Northampton County Republicans had a clean sweep in Tuesday's County Council races. Lehigh County Exec Don Cunningham, a Democrat, was nearly defeated. It was a bad day for Democrats. Unless you live in Allentown.Scott Armstrong, who publishes Allentown Commentator, has kindly agreed to permit me to share his frustration with you.
"On Tuesday New Jersey's Democrats displayed enough intelligence not to re-elect their Democrat governor who was by all accounts a proven failure. On the same day Allentown's Democrat voters failed to demonstrate even a modicum of sense by re-electing proven incompetents precisely because they are Democrats. The lesson here is that New Jersey Democrats are clearly brighter than Allentown's.
"How bad is that? New Jersey is the laugh line of jokes. Now the nation's laughing stock looks brilliant compared to the Queen City. The intriguing question now is: do Allentown's Democrats have enough intellectual sophistication to be aware of their own stupidity? As one who lives amongst them I would say the answer is no. They seem to exist in a sort of stupor where the apparent and the everyday fail to effect their thinking or point of view. While these Democrats demonstrate the mental faculties to do a variety of tasks such as drive cars, go to work, and get their children to school they continually fail to understand that they are undermining their own existence every election day.
"Before last Tuesday the word was that if New Jersey Democrats were dumb enough to re-elected Corzine they would get what they deserve. If Allentown's Democrats had any brains they would have done as their New Jersey neighbors and adjusted their voting to accommodate better governance. Perhaps too dull witted to notice that the bell tolls for them, Allentown's Democrats continue to go about their business as usual, still oblivious to the obvious."
72 comments:
Scott...you are a real amazing person.
Scott, I realize this will just get one of your snotty remarks but think about it.
Given the attitude of voters in this election cycle, if the Republican Party in Allentown had fieled even a modestly competent candidate anything was possible.
Tony Phillips may be the human being of the Century but he was a horrible candidate and no real alternative to anybody.
Allentown is Philly and Detroit and Gary and Newark. It's an urban Democrat fiefdom where every disastrous part of the liberal agenda has been visited upon the helpless inhabitants for the financial gain of a few well heeled feel gooders and their crooked connected friends. Enjoy the paradise you've created. Aim high.
You field two city council candidates (1 a democratic primary loser), don't fund their campaigns, and put a guy at the top of the ticket who doesn't know what he is doing with a radio DJ as a campaign manager and you scratch your head on election day that you got beat.
Democrats win in Allentown because democrats at least engage the political process.
You can't field no one and wake up on election day scratching your head why you lost.
As a Dem who is willing to cross party lines on election day, I would to have seen a more robust field of candidates on the Republican side.
Essentially calling all Democrats in the city a bunch of morons does not seem like a great way to expand the party and draw in moderates.
Donovan is amazing, he critizies as gets money from Friends of Pawlowski, the money raised by Mayors if you pay you can play in Allentown.
I love the "no good Republican fielded" excuse. History proves supporting proven incompetents doesn’t bother Allentown Democrats.
Thanks for being predictable.
Scott Armstrong
Bill,
I am no longer interested in “fielding Republican candidates” in Allentown. I saw the writing on the wall when Charlie Thiel lost and Tom Burke was removed by Allentown Democrat Voters. The obvious was confirmed when Lou Hershman a lifelong Democrat with name recognition lost just because his name wasn’t on the right list.
My only hope for good government is to move to a place that has it.
Scott Armstrong
Gee Scott, then head out into the Republican controlled burbs, where contracts are given to donors, Supervisors use Township property as their own private dumps, and Embezzling sewer funds doesn't get noticed for five years.
Not to mention one supervisor putting his kid in a Township owned home as a "caretaker" for several years, and another charging the Township credit card for his online education.
All those acts were perpetrated by electeds under the "R" banner.
My point is that it is no better in the burbs' and no party has a monopoly on stupidity, nor does any municipality.
Fix where you live. I WAS a D in a R majority, and I made change happen. Two Supervisors are gone, replaced by people who while I don't share their exact ideals, are much better at governing and executing their office.
I did that by acting reasonably and presenting the evidence that way. Try acting reasonably once in awhile, instead of so extremist.
I understand and appreciate your frustration, I have been there. But if you really believe, don't quit. You should consider changing tactics. It would not hurt.
I have taken a few bruisings Scott, and I am still here.
I may not agree with you, but I respect your tenacity.
