Arena Push Poll

Muhlenberg College and The Morning Call have collaborated on another one of their famous polls, famous for wrong conclusions. In 2005, they had Heydt ahead of Pawlowski by 7 points. Pawlowski won by 20 points. Were they 27 points off, or worse, were they trying to effect the election? Was their intent to keep the Republicans content and at home? These polls are conducted by Chris Borick, Muhlenberg's political science professor. During a Presidential election, the Morning Call photographed a group of people whom Borick claimed were undecided, and analyzed their responses to the debate questions. By coincidence, I knew half of the people. Although they may like to proclaim themselves independent and undecided, they were committed Democrats.
 Their newest mistake is that valley residents look forward to the Allentown Hockey Arena, and think that it's a good idea, because 58% of respondents felt the arena would have a positive impact on Allentown.

"Politics aside, financing fight aside, Lehigh Valley residents see this as important to Allentown," Borick said. "Despite all the negative news, the public is fairly positive about what this can do for the city — and that includes people from inside and outside the city."

 Although  the pollster himself concluded in 2009 that the public doesn't appreciate their taxes used for such projects, the poll   ignored how people feel about the misappropriation of their taxes for this particular  boondoggle.    Why this push poll now?  It appears to be a response to the  the current  controversy to add support for the arena project.  Pawlowski should buy him lunch.     The Molovinsky Survey of Allentonian Opinion, conducted early morning in diners throughout Allentown, thinks the arena is in the wrong place, and they probably will not go there. I would have more respect for their poll, had they done it before they dug the hole.

It's de Plane, It's a Plan

Believe it or not, Pawlowski's Plane, I mean plan, for Allentown in 2005 was Weed and Seed, a stock federal government plan that produces little to no results. In 2005, when I called Pawlowski's plan crabgrass, he replied, At least it's a strategy! His plans have grown more ambitious. By 2006, he outgrew Weed and Seed and was counting on townhouses to revitalize Allentown. We gave the neighborhood parking lot near 8th and Walnut, along with KOZ designation, to Nic Zawarski to build townhouses. The last ones were just sold at auction, for 50cents on the dollar. The Fegley family formed a real estate LLC and purchased them. Decades ago, a controversial City Councilman proposed that we drop a bomb on Allentown and start over. Ironically, the city was in much better shape then. Although Pawlowski didn't drop a bomb, it looks like we did. We now have a Transformational square block hole, and every township in Pennsylvania suing us. Pawlowski even wants to close the airport where de plane lands.
The plane arrives

Ignoring The Blueprint

Back in the early 2000's, when Ed Pawlowski was Community Development Director for Mayor Roy Afflerbach, Trexler Trust suspended it's support for the Allentown park system. The yearly park grant was put into an escrow account. It had been discovered that the Trexler park grants were being diverted, and used for the general fund of city operation. To prevent that sort of misuse in the future, the Trexler Trust in 2005 commissioned a master plan for the park system, suggesting what sort of projects would be an appropriate use of their funds. The comprehensive plan, from a Philadelphia land use planner, took inventory of the entire park system, making recommendations for each separate park. It concluded that Cedar Park was being overused, loved to death. In the meantime, back at Tammany Hall, Ed Pawlowski ran for Mayor in 2005, with some of his closest advisors being Trexler Trustees. The Park and Recreation posts were combined, and a new director was hired. Greg Weitzel, with a graduate degree in recreation, was fresh from building a destination playground in Lewisburg. With Pawlowski and Company distracted with their Transformation Schemes, Weitzel commissioned more Destination plans, ignoring the expensive Trexler blueprint. When Weitzel, like Elvis, left the arena last week, he took with him plans for a destination water park at CedarBeach.  Had he stayed, we would be competing with Dorney Park.  The Trexler Trust remains under Pawlowski's influence, ignoring their own mandates.

Allentown Becomes Reillytown

molovinsky on allentown exclusive*
Just as William Penn gave this town to William Allen two hundred and fifty years ago, Pat Brown, Jennifer Mann and Ed Pawlowski have now given the town to J.B. Reilly. Actually, Reilly's getting a better deal than Allen, because the existing taxpayers will underwrite all his new acquisitions. This blogger has learned that with three exceptions, Reilly has purchased the square block across from the arena; that would be from 7th to 8th, and Hamilton to Walnut. The exceptions are the LCCC Portland Place building, and two adjoining store fronts. All other properties are either under an agreement of sale, or have one pending. One of the sellers claim that they were initially approached by a strawbuyer, who used language of eminent domain, similar to the tactics employed on the arena side. Although the offers appear fair to generous, several of the sellers supposedly felt they had little to no option. Although I initially thought that the threat of domain was an idle threat, perhaps it is possible. City Council really doesn't know what authority they gave the City and it's agents, when they signed that dotted line. One council member hoped it wouldn't result in just some rich white guys getting richer; Guess what? Just as the general public was not aware that the NIZ taxing mechanism could be used by approved private parties, few people understand that property taxes** will be used if the earned income and sales tax fall short. In addition to the block outlined above, Reilly's City Center Investment Corp., funded by an initial $20million from the City Authority, and a yet disclosed second amount, is buying up both sides of Hamilton, from 5th to 10th Street. Additionally, he is purchasing the property north of Linden Street, to Turner Street. Several displaced former merchants who owned property on Hamilton, will now be tenants in Reilly buildings.

City Center Investment Corp. is a visionary real estate development and management company....We look forward to welcoming many tenants to live, work and play in what will be an inviting, accessible urban community.

Considering that Reilly hasn't been given the keys to the city, but rather the city itself, let us hope he succeeds.

