The Mike Welsh for State Rep. campaign will hold a "Sea of Blue" rally in Allentown on Sunday afternoon. It will focus on Allentown's need to add significantly more police officers. Mike Welsh supports legislation to add more cops as the best way to combat the Queen City's crime problem. In contrast, incumbent Jennifer Mann's public safety solution is . . . a hockey rink.Yeah, that's the ticket.
When: Sunday, November 2nd from 12 PM to 3 PM
Where: Allentown Rose Garden Pavilion
Questions: 484-347-1833
23 comments:
Wow Bernie, way to twist the truth. Mann's public safety plan is a hockey rink? Are you kidding? Do you think that's what she goes around saying, that her public safety plan is a hockey rink? The hockey rink proposal that she advocates is for economic development that will improve business in a blighted area, Center City. Man has secured millions in public safety funding, and both you and her opponent are sadly mistaken and distorting the truth if this is the best argument that you can come up with.
I must agree that this is a pretty biased view shoveled to BOH and swallowed whole. Mann's record on helping the community and her constituents is a good one. Her efforts to support development projects for sports facilities has nothing whatsoever to do with her stand on public safety. The dollars that she is seeking for development could never be used to anything but that purpose. To suggest that those dollars could be used to hire police is naive and shows the ignorance of Mr. Welsh.
the ability to see to the heart of the problem, to me, is worth a lot more than the ability to fine-tune a solution.
2:47 Huh? Are you suggesting that the State is responsible for the police in the City of Allentown? When did that shifting of responsibility happen?
This is what I mean. Mr. Welsh, for political purposes, is suggesting that Ms. Mann by aiding the community with development funding, has somehow been remiss in not addressing the police and safety problem in the city. That is just not right.
Isn't that why there is a Mayor and city council in Allentown?
We have a mayor who is doing is best to avoid funding a police depoartment and an Allentown-based state rep who has ignored her constituency. Crime and poverty have increased while education levels fall. Since she got there, she's been on a perpetual quest for another office. But she's great at raising money and weears the union label.
In my view, she has not done enough for her district. While Senator Browne was advocating for minority Hamilton Street merchants, she sat on her hands while one of her top aides sneered at them.
I'd vote for Welsh. She's going to win because the district is heavily Democratic and she's a dem, but she really does not deserve the job.
She is another pol who is always being pushed to run for a statewide office. She won't win but Dem leaders keep pushing her.
At least she won thi seat, she has that much over Bennett.
It is amazing that Dem politicians have destroyed this city and the apologists keep making excuses.
Now, I am not a blind partisan - I blame Republican politicians for their stupidity and lack of leadership as well at various levels of government.
Nor do I blame Dem voters for the problem.
But, let's get real. The leadership in Allentown (and this includes Karen Beyer - R, and includes the non-elected leadership of the city) has been incredibly incompetent, unresponsive, and prone to making excuses and engage in public relations BS instead of providing leadership and real solutions.
This includes the local paper of record.
"We have a mayor who is doing is best to avoid funding a police depoartment..."
Yes Bernie, he's trying to avoid funding the police department. Get over yourself.
We're faced with the choice of tax increases or less services from city hall (including police, code enforcement, health, etc). Say it: you think he should propose raising taxes b/c that's the only way we are going to get 70-80 more officers on the street. When you do, please move into the city so you can act out your moral superiority. We know you care about the city for many good reasons, but you don't have to pay the taxes that will be needed to fix this problem.
Before any more police are hired the culture within the department must change.
Nepotism must stop and the pool of candidates should be diversified. The Anti-Allentown sentiment on the force must stop.
Finally, the police must stop telling good people to leave the city when they respond to calls. I think the police do this to secure their jobs an justify their friends and family getting hired. Surprise, surprise, it worked!
I disagree with the statement that safety in Allentown is only the domain of the City Council and the Mayor.
About 40 years ago the state stripped Pennsylvania city's with the power to annex land. When they did this they effectively capped their ability to grow economically while allowing all new regional growth to not participate in contributing to the commons such as fire and police.
To facilitate this, the state has provided police service, infrastructure, and funding of fire protection in outlying areas on as as needed, and then permanent, basis.
The outlying areas have been allowed to zone out lower income and even entry level housing so by default the older cities and towns are forced to deal with that burden for everyone.
I think it is fair to say the state has already legislated this to be their domain.
"We're faced with the choice of tax increases or less services from city hall (including police, code enforcement, health, etc). Say it: you think he should propose raising taxes b/c that's the only way we are going to get 70-80 more officers on the street. "
I'll say it - he should keep the promises he made when he was running for the job. He has not.
Promise 1: Pawlowski claimed to be aware of all kinds of grant programns he could use to increase the size of the police department. What happened to that?
Promise 2: With the Sheriff standing by his side, Pawl;owski prmised to use Lehigh County Sheriffs to serve warrants and patrol?
Promise 3: Community policing. Why did he wait three years to try that?
Morover, at least some of the cost of hiring 70 more officers could easily be offset by getting rid of some of the dead weight in his administration.