"My only hope for good government is to move to a place that has it."
HA HAHA HAHAHAHA! That's a good one!! Thanks for the morning laugh. And, when you find Utopia, I hope you'll post again with pictures of rainbows and happy fairies running thru the woods. Oh wait, that's San Francisco. I guess it really is paradise there.
Anyways, Tony Phillips was a complete and total JOKE of a candidate. In terms of the mayor's race, Allentown had a choice between dumb and dumber, and it's no wonder "dumb" won. It could be worse - it could be "dumber." If you think Phillips would have offered competent gov't, you are literally out of your mind.
As for Council...well, the voters should really have thrown some wrenches in the Pawlowski machine, but since council is inherently powerless in our city's form of government, it really doesn't matter anyways, does it?
We can blame Allentown's problems on bad government, and we wouldn't be all wrong. But, the truth is, Allentown suffers from the same problems seen all over the NE corridor of former industrial towns. We haven't found any jobs to replace the ones we shipped to Mexico and China. Without jobs, we are doomed. I'm not sure any mayor has the means to fix what is essentially a national problem of job loss, although it would have been nice to have a candidate who at least offered some hope of improvement.
Republicans in this area need to take this loss seriously. The voters DID pick the best candidates offered, and that's the saddest part of the whole story.
As an Allentown Dem I was disappointed in my choices in this election. I left my ballot incomplete. I wrote in protest votes all over the place.
Maybe if Scott Armstrong wants to know why Dems keep winning in Allentown they should think about what kind of candidates are representing the Republican Party.
For Mayor, there was Tony Philips. A guy who may have gotten a bad shake, but whose record on council is not exactly a neon flashing sign that says "qualified to be Mayor," and who barely ran a campaign except in the last 2 weeks or so of the election.
For City Council there was Lou Hershman, who seemed to have pulled the wool over his supporters eyes in making them think that just because he disagrees, his ideas are better - I would love to elect a council that would check the mayor. But Lou Hershman is actually not a financial maverick, I would not trust him to figure out correctly the city finances and fix them, and beyond that I will never elect a leader who is an unabashed bigot. Normally, I would think "well, gay rights, that's not a local issue" except that Hershman has, in the past, turned it into a local issue. Also, he allowed his bias against hispanics to trump common sense by encouraging the police in Allentown, already overburdened by actual violent crimes, to refocus their attention on the small population of illegal immigrants in Allentown. Please, I want city council to support the APD in fighting crimes that actually impact my safety and the safety of my family.
I voted for Joe Brudnak, because I think having an "average taxpayer" type on council can be useful - it brings discussions at meetings to a level that average allentonians are more likely to understand and follow. But I definitely understand why someone would choose otherwise - this is someone who has publicly stated that he doesn't know what's up with city finances and made no real effort to learn about them leading up to the campaign or election.
Now, I could just as easily comment on why I wouldn't (and didn't) vote for Ed P. and Julio Guridy, but the bottom line for most voters was that as awful as Ed P is, he's not nearly as bad as Tony Phillips. And Julio Guridy is one of the worst councilman this city has ever seen... but Lou Hershman was, in most people's view, even worse.
Hey Momma, Hav you ever run for a public office. if you have, what office. if not why not, seems you have all the answers. Same as Donovan.
Last time I checked, this is a democracy in which everyone has a right to an opinion, even we mere citizens. Monkey Mama attacked no one personally, nor did Donovan.
"My only hope for good government is to move to a place that has it."
Then move already! Despite you claims, your home has appreciated.
Rs could nominate Barack Obama as their candidate for A-town mayor and he'd get trounced 4 to 1 by the city's overwhelming majority.
A-town belongs to it's remarkably unified voters. We all know they're heading in the wrong direction. But they're marching with the certainty of most blissful ignorance.
I suggest Scott Armstrong and others who are part of A-town's political minority, adopt a "fall back to the suburbs" strategy and leave the asylum to its one-party inmates.
This abandonment and cordoning off process is one of pragmatic defense. It's not unlike our current Iraq strategy of pulling back from cities.
It wouldn't be quitting if you become politically involved in assuring your new jurisdiction does not become anything like A-town.
I salute Scott for fighting the good fight. But nobody should have to live in today's Allentown.