*When The Morning Call reads this post, and produces their own longer version, with charts and maps, will they give this blog appropriate credit?
**Our trusted elected officials insist that property taxes cannot be used.(May14,2012)
Reprinted from January 9, 2012, as a companion piece to the Reillyville Video at LV Ramblings

Great Balls of Fire

The Morning Call doesn't refer to me as disdainful, misguided and dour for nothing; I take them to task. No doubt they considered Sunday's piece on the arena epic. Although I have already criticized it for verboseness and style, allow me to redress some errors of substance. The largest area ever submitted to a redevelopment bulldozer was the Lehigh Street hill, near South 6th Street and the now closed racquet ball club. Three square blocks were then leveled. Like the arena project, the displaced were a minority, who received little consolation for their ordeal. This morning's article continues to minimize the abuse recently suffered by the displaced merchants. Last summer, the newspaper dismissed the merchants as selling discount clothes and cheap electronics. Today, one very short paragraph was used to dismiss their twenty years on Hamilton Street. They're conveniently dispatched by saying that they were overpaid for their property. They could have written how the day care center never reopened, or one merchant  ended up on Hanover Avenue, with no foot traffic or business. The laborious article is written with a wildfire theme. The reporters marvel themselves with the imagery; Inferno,firestorm,burning, extinguishing the flare-up,spark,etc, etc, WE GET IT. The article minimizes the City's arrogance and secrecy, instead, elaborating on accusations that the townships are being punitive toward Allentown. While they briefly gloss over the insider deals,  they write that municipalities and developers have been colluding on the lawsuits. They quote Alan Jennings defending Allentown and the project, but omit that as an advocate for the poor, he's on the wrong side of the issue. The article concludes with an insider explaining what a catastrophe it would be for Allentown, and the Lehigh Valley, if the arena isn't built. Although it would be a catastrophic for Pawlowski and Reilly, the rest is meant as an ultimatum. The article ends with threats about a wildfire and scorched earth.

The Wages of Greed

Shown above are former customers with a former merchant, in a former store, in a former building on Hamilton Street. They are all gone now, replaced by a hole and lawsuits. When I first starting blogging about the arena, over a year ago, there wasn't too much interest. I wrote about fairness, level playing fields and the years those merchants had invested in Hamilton Street. They pleaded to no avail with the Administration and City Council; They even had a meeting with Pat Browne. They are an industrious people, and landed on their feet. I cannot say the same for Allentown. If it was greed or arrogance, apparently the Reilly/Pawlowski/Browne cartel reached for a little too much. Townships have joined townships defending their tax-base against the EIT grab. Developers outside of the NIZ will now also legally assert themselves to remain competitive. As Pennsylvania cuts back on services, local representatives will have to explain their vote for HOCKEY-GATE. As the bonds are delayed, if not cancelled, a local banker and bank will have to hope for repayment. J.B. Reilly is now sitting on a square block of inter-city apartments, not the clientele he envisioned. One thing is for certain, if the project gets back on track, the pot will not be as sweet as the big boys hoped, nor should it.
I usually age a post at least a year before I would reprint it. The above post is less than a month old, from April 20th. Things have not been going well for Pawlowski's hole. The municipal lawsuit has been enjoined by more townships, and the state wide township association might well join the fray. It appears now that we might be aging the hole. I have added a list of links to the April 20th edition of this post. Those links outline the history of the arena from inception, through November 2011.


UPDATE: Sunday's Morning Call has a feature story on the arena. In four pages and six thousand words, they cover the paragraph above. The article concludes with the notion that it would be a tragedy if Allentown is left with the hole, I'm not so sure. The expensive $35million dollar hole would have the potential to eventually attract market demand uses. That may well serve the taxpayers better than a $600 million dollar failure, which enriches the few, and burdens the community for the next century.

Discovering Pawlowski's Hole

Bill White and Paul Carpenter took a walk together about two weeks ago, something they hadn't done in years. Walking west, up Linden Street from The Morning Call, they discovered Pawlowski's hole.

 "Holy Cow, what's that?" asked Carpenter.

 "I bet it's for that arena," replied White.  "I'll do some research."

 Bill emailed Paul later in the day. I was right, the hole is for the arena.

  Arena for what? 

  Hockey.

 Carpenter reply.  I love hockey, I'll do a column about that.

 Since that walk, Bill attended the Great NIZ Debate at WFMZ, and pumped out two columns. Paul had his first one today.

photocredit:Harry Fisher/ The Morning Call

Guarding The Parks

I never imagined that as a boy growing up in Lehigh Parkway, that 60 years later, I would have to spend my time defending the parks. Especially defending them against the Park Director and The Trexler Trust. Weitzel thanked the Trexler Trust in his departing statement last week. He left town for a new job, with his resume enhanced by all the plans we paid for. Pardon me, but I have been saying for years that he was building a resume at the expense of our treasured park system. His Water Park plan was so over the top, that even City Council asserted themselves, an exercise they hadn't performed in years. Supposedly, Trexler Trust, still subservient to Pawlowski, was prepared to fund this absurdity. How sad that Fountain Park Pool has been closed for several years over $160,000 worth of repairs, when we just spend $80,000 for the Swimming Toward The Future Presentation. That study claims that it will cost $4 million to renovate our existing pool system. I believe that they exaggerated that figure, to justify their proposed $11 million Water Kingdom. I have learned that Allentown is conducting a nationwide search for a new park director. We would be better served by someone already working in, and familiar with our park system. We had enough grandiose plans and projects in the last five years to last us for many decades to come.

Misguided, But Not Demeaned

Bill White usually doesn't concern himself with politics. Over the years, like a teacher with decades of lesson plans, Bill has a file of themes to fill the space. By the time the last Christmas light column appears, it's almost time for Eating his way through Musikfest. Before judging the cakes at the fair, he has his Hall of Fame. He claims it's intend is not to ridicule, and cites the Cipko brothers as proof, because they were philanthropists. White omits that he portrayed them as buffoons with oversized toupees. For those who think I'm being harsh on Bill, let me quote him from May 22, 2008. I’ve milked the Hall of Fame for all I can this year, as is my wont, but there’s one more bit of unfinished business. Bill wrote his second column on the Great NIZ Debate and described me as misguided, once again. Apparently, Bill has gotten emails criticizing his first column, with one claiming he demeaned me. I didn't "demean" the blogger on the program, project opponent Michael Molovinsky. I summarized his views and said I felt he is misguided. There's nothing demeaning about that. The problem of course is that he summarized my views incorrectly. He mischaracterized my comments as being preoccupied with the former merchants, and ignored all my points about the Arena and NIZ in general. But I'm starting to repeat myself, and I don't want to sound like a paid columnist.

