffic citations... if that isn't a veritable gold mine, I don't know what is!!!... PLEASE, make our city roads driveable!!!!!
DeleteThe city doesn't "use" our money, it outright "abuses" our money, while neglecting to economize, as we must do... they just go to the "taxpayer well" and extract more. This fantasy land garbage needs to stop!
DeleteI agree with almost everyones comments on here. Basically Tuerk needs to go. He has proven he cant run the city. Wait until Aug or Sept council meeting hes going to ask for 40 million in 3 increments so 120,000,000 million over a 30 year loan. So basically simple math roughly is going to result in approx $175,000,000 in interest!!!! So 300million total. For a police station, fire station, and health bureau none of which will bring any money back to the city. But this is to appease the puppets of the mayor, Chief Agosto, Chief Roca, and Vicky Kistler. All yes men to the mayor. Taxes will have to go up 5-6%. I dont care what anyone says. Just wait. Its coming. I give you dummies a tip, when it comes to these types of projects you are better to rent and take your down payment and roll it over in some CDs or mutual funds every couple years. I like math so, if the city rented a police station and say health bureau for $83k a month which is ridiculously high but just saying. The police and health bureau could both stay in a building for roughly 35 years factoring in rent increases. Why throw all the money up at once??? Dumb
ReplyDelete4:48- You mentioned three city entities that bring in no money to the city.... you are partially wrong.... the police, IF they took the time to ENFORCE traffic regulations, could bring tons of money, that is until the perps finally got the message. Try driving like a lunatic in Bethlehem or Easton and tell me how you make out.
DeleteIf you have ever driven thru small towns in the South, you will notice spanking new police cars and beautiful police stations, all paid for by a cruiser that just patrols that dinky little podunk town.... we could do that!
As 12:46pm states these assclowns are acting as if there incompetent while robbing the right hand with the left. Shouldn't this found monies be used to pay down Allentowns debt service before handing it to administrative grant services?
ReplyDeleteIs the vity really considering a loan for $120 million? There is no way the city needs a new Police or Fire Station. Why not just close central fire and move the duties among the other five or six stations Allentown has? The Fire and Police are financial burdens on the city and each budget year their “overtime” expenses are disgusting!
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