A few comments:
1) I think that we can all agree that the Republican field in the city was weak this election. That said, I don't think that it excuses the 7,000 people who voted Pawlowski. You don't (as another poster pointed out) have to vote for everyone on the ballot.
2) To the thought that "council is inherently powerless in our city's form of government" - this comment ignores the City Charter.
No spending is possible without council approval. There is no higher power. Council could withhold, remove or reserve spending for anything in city government.
By the way, I think that the councils serving when Bill Heydt was Mayor were quite effective in their role of oversight. It was not until the Afflerbach administration that council ceded so much authority to a Mayor. That's gotten worse under Pawlowski and we can see what the results are.
3) As to Hershman's supposed bias against Hispanics, I believe his proposal simply called for police to have the ability to check the immigration status of people who are arrested and turn them over to the Feds if they are found to be illegals. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask the police to check if someone they pick up is in compliance with immigration law.
Ask anyone who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured, illegal driver - we do have a growing problem with illegal aliens in the city.
The poster who brought the issue up seemed to think it was a minor issue in the city. If that is the case, then it certainly wouldn't overburden the police force to run a simple check. I think however, the problem might be larger than the poster believes.
I'd prefer to see ANYONE who is breaking ANY law (not just immigration) prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If that causes other lawbreakers (of ANY LAW) to think twice about living in the city, wouldn't we all be better off? You can't have a lawful society if you are going to pick and choose which laws you want to enforce.
Immigration is a federal issue. The only thing local law enforcement can do is hold people for federal authoriy. If the federal authority takes no action, than there is nothing a local authority can do.
Seperation of Powers.
Before anyone makes this a D vs. R thing, neither Ds or Rs in power really want to address immigration.
Rs have businesss support that likes the cheap labor, Ds have a constiuency.
You want illegal immigration to stop $10,000 fine per person to any business hiring an illegal.
not to derail this conversation, but illegal immigrants are not a "constituency," they don't vote.
When they become citizens they do, and as soon as you have a child born on American soil, that child is now a citizen
Classy post, Scott. Classy.
What Molivinsky said.
Huh? I don't get you, Jeff. I see no comment by MM here.
illegal immigrants
the ultimate elephant in Allentown's room
MM, If you would like to communicate to Jeff about that matter, send him an email. You are OT and basically, inviting someone to spam my blog. I happen to agree w/ your point, assuming it is sincere, but try to delete all references to that topic.
Anonymous 12:02 said...
"not to derail this conversation, but illegal immigrants are not a "constituency," they don't vote.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. D's are notorious for stopping any kind of ID check at the voting booth, partially for this reason.
Nah, we do it so we can vote in several precints at the same time. We tried sending illegals in to vote but they screwed up bc none of them speak English and accidentally pulled the Bush lever. How the hell do you think we ended up with him?
Bernie,
I think you just hit on why Republicans did so well in Northampton County!
They all voted twice.
There just aren't that many of them to account for those election results.
Someone tell Garvin.
i don't have the email address, or i would have previously. please consider emailing him that question yourself
"You want illegal immigration to stop $10,000 fine per person to any business hiring an illegal."
If intent is proven, forfeiture of the illegally operated business and hard time for the owner and anyone else involved.
Like the blue laws, where businesses used to pay the $50 bucks to open on Sunday - as long as the benefit far outweighs the penalty, there is no incentive obey the law.
As for Allentown,it is never coming back. It has a better chance of becoming Braddock than Bethlehem.
Open borders are incompatible with a welfare state. Choose one. Then, you may begin to engage seriously in the discussion.
I'm surprised Pawlowski hasn't declared Allentown a "sanctuary city." Now that the mayor has consolidated and reinforced his unquestioned and unchallenged authority, it's probably just a matter of time.
There is no Republican Party in Allentown.
Many influential R leaders and donors support the Dems.
When a small group did raise serious issues we recieved pressure from influential R's to back off. Huh?
Others declared that we would "look bad" if we bring up issues and challenge City Hall. Huh?
Others declared that we "can't offend Democrats". Huh?
Others complain that there is too much focus on PA's 3rd largest city which controls the county which is one of five true swing counties in the state. Huh?
And the local Republican Party has a clear aversion to raising issues and setting the table for candidates based on those issues. Instead, we do nothing, then wait to see who submits petitions as candidates then we sit around and figure out what to do, then we have a short, ineffective flurry of complaints, then we get trounced in another Allentown election.