 I'm being rough on Bill. Although he did get two columns from the debate, this is my second blog post about his columns. I probably have some jealously. He gets paid to mostly ignore Allentown politics and write three columns a week. I write six posts a week on local politics, for free, and get called dour and misguided for my effort.

Weitzel's Water World

Although other accounts of last nights meeting may indicate that the Swimming Toward The Future plan was drowned by City Council, it's DNA lives in the new resolution.  Council thinks that somehow, they must get something from the $80,000 study.  It was not done in vain; Weitzel used it as part of his resume to secure his new job in Idaho.  Mike Schlossberg wisely pointed out that a future Council may misconstrue the passing of even a  revised resolution as essentially approving the contents of the plan. The Council will be changing dramatically. Schlossberg will be going to Harrisburg, with Schweyer not far behind. Julio Guridy, and his protege Cynthia Mota, indicated pleasure with Weitzel's Water World.   Francis Dougherty is the mad scientist who will nurture the DNA, until which time the monster can be resurrected. Dougherty is both the former and current Managing Director of Allentown. During his first term, he is the one who brought Weitzel to Allentown.

The politicized Trexler Trust is still on board with Water World. Weitzel's plan was his most ambitious to date. The destination water park would fill the entire section of the park near the Ott and Hamilton Street intersection. That plan should be formally rejected.  A new plan should be created which simply indicates that Allentown will conform with ADA regulations, and strive to open and operate our five swimming pools in a clean and safe fashion.

both pictures from Swimming Towards The Future presentation

Swimming Toward The Future

This evening, City Council's Park and Recreation Committee will consider outgoing Park Director Greg Weitzel's plan for our swimming pools. The plan has a name, Swimming Toward The Future. Weitzel is racing toward his future, leaving the city in three days, for a new position in Idaho. Although I'm glad he can add this proposal to his resume, hopefully Allentown will not add the plan to our debt service. Weitzel spared no expense on his resume; The plan costs over $80,000 to present, prepared by a consultant from Indianapolis. It would cost close to $12million to implement. Among other things, it involves moving CedarBeach Pool up the slope, and adding a destination WaterPark. Tonight, the committee will be submitted to this Administration's usual push and pull politics. They will be told of a poll indicating the public wants this plan. They will be told that the Federal Government will fine us if it isn't implemented. The photograph above shows the dedication of the Irving Pool in 1941. Weitzel's plan includes closing that pool, the only one on the east side. Allentown should continue the tradition of providing it's children with clean, safe pools, in each section of the city. The meeting is at 6:00 p.m.

A Disdainful Blogger

The email was accidentally sent to me from a cellphone during a three way communication. I was pitching a Morning Call reporter to publicize an issue, and he was requesting permission from an editor. The email said yes Molovinsky is disdainful, but it would make an interesting article. I earned the disdainful tag by taking the reporters to task for their shortcomings reporting the news of our community, and failing to credit myself and other bloggers when appropriate. My ability to alienate has hurt the success of my efforts on community issues. More diplomatic advocates receive the publicity which moves their agenda forward. As a younger man I was apparently too dumb to learn, now, I'm too old. With that introduction, let me take a swipe at the On The Cheap columnist, Spencer Soper. Spence, the big news isn't that House of Chen ended their economy buffet, but that J.B. Reilly is ending their business. Those buildings are being bought with the same threatening tactics used by the City against the merchants across the street, now home to the hole. This dour, misguided, disdainful blogger will appear this evening on Business Matters on WFMZ69 at 8:00p.m. During the program I insult the host, Tony Ianelli; It figures.
WATCH THE DEBATE, CLICK HERE

WATCH SPENCER SOPER'S MUSICAL VIDEO,THE HOUSE OF CHEN

Pawlowski Disrupts Debate

Bill White in his column yesterday notes that Mike Fleck, shown here in photo with boss Pawlowski, worked for Pawlowski and was disruptive at the debate, but he fails to connect the dots. As I followed Fleck from the lobby, down the hallway to the studio on Thursday, Sara Hailstone appeared out of nowhere for a second, to welcome Fleck. When we were wired for microphones, I didn't notice if Fleck was also fitted for an earpiece.

UPDATE: It's fair to say that Pawlowski doesn't think that the arena should be debated by the likes of Molovinsky, Thode, or  for that matter, any citizen.  In his op-ed piece in the Morning Call today, he ties it's completion to the success of the valley. He should be concentrating on quality of life issues in Allentown, that's the real gauge by which this city is measured.

The moment Ianelli indicated the show started, Fleck started yelling, football stadium volume, in my ear. I managed to regain my composure, and make all my points. I did misspeak once, referring to the arena as the public portion of the project. It's hard to remember that so much public treasure is going to enrich private interests. I asked Sy Traub, head of the NIZ Board, why he could appear, but supposedly Hailstone couldn't, for legal reasons. He had no answer. Fleck's yelling prevented me from actually hearing Steve Thode. White implied that Thode had come with multiple props, I only saw one. Fortunately, he did come with a cigarette carton, prompting me to say something about the immorality of using CHIP funds for Reilly's benefit. Hopefully, Pawlowski will allow the debate to air Monday evening at 8:00p.m. on WFMZ69; but, if the electricity goes out on South Mountain Monday night, you'll know why.
UPDATE: Ed Pawlowski has an OP-ED piece in Sunday's Morning Call about the arena. Jeff Barber, debate participant, writes in a comment. Ed, You’re the first Mayor in years to lead Allentown out of a troubled past.... You’re not in this fight alone; they're are hundreds of us behind you. Barber may be correct about hundreds of people supporting the project, but that's not enough, there are 106,000+ people in Allentown.

