Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski conducts fundraisers in which city workers and contractors regularly bow and pay fealty. But one of his servants, instead of paying homage, is considering regicide.I speak of Dick Nepon, who actually served as Operations Manager during King Edwin's 2005 Crusade. He thereafter managed to get a position in the King's household, working his way up to Special Programs Manager. Now, he revolts against his liege lord.
Why?
As Nepon explains, "[S]omeone needs to challenge Ed, and someone needs to change the direction of Allentown, and I guess I am the only one willing to do it."
What's wrong with the direction of Allentown? According to Nepon, plenty. "Ed thinks if you bring business downtown, you bring the city back. I think we have to bring the city back first. We have to stop making Hamilton Street a Renaissance Plaza that pays no taxes." Nepon went on to explain that, as a member of the Allentown school board, he voted against the tax breaks currently enjoyed by PPL, Butz & Allentown Brew Works.
You wouldn't know it from his distinguished resume, but Nepon has had his share of financial reverses. He even considers that an asset. "My kids ate and wore clothes, and went to college, so I had my priorities. And beside, who has more experience at operating without money?"
Dick, that would be me.
Nepon has plenty of experience as a community organizer. "I have 30 years of volunteering as a firefighter, was president of the local blackbox theatre, on the board of numerous art orgs, and was an elected school board member whose ideas either have been shown right or are still ahead of the curve."
Is he a pay to play dude like King Edwin?
"I plan to spend under $100. And I don't want anyone to send me any money. I still get my name out in public through the Morning Call Letters and Sounding Board, and get a lot of feedback from the public, or at least recognition. People still seem to remember me from my column in the now defunct Allentown Times.
"I am asking that anyone who supports me finds a piece of green ribbon or string and ties it to something. There will be no Nepon yard signs, Radio and TV spots, or Mailers. I hope that every dollar Ed spends makes him look foolish for not donating that money to the City to purchase policeman."
"And I know where Ed's bodies are buried."
Asked whether he might get in trouble as a city employee for running against his own boss, Nepon concedes that Pawlowski is vindictive, but this is something Dick must do. He picked up his nomination papers today and will formally announce when he files them.
He can be reached at richnepon@gmail.com
28 comments:
Hatch Act violation!
Hey, check that last sentence BO, it is pretty screwed up. Much like your candidate.
Since he works for a public entity receiving Federal Funds he cannot run for office. A recent GOP candidate withdrew for this reason.
"And I know where Ed's bodies are buried."
Please tell.
What city job does Nepon have?
I ask cz I'm gonna apply.
Unemployed and Desperately Seeking Work.
Clearly Mr Nepon now needs to be destroyed.
Scott Armstrong
Nepon does not work on federally funded programs so hatch Act sounds like a stretch.
He also forgets Pawlowski has a real opponant named Tony Phillips.
That said, good for you Mr. Nepon for standing up against corruption.
What a circus this is turning out to be.
Going out to get my green ribbon (may also change registration to D for the primary).
Having a challenger in the primary will be a good thing for the voters, regardless of who wins. Because of the competition, public dialog tends to be more focused on the actual issues and concerns of voters, instead of cheerleading rhetoric leading up to the open race.
I like his idea of not spending money. He shares the same thoughts as me, although, and unfortunately, they aren't always realistic.
So much money is wasted on campaigns. It's part of what's ruining politics.
However, I wish him the best!
what an ingrate!!!
pawlowski gave him a good job when he really needed one.
i do agree with is basic premise on economic growth and downtown development, though.
Please tell us exactly what is
Mr. Nepon's job.
Which one will give me a kitchen?
Allentown Democrat Voter
Anon. 9:30am,
Tony Phillips is not a real candidate. He is a crazy man and there is plenty of dirt on him, but Nepon could be real if he does it right.
Nepon is far from being a serious viable candidate ans is simply showboating due to a grudge he must have with the Mayor. Quid pro quo gone sour.
Nepon makes as much sense running as Billy Givens or Bernie O'Hare. They are all Nutz.
Be nice, if I can win a School Board Race this guy certainly could be Mayor!
Julian, I already won a school board seat myself, in the past. Enjoy yours.
Dick Nepon
Whack jobs gone wild. Nepon, Phillips, and God knows who else.