No strategic planning. No issues agenda. No education of the voters. Then we run "nice" and "qualified" people who "can work in a bipartisan way" and act surprised when we get trounced.
The only way to begin to win is to establish a bold, clearly different agenda, educate the voters, and run a unified slate of candidates with a specific platform.
But we will keep doing things the same way and expect different results... and blame the voters.
"I'd prefer to see ANYONE who is breaking ANY law (not just immigration) prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If that causes other lawbreakers (of ANY LAW) to think twice about living in the city, wouldn't we all be better off? You can't have a lawful society if you are going to pick and choose which laws you want to enforce."
I believe you hit the nail on the head sir. I have been personally involved with the police with their picking and choosing. Equallity under the law is a myth in Allentown. This administration favors and caters to those who would ignore the rights of decent citizens which only promotes more illegal activity putting more pressure on our already stretched law enforcement resources. If the administration would come down on things like double parking, late night noise, and false reports to the police maybe some lowlives would think twice before coming here. Instead trash flocks here as if there were a beacon.
This is why, even tho I'm a Dem, I voted for Tony and Hershman. For any type of hope what-so-ever of a change from the incredible nonsense that is deystroying this city. My only hope now is, like many of my friends and neighbors have already done, save up enough to flee before this city completely implodes.
Wow. I am a Democrat but I certainly did vote for a couple of Republicans. Nice to know I am stupid in the eyes of Scott Armstrong.
If only he took the time to talk to some of us idiots he would know what we may actually be thinking. I might actually tell him which Republican's I voted for, which Democrats I didn't vote for an why I am disappointed by an opposition party that had an opportunity to capture my attention in 2009 only to give me very bad choices.
But I'm stupid, so I don't expect such a curtesy.
Geoff
Geoff, But you're cute. You have that going for you.
Geoff,
email me. I am curious to know!
I believe that issues based on Republican principles do attract many Dem voters. I just wish my party agreed with that obvious conclusion.
jhilliardp61@rcn.com
Wow Chris I would think twice before making this claim,
“My point is that it is no better in the burbs' and no party has a monopoly on stupidity, nor does any municipality.”.
I think intelligent people will agree that Allentown is in a league of its own in the valley thanks to Democrat leadership.
Scott Armstrong
Mr. Hilliard - Very interesting comment! Hearing your stories really does make the average voter wonder what the heck is going on around here.
It seems to me that the local Republican "leadership" is simply in the pocket of the Democratic party. I would imagine living in the land of pay to play would persuade even the opposition to forget their ideals and just live for the almighty dollar.
But, that's just a guess. I could be wrong. But I would bet plain and simple corruption is the root of our local evil.
Hey monkey momma,
Do you live in downtown Allentown? Are your children in Allentown public schools? Laugh about that.
Scott Armstrong
Most intelligent people don't stoop to calling political opponents stupid. You're an exception, Scott--though in your defense this is actually out of character. Normally what you write I disagree with by respect as well-written and smart. Playground name-calling? Aren't you a little better than that?
While I am at it monkey momma how would you feel as a woman to live in the downtown? Crimes against women are up. Because of the new environment in our West Park neighborhood my wife no longer sits outside if she was the only one at home. I suppose this is worth a chuckle or two. If you want more then how about women I know who after on street parking walk down the middle of the street to get to their front doors because they are afraid of the sidewalks and dark doorways. This is the new Allentown, the one that has resulted from eight years of Democrat enabled local government ineptitude.
My oldest son can’t wait to graduate and leave the city. My younger son had to be moved to the gifted class because he was tired of being mocked for caring about his school work. I could go on but what’s the point. In my good time I will move. My personal situation will be resolved. The problems however will remain for the many hard working poor people who can’t afford to leave.
Is that funny?
Scott Armstrong
"Jeff Pooley said...
Classy post, Scott. Classy."
This sort of sarcasm is predictable from the likes of you.
Scott Armstrong
"Jeff Pooley said...
Most intelligent people don't stoop to calling political opponents stupid. You're an exception, Scott--though in your defense this is actually out of character. Normally what you write I disagree with by respect as well-written and smart. Playground name-calling? Aren't you a little better than that?”
Oh please Jeff don’t couch your swipe at me with an insincere complement. This tactic is itself “playground”.
What would you call people who make the same mistake over and over? I think the options are either insane or stupid? Should I have written “Allentown Voters Stuck On Insane”?