The Arena Debate

When I chose this photo for the post, the title was going to be Musical Chairs. I was going to address the changes in the cast of characters for the arena debate on Ianelli's Business Matters Show. Since then, Bill White has written a column in which I'm described as dour and misguided.* Worse, he characterized my debate input as preoccupied with the former merchants, ignoring all the other points I made. The first point I made, and the big one that White apparently doesn't understand, is that it's a sad commentary on our local government, when the first debate occurs after the buildings are torn down; After we spent $65million dollars, and are facing a tax backed debt service of $220million, without any public discussion. Apparently, Bill was busy eating a cheesesteak when I made that point. My second major point was that the NIZ benefits were applied in an unethical, selective fashion. Reilly already had $20million in his pocket, even before the rules were formulated. Bill missed that comment, he was taking a Movie Quiz about Cary Grant on his I-Phone. My third point was that although the NIZ doesn't use property taxes, it does use tax receipts that will now not flow back to various levels of government. They will want to maintain their previous budget, and consequently, raise taxes. Bill was chomping on a left over cupcake* from some contest he judged. The show will air on Monday evening, WFMZ69, 8:00 p.m.
*Despite my cracks about Bill White, I'm grateful that he covered the debate. Despite Bill's cracks about the participants, he apparently found the debate column worthy.

Weitzel's Expensive Catalogs

Although Greg Weitzel is leaving in 7 days, before he leaves, he is attempting to bully a compliant City Council into destroying our swimming pool system. Rather than simply build some ramps and railings to comply with new ADA regulations, like pools all over the country, Weitzel's plan* is to close 2 pools, and turn the other ones into water parks. Although CedarBeach Pool has served the city for 60 years, he wants to move it up the hill and add water park features. He wants to close Irving Pool, the only one on the east side, and turn the spot into a spray park. He wants to close Fountain Pool, which serves the inter city children, whose mothers don't have vans to drive them to CedarBeach. He spent $80,000 on a consultant from Indianapolis for these recommendations, which could have paid for the handicapped ramps at several of the pools. Let me be blunt. Before coming to Allentown, Weitzel built a destination playground in Lewisburg. He established a relationship with the manufactures of playground and water park equipment. Much of his accomplishments in Allentown were purchased from their catalogs. Allentown should wish him well, and have him take those catalogs with him.
 *Devon Lash/The Morning Call/May 3,2012
old postcard: Fountain Park Pool

Better Shoes By Farr

The For Rent banner hangs on the side of the building facing 8th Street, the other side faces Pawlowski's Hole. It's been a rough year for The Farr Lofts, with another one in store. Prior to the unilateral decision by the Arena Cabal, the loft residents lived next to the Rite Aid Drug Store, and always had the prospect of more interesting and changing stores on their block. Now, after gagging through no less than two years of construction, they will be next to a traffic jam called the Hockey Arena. Surviving merchants have just received their first fine, for not completing the additional NIZ tax forms on time. Welcome to the Hole. Unlike most of you, I will have an opportunity to publicly complain about these outrages today. Any message I can convey for you?

Invite Molovinsky

When Bernie O'Hare posted the other day that Some Businesses Matter was looking for someone to join Steve Thode to debate Hailstone and Fleck on the NIZ, I almost raised my hand. There was a time when Michael Schlossberg used to ask me to come on the show. I always said no; Truth is, I'd rather sit here, and opine on my schedule. Since Iannelli is essentially the third person on the pro side, it is not inappropriate to add a third chair for the side against.* Anyway, if they want to balance out the show with someone who was party to the displaced merchant's point of view, I will rent a tie and jacket.

*Bernie O'Hare will be on opposing side with Steve Thode

UPDATE:  I have been invited by Business Matters to take Bernie O'Hare's place.   Michael Fleck, representing the NIZ with Sara Hailstone, refused to appear with Bernie.

UPDATE:  I have been informed that Sara Hailstone will NOT attend, and is being replaced by Jeff Barber, local mortgage broker and NIZ supporter.

The Gems of Allentown

The press release announcing Weitzel's departure, describes the combining of Allentown's Park and Recreation Departments as an accomplishment; It was of course a disaster. Weitzel, with a background in recreation, turned some of the parks into an overused playground, while completely ignoring others. The combining of the positions, while sacrificing the historical park system, saved the city no money;Pawlowski meanwhile created a host of new positions at the top level of his administration. Unfortunately, the traditional guardian and benefactor of the park system, the Trexler Trust, became dominated by Pawlowski sycophants. The current major plan for the park system's future centers on cycling, creating a network of interlinking paths between the parks. With the exception of myself and a few others, there are no defenders for the historical system, what were the Gems of Allentown. Pawlowski has politicized the parks, like everything else. The Friends of the Parks, are in reality, friends of Pawlowski. When I, with appreciated help, dug up the buried Boat Landing  in the Parkway, neither Pawlowski or Weitzel had known it ever existed, nor did they care. The Morning Call never ran a story on the subject; A WPA built structure buried for over 40 years by a former Park Director. Let us hope that Pawlowski now hires someone with some appreciation of our classic park system.

Doomed For Failure

The Allentown Hockey Arena is doomed to fail. With only 40 home games, 325 nights is too many to fill. The Sands Casino has already sucked the air of the local concert market, with one name act after another being announced. The Sands can well afford to use their concert venue as a lost leader for their casino. Ironically, while the price tag for Allentown's white elephant is now $220million, the Sands Concert space only cost $12million. While wide eyed Pawlowski and the profiting minions envision a hotel, no minor league hockey fan has ever stayed in a hotel. I have coined the phrase Hockeygate for this misstep in Allentown redevelopment. While the main victim of this fiasco will be the taxpayers of Allentown, other victims and scapegoats will be sacrificed. I would imagine that Scott Fainor, CEO of the main lending bank, KNBT, has been having some sleepless nights. Assuming the minions get pass the lawsuits, the bonds will be a hard sell, requiring that higher interest be returned to the risk takers. After about five years of underperforming, the city will announce a new manager for the arena. Ten years after that, a new mayor will suggest it's demolition. I recall when the canopy was supposed to save downtown Allentown; We know how that turned out. This post adds a few thoughts to my former post, Pawlowski's Expensive Hole.
photo credit:The Morning Call/Harry Fisher

Consigliere's Marathon

The photo shown here is one year old. Last year at this time, O'Hare and I were engaged in a Blog War, passionately taking opposite sides on the Gracedale issue. Because Bernie has the expertise to file lawsuits, I actually cropped off his stomach in the photo, as not to enrage him. I labeled the photo The Consigliere. I reprint it now because yesterday Bernie ran and completed a half marathon. Anybody who can lose that much weight and prepare to run 13 miles in less than a year is probably nuts, just the same, congratulations.