Het Republican party in Allentown, what's the matter, Mickey Mouse not available to run?
Anon 7:02
Maybe Mickey could do a better job than the virtual 100% Dem control of Allentown for the last 8 years.
Out of control borrowing. Deficits. Idiotic police pension deal. Exploding bureaucracy. Fleeing businesses (except the ones that get taxpayer $$ and pay NO taxes). Cramming in people everywhere possible (causing an exploding population in the schools). Exploding poverty. Deterioration of once nice neighborhoods.....
More Dem "leadership", please!
Thanks for mentioning Dick Nepon's "impressive" resume, where Nepon includes the blatant lie of an undergraduate degree from Antioch College, Columbia MD (specifically a BA in Business Administration from 1973). Interestingly enough, the degree appeared on his online resume only after Antioch announced they were closing the school sometime last year. Note that a previous version of Dick's resume doesn't mention a degree from Antioch or anywhere else. It seems that Dick doesn't know that Antioch's transcripts will be forever held and be available for scrutiny at a nearby institution of learning. I would suggest that the good people of Allentown make a few phone calls and verify the claims on his resume to find confirmation of this and other lies. I also suggest printing a copy of the resume that is linked to in the story because it may be changed by Nepon at any moment to suit his whims, if history will repeat itself (and it usually does).
Bottom line is, Antioch College has no record of Dick Nepon ever earning a degree or even being enrolled.
It should be fun to watch Dick self implode as he runs for mayor!!
Antioch college has a well documented problem recognizing its satellite branch's students. I am as much a graduate of that school as anyone else there at the time. The school was loosely organized, and sort of petered out. Graduating was a matter of finding something to do with what you learned. You defined it. This was a school, unlike the Yellow Springs Campus, where you created your classes, found your own teacher, and paid tuition. I never matriculated, so I never paid. But I attended, and I learned. But I was a member of the class, in a tradition of drop-ins common at Antioch. I attend class re-unions ,and am considered by the Columbia School as one of its graduates. They and I don't stand on ceremony.
People with their own buried bodies shouldn't threaten to expose other's bodies that are buried.
Mr Nepon said-
"Ed thinks if you bring business downtown, you bring the city back. I think we have to bring the city back first."
Uh, businesses generate revenue through sales taxes that are collected. No business- no revenue. What would you bring back the city with Dick? You think you have to bring the city back first, but with what? Do tell.
I just found this blog, in searching the race for Allentown mayor on google.
Interesting that candidate Nepon says Antioch has a problem recognizing satelite branch students, then he goes on to say that:" I never matriculated, so I never paid. But I attended, and I learned." So, they would not be able to recognize Dick as a student because having never paid, he was never enrolled and there would be no transcript. And no degree.
The fact that he says: "I am as much a graduate of that school as anyone else there at the time." is a very nice phrase, but it does not make him entitled to claim he has a degree. The fact that I like Cezanne does not make me a French Impressionist, does it?
People work hard for degrees. They pay dearly for them. That is why diplomas are given out amongst pomp and circumstance in graduation ceremonies and are treasured enough to be framed and hung on the wall. Just saying that you have a degree because you were a 'drop in' student does not make you degreed.
Earning a degree (emphasis on Earning) and hanging out on a college campus in the 1960's or 70's should not be confused as being the same thing.
The problem here is that he is a mayoral candidate and he is creating his own convenient web of lies about himself, as it suits him for his own purposes right now.
What else will he have you believe if he becomes mayor?
This is an archived page from Nepon's website a few years ago. Since then, history - or at least his resume - has been rewritten. Liar.
http://web.archive.org/web/20041204012430/www.nepon.us/resume2.htm
Richard B. Nepon
Page Two
EDUCATION:
5/1977
Allentown College of St. Francis DeSales Allentown PA
Liberal Arts
12/1974
Muhlenberg College Allentown PA
Liberal Arts
2/1973
American Booksellers Association St. Louis MO
Certification
Attended one-week course in preparation for opening my own book shop (Poor Richard's)
5/1972
Antioch College Columbia MD
Education
Attended Columbia branch of Antioch College for two years, from 1970-1972
12/1969
Temple University Philadelphia PA
Film Production, Liberal Arts
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