Scott Armstrong
Scott, my point is that people always think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank. Lehigh Valley Politics can be like the inside of a septic tank. I know because I actually waded in and did my part to clean my municipality up.
I would tell you to Quit bitchin' and moanin' and get to work, but I think you would rather do your
"Woe is me" routine.
I'm sure Mr Snelling would welcome you to Fogelsville. He actually does live in a big house at the top of the Hill overlooking the town.
Scott, you have insulted your neighbors, the good and the bad, and judge them in a manner you would not judge yourself. And you wonder why no one will follow your lead?
You are always harping about the 8 years if D ineptitude, but not a peep about the 8 years of Heydt neglect. I lived there through that. It has been a long slow slide, and assigning blame accomplishes nothing.
What are you doing to change things? Are you even trying?
All I see is crying, and attacking people like monkey momma with rhetorical questions like whether she is a woman living in center city.
What does that have to do with any insight you have to improve the city? Nothing.
Scott Armstrong, all bitching and moaning, all the time.
I agree there are problems, and I acknowledge your goal of attacking them. But somewhere along the line you have to stop bitching, stop crying, and come up with a reasonable approach that others might want to work with you on.
The key words there being WORK WITH YOU.
But you alienate everyone. and as we all notice, nobody wants to work with you.
It could be worse, you could be in league with the north 18th street whackos.
"from the likes of you"? I'm not sure what that means. But I stick by what I said. It's just beneath you to resort to calling people who made decisions for all kinds of reasons, with the field of candidates we had, "stupid" and "dim witted." You really do write smart stuff that I usually disagree with. I actually meant that. It wasn't insincere at all. This post was ugly ad hominem ... and it was beneath you.
Scott smells of old farts.
I think many Allentonians suffer from Stockholm Syndrome and have no grasp of what safer environs are like. Those who live outside of, but regularly travel to Allentown, know it's the most dangerous place in the LV and not a safe place to be after dark (parts of the West End and Midway Manor excluded).
scott armstrong is a former president of the west park civic association. he was instrumental in the passage of both the rental inspection law and the west park historic district. for over a decade he was a one man litter pickup machine, covering not only his neighborhood, but extending down towards center city. although he and i have disagreed on many things, those who think he is not entitled to bitch about the status quo, don't have any idea of how much time and effort he has presented the city.
Chris,
Do you live in downtown Allentown? If not then don’t presume to lecture me on the subject.
Scott Armstrong
Jeff Pooley said...
"from the likes of you"?
I'm not sure what that means. But I stick by what I said. It's just beneath you to resort to calling people who made decisions for all kinds of reasons, with the field of candidates we had, "stupid" and "dim witted." You really do write smart stuff that I usually disagree with. I actually meant that. It wasn't insincere at all. This post was ugly ad hominem ... and it was beneath you.”
Jeff,
You know exactly what it means, you are an enabler of the current dynamic, you are a willing part of the problem because it meshes with your liberal world view.
Jeff, whether you believe you were sincere or not is beside the point. Your post to me was what it was, no better than what you accuse me of doing.
I like the use of Latin, very professorial, perhaps I could have used it myself for your “classy” comment.
Scott Armstrong
"liberal worldview" and "enabler of the current dynamic". That sort of thing I understand. I obviously disagree, and like many others have a view about Allentown's partial decline that's different from yours. But "liberal worldview" is at least and argument. Calling a thousands of your fellow Allentonians stupid isn't.
Jeff,
Your focus on my supposed name calling is merely an attempt to divert attention away from the point of my post. So enough of that. On to your interesting choice of words “Allentown's partial decline”. Why not spell out to the readers of this blog what exactly you attribute that partial decline to.
What outside forces have wreaked havoc on innocent Allentown.
Scott Armstrong
OK. Here's what I think, excerpting from something I wrote for a guide to Allentown for Muhlenberg students. The excerpt picks up after World War II:
"American cities didn’t know what was coming. Post-war Levittowns and acres of three-bedroom ranches; the interstates and cheap Chevy’s; mortgage tax breaks and Leave it to Beaver. Cities never had a chance.
It is a uniquely American barbarism that schools and social services get funded through local property tax. In the years after World War II, in Allentown and elsewhere, the white and wealthy got up and left--pooled their resources in the self-segregated enclaves we call suburbs. Cities were left with fewer resources and more burdens, with the working poor, in effect, bankrolling services for the truly poor. Higher taxes and under-funded schools set off a vicious cycle: More flight, more burdens, a weaker tax base, deteriorating schools, more flight, and so on. Call it the soft bigotry of low home values.