Park Director Departing

molovinsky on allentown has learned that park and recreation director Greg Weitzel is planning to move on to new pastures. Although only here for five years, the scar he leaves on the parks will last for decades. Trained as a recreation specialist, he had no feel for what was the gem of Allentown, our park system. Obsessed with cycling, he paved all the paths in CedarPark, and added an additional path across the previous open space. He then purchased exercise stations and other novelties for his newly paved roads. Meanwhile, the irreplaceable features of the park system were allowed to deteriorate; The WPA stone structures are in a perilous condition. These assaults against our heritage were enabled from the politicization of the Trexler Trust, the main benefactor of the park system. The Trust is dominated by Pawlowski confidant Malcolm Gross. Although not a dollar was spent on the WPA structures, the Malcolm Gross Memorial Rose Garden, named after his grandfather, was completely renovated. When Pawlowski departs Allentown, we will be encumbered with the arena, a $200million dollar white elephant. Weitzel is leaving us with crumbling infrastructure in the parks, but a grand cycling network, inter-connecting all the neglect in our parks. Pawlowski, preoccupied and consumed with the arena project, and opposition to it, might appoint park superintendent Rick Holtzman as Weitzel's replacement. Expect The Morning Call to verify this story by Wednesday, but once again fail to credit this blog.
UPDATE:  Both Devon Lash of The Morning Call and Colin McEvoy of the Express Times reported  Monday afternoon, at the exact same time, 2:53pm,  that Weitzel is resigning.
Official Allentown Announcement

Bernie's Blogosphere

This post is about Bernie O'Hare. Because I haven't seen him in about a month, and he's been losing about 20lbs. a week, I decided to represent him with the high energy geezer from the amusement park, instead of an outdated photograph. Last night Bernie wrote 7 posts on his blog. The Morning Call had 8 local stories, but they were written by seven different people. In addition to being the most prolific writer in the local blogosphere, he attends more meetings than the newspaper staff(s) combined. (Morning Call and Express Times). In between he writes for the Free Press, runs off 20 lbs. a week, and operates his title search business. I write one post six days a week, and next to Bernie, may well be the most productive blogger. (definitions of productive and blogger may differ). In tribute to his productivity, or obsessions, depending on your point of view, I publish this today, instead of tomorrow.

Molovinsky Breaks Stories

April of 2011 was a big month for this blog. On April 14, I broke the story that former school superintendent Zahorchak had hired Joyce Marin,

 to accommodate Ed Pawlowski. The hiring was snuck into a long list of minor personnel changes, and unnoticed by the school directors. Two days later, I broke the story that the City was buying up the arena block, and using a straw buyer to boot. As I worked the Marin story, it would come to include an email exchange between myself and Zahorchak, acknowledging the hire, and a public statement by school director Zimmerman. Zimmerman's note confirmed the subterfuge used by Zahorchak. On April 19, Morning Call caught up on my stories about Joyce Marin and also the Arena. Education reporter Steve Esack wrote about the Marin hire, crediting this blog. His editor, Mike Miorelli, changed "molovinsky on allentown" to "local blogger". Needless to say, I didn't take that well. I wrote a post criticizing Miorelli for failing to give proper attribution. Yesterday, the School Administration announced that Marin's position was eliminated. An article in today's Morning Call mentions the controversy and Zimmerman, but not this blog. Although it's my normal practice to link to Morning Call stories I refer to, and credit the reporter, I'll skip that courtesy today.
 UPDATE: Several days ago I noticed that my November post, entitled Mayo Can't Add, which took the new superintendent to task for not undoing some of Zahorchak's manipulations, was getting multiple views. Yesterday, Mayo announced the elimination of some new positions created by Zahorchak. Regardless of what factors influenced Mr. Mayo, I congratulate him for tightening up the ship.

Traveling Arena Show

Ed Pawlowski has been on the show circuit, selling the arena to the disenchanted. Last night he performed for CUNA.* After a woman complained that she lost her job at a day care center torn down for the arena, Pawlowski explained about a Community Benefit Agreement. Although there will be no instruction on becoming a hockey player or real estate tycoon, she can train to hand out peanuts, like a monkey, at the arena events. CUNA prided itself on not criticizing the project, how civil. The audience for today's show, real estate developers, might be tougher. Pawlowski softened up this group by filing a $50million dollar lawsuit against one of it's members. Needless to say, these performances should have occurred before the hole was dug.

 *Scott Kraus/The Morning Call/April25,2012

Understanding The Implications

Attorney Jerome Frank must have been surprised last night. Hanover Supervisors declined to vote* on the newest proposal from Allentown to settle the lawsuit filed against the arena project, before understanding the implications.

"I'm not going to have supervisors accept an offer minutes after they get it," Broughal said of the new offer presented behind closed doors Tuesday by Allentown attorney Jerome Frank. "I need some time to review it. We need to make sure we fully understand all the implications."

The Allentown Commercial and Industrial Economic Authority (ACIDA) always approved Frank's agreements and contracts even before they were finished being written. Due diligence is something Frank never encountered in Allentown. Besides ACIDA being a rubber stamp, there is the new Arena Authority, and of course the famous Allentown City Council. The big push now is the notion of completing the arena for the 2013 minor league hockey season. To meet this most important of deadlines, we expelled merchants with an illegal threat of eminent domain. Gave out $20 million in pocket money to Reilly. Spent $45-million on acquisition, demolition, and excavation. Signed documents before they were finished being written, and operated under a law with serious constitutional flaws. I would think that before the Leigh Valley goes on the hook for up to $600million dollars, they should tell the Phantoms to keep playing where they are for another season.

  *Matt Assad/The Morning Call/April 24,2012

Two Few Benefit from Arena

When Lee Butz addressed the Chamber of Commerce Real Estate Luncheon last week,  he inadvertently made a prophetic statement.

"Allentown is on the brink of tremendous resurgence due to the creation of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone," Butz said. "If implemented properly, it's going to be a huge benefit to every business in the Lehigh Valley and every individual in the Lehigh Valley and a tremendous opportunity for every developer in our community. 

"I said implemented properly. The reason I said that is it is incumbent on us to make sure the benefits of this don't just go to a few people."