"at least some of the cost of hiring 70 more officers could easily be offset by getting rid of some of the dead weight in his administration."
Really, who? How much would that save? Will there be added costs or missed opportunities to the city due to the loss of these people?
I challenge you to move into town and run for council or mayor and make something happen.
Today, I had breakfast at Kate's on Main Street inb Nazareth. The first thing that people talked about was yesterday's shooting in Allentown. What you don't seem to get is that what happens in Allentown affects all of us in the Lehigh Valley.
I have a grandson and sister who live in Allentown. I care about what goes on there. Some of us have influence as public officials, but I already occupy the highest office in this country - the office of citizen. I have every right to make my views known and intend to continue to do so. I see no need to run for public office because I feel I have the most impact as a citizen.
Rochester NY has an average of 58 murders a year and is considered by most a pretty nice place.
While murder is never a good thing, I don't see any reason why 16 murders this year in Allentown (which itself is about half the size but the center of a larger metro area) should give reason for the city to stop doing anything to better itself other than hire police.
Should Rochester stop developing its waterfront because of its high murder rate?
Anon 10:41,
I'm not sure I agree bc I don't know enough about Rochester except to know it is always used as an excuse for A-town, and usually by people who are backing special interests.
The problem w/ Pawlowski is that, during his first three years in office, he and his sycophants tried to pretend the problem was nonexistent. It was dismissed as a perception problem, and even outfits like The Morning Call were heavily criticized for telling the truth about A-town's crime.
The only meaningful solution to A-town lack of public safety is to add more public safety, and most of that is going to have to come in the form of boots on the ground. Pawlowski recognized this when he was running for the job, but quickly forgot it after he was elected.
Welsh gets it, and wants to do something about it. Jennifer Mann's district, during her tenure in office, has grown poorer, less educated and more crime-ridden. Not all of this can be laid at her feet, but she has ignored the problem. She is too busy seeking other offices and getting her aides elected to office. it is time she start doing her job, and that includes representing the poor people in her district, not just the rich developers who want a hockey rink.
Jen Man got A LIT of money for the Allentown school district.
I believe she has got some money for Allentown's camera's, which are working by the way.
.."got A LOT"...
anon 09:18...nepotism????? besides howells III, who else is related withing the allentown police department??? (howells by the way, passed the civil service test and was placed on a list just like everyone else who wants to be a police officer) as for diversification....the city can't force people to take the test...what are your suggestions??? do you think they should go back to the illegal "double list" with minorities on one list and whites on the other??? everyone that is a cop in allentown passed a civil service test and placed on a list by their scores...hardly nepotism
11:12 AM
It is no secret there is a friends and family circle of folks who happen to know when to apply and to take the test. I seriously doubt anyone cheats the test but the fact remains we always get the same kind of folk from the same places with the same thinking.
For the record, the last thing I am referring to when I say "kind of folk" is race. Many more important factors such as personal background, familiarity with the city, attitude around their role as an officer seem to never change with the current crowd.
Anon 11:30 AM
I hear what you are saying but I must admit there are a few new guys on the force that seem fresh and optimistic about our town, at least when they talked to me.
anon 11:12
are you kidding me??? the date and time of the test is announced well ahead of time in numerous papers and on-line. APD even has a recruiting section which hands out fliers about the test at downtown locations like 7-11 at 7th and Linden and on Hamilton Mall. So what are you talking about????
i don't think the Allentown Police want people who can't even figure out when to take the test...some people want everything given to them, and have their hand held through life...including walking them to the test....exactly the type of people the Allentown Police don't want / need
"There's only been 16 Murders..."
Sounds like the same excuse the catholic church used when all of the allegations came out a few years ago.
If you know anything about the crime problem in Allentown It isn't just about the murders. We have a major drug crisis happening in the city and no one wants to talk about it. There major gang infestation that has been happening for 4 years now and is only now being talked about. We have became a liaison between the drug capitals because of 78.
And yes, I lived in Allentown from the age of 2-18. I saw my grade school on 18th street become progressively worse and unsafe. And I watched a four year deterioration of the city while at Central Catholic. My last two years becoming significant because of the numerous cars being broken into in our parking lot.
The Recreation Department in Allentown barely exists anymore. Where I played baseball and basketball and kept out of mischief is a ghost of its former self. Gang signs run rampant throughout the city and as does any fear for the citizens to do anything.
Acting as if Allentown is not that bad is the attitude the current powers of Allentown, including a state rep WHO REPRESENTS THE DISTRICT, have and are glad to see you have. They is no personal responsibility going on and until there are steps taken to take back the city it will continue to get worse. If you have any more doubt, ask yourself why the Department has retained George Kelling to try and fix things.
The author of the Broken Windows theory is going to recommend major steps for the department to take that will not be able to because of a lack of man power. They will lose more men this year when the contract goes through and the department will continue to be short handed and only patrol major "high crime" areas.
I don't care if you don't like Mike Welsh because you are a Dem but don't try and defend your own party with terrible spin about an area you know nothing about.
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