Pennsylvania’s notoriously weak land use laws made things worse. (The laws are still feeble today, and the Valley’s horizon-conquering clusters of cardboard McMansions are the predictable result.)
It didn’t help that most, including Allentown, inflicted their own wounds in the form of “urban renewal.” Whole blocks in and near downtown were torn down to make room for “some beautiful new structures” (their words, not ours)—brutalist concrete squat-heaps. Historic buildings were also razed for parking lots, in a doomed bid to compete with the Lehigh Valley Mall, which opened in 1976 on land--here’s a bitter irony--sold by the city and annexed to Whitehall Township.
And then there was deindustrialization. From the 60s onward, the U.S.--and Northeastern cities in particular--were hemorrhaging manufacturing jobs. Bethlehem Steel, symbol of Valley industry, laid off 2,500 employees on “Black Friday” in 1977; the company would limp along for nearly two decades. Its flagship Bethlehem plant closed in 1995.
Allentown, like most cities in the post-war era, was under assault on multiple fronts. We often talk about cities as if they are people, down-on-their-luck sorts who can’t get back on their feet. But the decline of U.S. cities--Philadelphia and Detroit, Reading and York, Hartford and Lowell--had nothing to do with luck. That decline had everything to do with policy--with conscious choices about transportation dollars, school funding and tax write-offs. Our abandoned cities stand, given these choices, as an indictment in brick and mortar.
Allentown eluded the fate of so many of its municipal peers, for a very long time. By some measures, it has even made headway against a strong current: The city’s population is larger today than it was in 1950, in contrast to every other Pennsylvanian city. (Philadelphia, for example, has lost over 900,000 residents, or close to 40 percent of its population!)
But decline did happen here, only later and more suddenly than in other cities. And it happened on Hamilton Street, for so long the region’s retail hub, in a very visible way: Hess’s and Leh’s, the legendary department stores downtown, closed within a year of one another, in 1996. A sinkhole destroyed the brand-new, glass-and-steel Corporate Center at 7th and Hamilton, in 1997. Within a single decade, the city’s once bejeweled main street was largely emptied out. No wonder Bob Wittman, longtime journalist, titled essays on these years, “Bad Luck, Bad Times: Allentown 1993-1995” and “Ground Zero: Allentown 1995-1997.”
Much of this was symbolic--a sinkhole had swallowed the city’s flagship office building, after all--but all the more traumatic as a result. Native Allentonians, when you meet them, often come off as shell-shocked. The Hess’s closing, in particular, has left a deep psychological scar, and always gets mentioned in “the city’s gone to hell” declarations that newcomers routinely receive.
Hi everybody!
I was pretty busy today and had a meeting tonight, after which I stopped at Tic-Toc for a post-meeting autopsy. But I can see Scott's little essay gets everyone interested and talking. To me, that's what it's all about.
It also has everyone ready to lynch him. That's also part of my evil plan, but there is nothing I love more than when a liberal like Jeff and a conservative like Scott go at it.
Nice to hear from you, Jeff. I thought you must have fallen in a pothole or something.
"Scott smells of old farts."
Very clever. You really make Scott's point with that little zinger.
I admit if I was a Muhlenberg College student and I received that guide to the City I would wonder where the good pizza restaurants are.
Because that guide doesn't seem to cover it.
Scott, you're a good man.
Jeff wrote an excellent essay. There are a few other points. They are politically incorrect but points nonetheless.
Like strip miners who did not see mountains and life sustaining enviornements but resources to be profited from so did modern city prospectors.
As properties opened, these new strip miners saw easy money and governemntal officials willing to cooperate.
A rowhouse that once housed a family of 4 or 5, with one car was turned ointo a three unit apartment. Soon the lucrative Section 8 governemnt sponsered housing fostered an explosion of out of City landlords (prospectors) converting more and more properties. The accompanying cars with insufficient parking and the noise, crime drove more homeowners out as the ghetto mentality moved in. No one really knows who lives in these apartments legally or illegally, as long as the fed sends the check--no one cares.
Poverty, crime and overpopulated neigborhoods made their mark. They still do. Downtown Allentown is a pit that is deserted on any given evening.