What seems odd and ironic is that so far only two developers have approved projects; By approved, I mean that those projects will be financed by bonds, repayable by taxes. The two developers are J.B. Reilly and Butz himself. Since when is two even a few? Butz also received the largest contract of his career to build the arena complex, including an office building and hotel, to be owned by Reilly. Just as Hanover Township was joined by other townships in it's lawsuit against the NIZ, other developers may end up joining Atiyeh's lawsuit.

Small Victories

In the best case, molovinsky on allentown chronicles my efforts in community activism, in addition to being a source of analysis for local issues. Last week a small victory resulted from such efforts. Our local dignitaries broke ground for a new garage at Lanta. Several years ago, when the garage plans were first announced, it was to be built on the parking lot of Bicentennial Park. Allentown needed money, and Lanta had a grant to build a new garage. Lanta claimed that the ball park property was the only feasible location, and the City claimed that Bicentennial Park had outlived it's usefulness.

Bicentennial Park is virtually the history of baseball in Allentown. First opened in 1939 as Fairview Field, it was home to the minor league team of the Boston Braves; The Allentown Dukes played there through 1948, when Breadon Field was built in Whitehall, site now of the Lehigh Valley Mall. Over the years thousands of Allentown kids had the yearly thrill of playing "Under The Lights". In addition to hosting the Allentown Ambassadors, it currently serves women's fast pitch softball. In addition to the outrage in our park system, I will be adding the ballfield as a topic in my upcoming SPEAK OUT ALLENTOWN MEETING. from Lanta Mugs City, May 14,2009  

I conducted a meeting at a small local church, which attracted a couple members of City Council and the Hunsicker Family, who led the drive to build the park, decades ago. City Council went on to pass a resolution recommending that the park not be sold, and Lanta did eventually figure out an alternative space for the garage. Needless to say, I wasn't one of the dignitaries invited to the ground breaking, nor were my efforts mentioned in the newspaper article, but a small victory, never the less.

Baseball Memoirs, June 3, 2009

The Wages of Greed

Shown above are former customers with a former merchant, in a former store, in a former building on Hamilton Street. They are all gone now, replaced by a hole and lawsuits. When I first starting blogging about the arena, over a year ago, there wasn't too much interest. I wrote about fairness, level playing fields and the years those merchants had invested in Hamilton Street. They pleaded to no avail with the Administration and City Council; They even had a meeting with Pat Browne. They are an industrious people, and landed on their feet. I cannot say the same for Allentown. If it was greed or arrogance, apparently the Reilly/Pawlowski/Browne cartel reached for a little too much. Townships have joined townships defending their tax-base against the EIT grab. Developers outside of the NIZ will now also legally assert themselves to remain competitive. As Pennsylvania cuts back on services, local representatives will have to explain their vote for HOCKEY-GATE. As the bonds are delayed, if not cancelled, a local banker and bank will have to hope for repayment. J.B. Reilly is now sitting on a square block of inter-city apartments, not the clientele he envisioned. One thing is for certain, if the project gets back on track, the pot will not be as sweet as the big boys hoped, nor should it.

 April 16, 2011 Involuntary Conversion
 April 19, 2011 Late, and Maybe Wrong
 April 19, 2011 Hailstorm at City Hall
 May13, 2011   Hardball for Hockey
 May 17,2011  A Quick Learner
 May 18.2011  Another Day, Another Battle
 May 19,2011  The Night Hamilton Street Died
 May 21,2011  Pawlowski's Sham
 May 24,2011  A Better Arena Site
 May 27,2011  Exaggerating the Arena
 May 30,2011  Stealing Allentown's Treasures
 June 2,2011   Ripping Out Downtown's Heart
 June 3,2011   Open Letter to Lee Butz
 June 8,2011   Moving the Gooks 
 June 8,2011   Molovinsky Takes Aim
 June 15,2011 Asians Offered Rickshaw Concession
 June 17,2011 Step Right Up, Prize Every Time
 June 28,2011 Arena Shell Game
 July 7,2011    Raw Cookie Dough
 July 14,2011  Allentown's Double Standard
 Aug. 25,2011New Twist to Arena Dance
 Aug. 26,2011Arena Gets Press Pass
 Sept.  8,2011 Allentown's Future
 Sept.11,2011 The End of the End
 Sept.15,2011 Who Needs Shopping
 Sept.20,2011 Allentown's Malaise
 Sept.21,2011 Your Esteemed Opinion
 Oct. 3, 2011   Korean on Mayor's Menu
 Oct. 6,2011   Allentown's Tea Leaves
 Oct.11,2011  Unhappy Campers
 Oct.14,2011  The Morning Call Forgets The Meat
 Oct.20,2011  Who Thinks You're Dumber
 Oct.23,2011  Future Downtown Arena Attendee
 Oct.27,2011  Allentown Picks Winner, Then Announces Contest Rules
 Oct.31,2011  Gentrification Day in Allentown
 Nov.3,2011 Pawlowski's Palace of Sport
 Nov.5,2011 Secrets From The Shadow
 Nov.14,2011Public Arena Meetings
 Nov.20,2011Selling The Arena
 Nov.30,2011Arena Dooms Old Allentown
 More Hockey Arena Posts from the molovinsky on allentown  archives will be added later in the week

Pawlowski's Expensive Hole

Allentown eventually had success with former mayor Heydt's hole at the Hess's site, the PPL Plaza was built. Although Pawlowski's hole is much bigger, and has cost much more, eventually private developers would build separate buildings for real tenants. With home hockey games only 40 nights a year, and the Sands already having booked first rate acts as a draw to their casino, the arena is doomed to failure. The hotel plan is a moronic pipe dream. Who will want to deal with 7th and Hamilton for a medical appointment at the proposed sports medicine center? After 5 years of failure, the Arena Authority will hire a new manager. In 10 more years, Allentown will tear it down. I prefer leaving an expensive hole.

reproduced from an update on a previous post

A Sexist Post

Much like Popeye, I can't take it anymore without saying anything. Half the women driving upscale SUV's are driving with one hand, and holding their cellphone in the other. Who are they taking to? They're talking to other women with unlimited cellphone plans. What's so important? Absolutely nothing. Until recently, Presidents of the United States didn't have cell phones. The No Texting Campaign is anemic; Not only shouldn't you be typing while driving, you shouldn't be holding a cell phone. Ohio is the only other state surrounding Pennsylvania which submits drivers to this danger.

Pushing Pawlowski Back

I grew on Liberator Avenue. Liberator and Catalina Avenues, and Coronado Street, were named for Vultee-Consolidated WW2 planes, and are next to the airport built as part of the war effort. Vultee Street was built to connect the hangers with the Mack 5C plant, which was given over to Vultee-Consolidated for plane part manufacturing during the war. Vultee Street was the runway, and Lehigh Street would be closed off if a plane was landing. Today, this small airport now known as Queen City, has been under relentless threat by Mayor Ed Pawlowski, now a member of the Lehigh Valley Airport Authority. This past Tuesday, fellow board members started pushing back against Pawlowski.

"You're not the mayor of the Lehigh Valley International Airport." board member Frank Kovacs to Pawlowski

The board voted to build a new taxiway, indicating there's not much consensus to sell the airport, which has been Pawlowski's objective. Pawlowski wants to add to Allentown's real estate glut, for a short sighted tax gain. Matt Assad, from The Morning Call, wrote an excellent article explaining the arguments to both sell and keep Queen City. He also provides quotes of the tense discussion between board members and Pawlowski. This blogger is not surprised by Pawlowski's position, but questions Don Cunningham's judgement in appointing him to the Authority.

State Of The Parks

The Park Master Plan, done by a Philadelphia planning firm, and commissioned by the Trexler Trust in 2005, concluded that Cedar Park was being loved to death. Since then, construction and activity in that park has at least doubled. The mega destination playground attracts hundreds of children whenever schools out. The parking lot for the swimming pool is filled with cars for the playground. This summer, pool patrons will be forced to park on the grass. All the paths on the rose garden side of Ott Street have been paved, and a new path constructed across the former open space between the garden and picnic pavilions. Also, a new water line has been laid through that section to feed the demands of western Lehigh County, while the waste return will flow along side the Little Lehigh Creek, through Lehigh Parkway. The parks are just plumbing for the county and recreation for the city. In the Parkway, the entrance road has been made one way, and one side of the bridle path closed, because of the leaning WPA wall. Although $millions of dollars have been spent on over-using Cedar Park, not one cent was spent on maintaining the iconic WPA stone structures. In addition to the wall problem in the Parkway, the steps and pillars at Union Terrace are structurally endangered. While the park department goes ahead with plans to connect the various parks with more bike paths, the WPA steps at fountain park are deteriorating. Welcome to Allentown, where community, infrastructure and history are all ignored, while new projects are planned.

A Failure To Prioritize

In a recent Morning Call article, about making the entrance road into Lehigh Parkway one way because of a leaning WPA wall, the City defended itself citing priorities. That's exactly the problem in Allentown, misplaced priorities. While the irreplaceable WPA icons have been allowed to crumble, we have macadamized every walking path in Cedar Park. While we concentrate on a new bridge over the Lehigh River for the American Parkway, we allowed the 15th Street Bridge to rust away. Now, because the 15th Bridge is half closed, the historic Schreibers Bridge is being damaged by intensive traffic and heavy trucks. An article in yesterday's Morning Call concerns Allentown possibly overcharging the suburbs for sewage. The article fails to mention that both the City and The Lehigh County Authority have been cited for sewage overflow into the Little Lehigh Creek. and mandated by the DEP to upgrade the system. Both political entities concern themselves with expansion and cash flow while ignoring infrastructure and our quality of life; A failure to prioritize.

A Failure to Impress

I believe it's safe to say that the leaders of South America found President Obama unimpressive. Propelled to the Presidency on his speaking abilities, anointed with a Nobel Prize on pure speculation, he has failed to have any gift beyond the spoken word. It is articulate babble. In Colombia he blabbered that the cold war is over, yet defended the embargo against Cuba. His position against the legalization of drugs frustrated the Latin American leaders, overwhelmed by the illegal drug activities in their countries. His promotion of a trade program frustrated American labor leaders. His description of a month delay in talks with Iran as progress, frustrated Israel. The Secret Service indiscretion was not the biggest embarrassment on his trip.

134th Legislative District

On April 24th, voters will see Ryan Mackenzie(R) and Patrick Slattery(D) on the ballot twice. Both are running in the special election to finish Doug Reichley's term as State Representative, and both are running for the full term position in November. In the primary for November, Mackenzie has an opponent, independently minded Arlene Dabrow. Dabrow has been an activist and student of state government for decades. She told Mary Young of the Reading Eagle that if the inefficiencies within state departments were fixed, more money would be available for necessities. She's not a fan of long winded, self serving speeches by the usual minions of the status quo. If you're looking for an sincere agent of change, she may well be your candidate.

Join the Party

Mayor Pawlowski has told developers concerned about the unlevel NIZ playing field that they are welcome to join the party. He left out a couple important passwords in that invitation. First of all, their project must be approved by the NIZ Pawlowski appointed, connected board.

Pawlowski said. "It's hypocrisy of the highest degree. This whole argument is ludicrous. No one is stopping Rich Thulin or any other developer from taking advantage of the NIZ."

Remember that the displaced merchants, despite meeting with the City and Pat Browne, were never told that NIZ tax benefits were available for private parties. Secondly, J.B. Reilly has already purchased most of the available surrounding properties adjoining the arena block. He did this with $20million dollars provided by the City (ACIDA), which is repayable by NIZ taxes, although it was not assigned to a particular property or project. This seed or hand money was not offered to any other developer, or even mentioned in the rules specified after the fact. With two exceptions, Reilly now owns all the property on the entire block from Hamilton to Walnut, 7th to 8th.

Allentown's Grim Future

In the 1991 movie, Nothing But Trouble, Chevy Chase and friends inadvertently drive into a fictional Pennsylvania, where they are terrorized by a corrupt legal system. A local judge is portrayed by Dan Aykroyd, who rules over a well and mine infested junk yard. The corruption runs right up the chain of command to the state government. Here we are, twenty years later in real Pennsylvania, victimized by fracking and private menu laws. I expect our local government to back down on borrowing the EIT, so that the NIZ can proceed to burp our taxes for private gain, for the next 30 years. Allentown was apparently written off, now sold off, and in the process of being cannibalized.