The Welfare State, which began with the most noble of intentions, has taken hold of generations of people who have no desire or understanding of self-reponsibilty, self-sufficiency or sadly decency or work. Unfortunately this is often parried in liberal and conservative or Republican and Democrat blather. Even worse it is quickly dismissed as racist and intolerant.
Whatever it is, or is not, one thing it is, is fact.
You can build a hundred taxpayer funded bars on Hamilton Street but until you clean up your rotted city neigborhoods you will continue the downward spiral.
Republican or Democrat has little to do with ignoring reality for the sake of political correctness. So Scott and Jeff, you are both right and you are both wrong.
Veritas
Jeff,
I think the correct grade for your essay is “incomplete”. It is a fine general overview but the glaring omission of the catastrophes brought on by the last two Democrat Administrations is curious and undermines the intellectual integrity of the piece.
I think fair minded readers would agree that the police contract, bloated management, expedient bond policies, borrowing to balance budgets, firing talented long term and respected city employee activities of the past eight years is central to the city’s precipitous decline.
In case you weren’t here eight years ago the city was poised to turn a corner, it was in sound financial shape, with a new rental Inspections law, and an energized community group network. All that was thrown to the wind for the sake of partisan advantage. The results are what they are. Jeff you can write a tome on your version of events but the genie is already out of the bottle. People know the truth about Allentown. That is why restaurants close and the downtown is empty.
You go ahead and keep believing the Democrats had nothing to do with this. No skin off my back.
Scott Armstrong
Scott Armstrong, I think you are the Allentown Village Idiot.
If you and Jeff were to put aside your disagreements and try to work together, you might accomplish something.
All you do is insult or ridicule any suggestion that doesn't fall into your narrow view of what is right. You gave Jeff an incomplete for his essay?
I give you an (I) as well.
But in your case it stands for Incompetent and Idiot.
Scott,
My chuckling in a prior post was in response to your declaration that you were going to move somewhere with "good" government. THAT was funny, simply because there is no good government, and if you find it, you probably will see rainbows and fairies and unicorns, too. (And I LOVE San Francisco, but geez, look who holds the reins there!!!)
In terms of center city, I work downtown. I'm there every day. There's no way I would live there, and my children do NOT attend school in the ASD. I'm sure you and I see eye to eye on many issues. I will say that Allentown is an excellent example of what happens when good intentions go seriously wrong, and of course the Democrats are primarily responsible for the handout mess. But the mess in Allentown goes far beyond party politics and reflects a national trend of joblessness and welfare benefits. Allentown also offers an outstanding case study into what happens when families disintegrate and fathers disappear from the lives of their children. Allentown needs a societal change, one that goes far beyond a political change. Residents like YOU are what Allentown needs more of, not more politicians who know how to say the right things.
But, do you think Tony Phillips would have changed things? The election is over, so I'll refrain from slamming the poor man again. Suffice it say, though, that Tony could no more lead this city out of disaster than one of Chris Casey's dogs. (Oops, I did slam Phillips. It's hard not to!) Just because Tony put an "R" next to his name does NOT mean he exhibits any kind of intelligence, leadership or ability.
Pawlowski has serious flaws in leadership and ethics. I did not endorse or support his run. But, that did not lead me to automatically support Phillips. Between the two choices, only one candidate appeared able to handle the day-to-day demands of being mayor.
What Allentown needs more than a good mayor is JOBS. It could be argued that a mayor affects change on the job market, but I believe job loss is a national problem, far beyond what the city can solve on its own. When Americans can get rewarding for producing things in America again, our city can find its way back to greatness. Until then, we're stuck with lowlifes taking handouts, because that really is their only option here.
Ms. Volvo Mom,
Watch it there... I take offense to that. I am the one with the moniker of Village Idiit.
Peace, ~~Alex
Bernie, I am not cute, I'm dead sexy. That's what the other sexy man in the mirror said to me as my girlfriend rolled her eyes.
I have to say, this entire thing is simply disappointing. I really did think we could have discussions without resorting to calling others stupid. Perhaps I was wrong.
my bad... that was me.
Geoff
A few points:
I think too many here are willing to accept that Allentown's demise is due to outside forces. That is short-sighted and ignores reality.
Yes, we could use more jobs and the national unemployment rate is now above 10%. However, just a few short years ago the national (and Allentown's) unemployment rate was around 5% and Allentown was still declining.