The NIZ, Regurgitation and Digestion

Mayor Pawlowski has offered the discontented surrounding municipalities a guaranteed return of their EIT in exchange for dropping the collective lawsuit against the arena project. He would use Parking Authority funds to replenish that loss of revenue. This blog has often referred to the Parking Authority as a Frankenstein that preys on Allentown's poorest residents. The Authority already has the debt service of two recent parking decks; The deck next to City Hall and the deck at 6th and Linden, which was to serve the Arts District. What were they thinking and what is the Arts District? If this scheme comes to pass, the Parking Authority would turn from aggressive to predatory. Bernie O'Hare had an intriguing post today that suggests that the NIZ was really authored by J.B.Reilly, it's chief beneficiary. When one factors in the exclusionary fact that only Allentown qualifies for this law, property owners may have been improperly threatened with eminent domain, $20 million hand money was given to one private developer before any guidelines were publicly announced, would a visit by the Attorney General be in order? UPDATE: 9:40pm> Bernie O'Hare in his post speculated that the NIZ would unfairly drain tenants from other office complexes throughout the valley. I question how successful the NIZ offices will really be? So far, only tenants connected with Reilly have expressed interest. Is Allentown better served by the Hospital Network moving to an office building at 7th and Hamilton, or making a renewed commitment to 17th and Chew Streets? If Reilly builds the office buildings on speculation, will we end up paying for the empty space in some way? According to Pat Browne and Jenn Mann, the NIZ rules are too complicated for us simple folk to understand. How many more surprises can we afford? I read several times that nobody wants to see the project stopped after this much progress. Perhaps the taxpayers of Allentown would be better served by a hole in the ground, rather than an unregulated monster stuffing our taxes in a few private pockets.
UPDATE: My comment #6 at 6:40am.

we had success with heydt's hole, eventually the PPL Plaza was built. although pawlowski's hole would be much bigger, and have cost much more, eventually private developers would build real buildings for a real market. with hockey only 40 nights a year, and the Sands already having booked first rate acts as a draw to their casino, the arena is doomed to failure. the hotel is a moronic pipe dream. who would want to deal with 7th and hamilton for a medical appointment? after 5 years of failure, the arena authority will hire a new manager. in 10 more years, allentown will tear it down. i prefer leaving an expensive hole.

Forsaking the Children

Long time readers of this blog know that on several occasions I have identified Alan Jennings with hypocrisy. I generally stand alone with this accusation; Most people do not have my combination of institutional memory, independence and total lack of political correctness. Jennings' enterprises concern the poor and minorities, sacred cows among the diplomatic. I don't suffer self delusion well; On that note, CUNA (Congregations United for Neighborhood Action) is going to meet with Pawlowski* about the benefits and housing that the arena's NIZ can bring to low income residents of center city. What doesn't CUNA understand? The intention of the arena is to push that demographic away from 8th and Hamilton. City Center Investment Corporation speaks only of upscale apartments in phase 2. CUNA is an naive Johnny Come Lately, asking to be told lies. Enough of this sweet talk, back to Jennings. He published a commentary in the Easton Express, urging the suburbs to support the arena project. Jennings is a member of the NIZ Board. As such, I would think he should concern himself with it's just implementation, and leave the defending and promoting to the paid professionals. Previously, I took Jennings to task about using government money to train minority entrepreneurs, while standing silently by, while 34 minority businesses were displaced for the Palace of Sport. He now ignores the fact that J.B. Riley will be using over $7 million in cigarette tax to fund his speculative office buildings. Those millions would normally be going to fund CHIP, providing health insurance for low income children. I understand that Jennings is motivated to use his prestige to curry favor with grantmeisters, such as Pawlowski and Browne; But, when he promotes a program which has forsaken the poor, especially the children, he's putting his organization's budget ahead of it's mission.

*by Devon Lash/The Morning Call/April 8, 2012

The Life of Riley

The situation comedies of the 50's had a common theme. The father would have to resolve some family commotion within 30 minutes, but back then 30 minutes was longer, there were many less commercials. Diversity was limited to social-economic circumstances. Ozzie Nelson lived in an idealized suburban house and had all day to find the solution. Riley worked in factory, lived in a duplex, and had to do his conflict resolution after work.

Conflict is no stranger to this blog, often only lubricated by turmoil. Though usually dissecting Democrats, I have also bickered with the remnants of the local Republican party. Seems the remnants resented it when I revealed that the majority of homeowners in the West Park area were opposed to the Historic District, imposed upon them a decade ago. They can't understand why the opposers didn't attend their coffee clutches at the time; They say that they would have dropped the plan if only they knew. They didn't offer that option back then, to the standing room only protesters, at the City Council Meetings.

William Bendix, as Riley, would end every episode by saying "What a revolting development this turned out to be!", pretty much like Allentown.

UPDATE: This post is adapted from April 2009. In retrospect, they were the good old days. An outrage at that time was having an historic district imposed on a neighborhood. Now, we have a mayor who takes an entire square block, tears it down, and burdens the community with $200 million in debt, with no public input what-so-ever. What a revolting development this turned out to be.

Passover Libel

German Nobel Literature Laureate and former SS officer Gunter Grass, has been banned from Israel, not that he wants to go there anyway. In a new poem published last week , he wrote "the nuclear power Israel is endangering an already fragile world peace." Israel and world Jewry no longer suffer this sort of distortion well. "The Germans will never forgive the Jews for Auschwitz." The sentence is attributed to Israeli psychoanalyst Zvi Rex. He believes that Germans are filled with pathological guilt and shame about the Holocaust, and turn Israel " into a punching bag to purge their guilt complexes. " Grass believes that Israel is a threat to Iran, and Germany could be a “supplier to a crime” in connection with it's decision to supply Israel with a sixth Super Dolphin-class submarine. Emmanuel Nahshon, deputy chief of mission for the Israeli Embassy in Germany, said, “what must be said is that it belongs to the European tradition to accuse the Jews of ritual murder before the Passover celebration.”