Jeff wrote an excellent piece for a college guidebook that unfortunately could have been pulled out of any textbook and applied to many cities. But it ignores the reality of Allentown.
Yes, there was flight from the cities. But there has too often been a mentality among city leadership to focus on what the city is instead of what we want to city to become.
Those who have lived here a while could tell you that Joe Daddona's response to the outside factors that Jeff cited was aggressively pursue federal and state grants, many of which were directed toward helping those in poverty. While it may have balanced the budget in the short term, this started a downward spiral that made the city very attractive to those in poverty (some refer to it as a poverty magnet).
This trend in city leadership was continued in recent years with the election of Roy Afflerbach (career politician) and Ed Pawlowski (low-income housing advocate). Both have a view that government is the solution to everything, with the result that nothing gets solved and the core functions (police, fire, public works) of local government suffer.
Couple that with the recent trend of Allentown council towards members with a background in the public sector (Schweyer, Schlossberg) and there is little hope that the current direction is likely to change.
I realize that some may disagree with my assessment of the city and that is fine. But please don't blame generic national or state issues for the city's demise. It is fully caused by leadership in the city (or lack of it).
If you think that outside forces have caused Allentown's problems, then it doesn't really matter who is running the city - and that's not true. If you need an example of how different things could be with even a minimal degree of good leadership, take the 10 minute drive from Allentown City Hall to Bethlehem.
Volvo Mom,
Should one suspect any argument/reason that begins with a personal insult? I think your rhetoric undermined your own effort especially when you criticize us for exactly the same thing. Curious.
Scott Armstrong
I agree with much that has been written, by Scott and others here. It's clearly not just external forces that have led to Allentown's partial decline. (My previous comments were cut off by Blogger's character limit, which is probably a good thing :) ).
Here's my view of the last 8 years. Mayors, especially of small cities like Allentown, should not be chosen on the basis of party affiliation. Instead, what matters is competence, integrity, ability to pick and motivate good people, transparency and work ethic (basically in that order). These aren't the properties of any political party. Afflerbach, obviously a Democrat, failed on every single one. Daddona, also a Democrat, had a mixed record, but made major mistakes, including what Anonymous noted: the free-for-all conversion of center city single-family homes into multi-family apartments. By the time the city tightened the rules, the damage had already been done. Now the city offers feeble $5000 deconversion grants to try to reverse the mistake.
I supported Pawlowski when he originally ran, because I thought he had strengths in each of the areas I mentioned. I was wrong, in part, and I have been somewhat disappointed in the last four years. He is, in my view, quite competent. He's smart and somewhat savvy, and knows a lot about urban revitalization. He also has--and no one would disagree with this--a healthy work ethic. On the integrity issue, I give him a better-than-passing grade. I agree that some of his campaign finance activities are unseemly, but to me that reflects more than anything the corrupt system we have. We'd all be better off if we had $100 contribution limits—but the Supreme Court, right-wing Republicans and the ACLU have made that impossible for now. The pay-to-play allegations are *very* thin, or at least based on an *extremely* stretchy definition of pay-to-play. I'm not justifying anything--just saying that we should reserve "pay to play" to describe actual pay-to-play regimes. Reasonable people might disagree.
On transparency and the ability to pick good people he has been a disappointment. Pawlowski has been far too secretive--even with City Council--and here O'Hare deserves credit as an unflinching advocate for open government throughout the Valley. Pawlowski has picked good people, but also some who aren't right for their jobs or who aren't performing well.
I think LANTA was a mistake, as was the decision to prioritize high-profile retail on Hamilton over upper-floor housing. On fiscal issues, despite some smoke and mirrors budgeting on a few issues (like the recent pension), he deserves a good grade. The city's bond rating has improved, he's shown great fiscal restraint (OK: not enough for Joe Hilliard :) ), and attracted a great deal of state money. Most of this money, by the way, can't be counted as "poverty magnet" funding, despite the sound bites. He also deserves credit for negotiating the casino-revenue sharing deal with Bethlehem, which means millions per year for Allentown with no cost. The only one in the state [cont’d]
You could say that I am biased, because my wife works closely with the city, but I don't think I've pulled my punches here.
So along comes election day. The alternative to Ed Pawlowski is... Tony Phillips. He's not even a real Republican, but regardless doesn't pass the laugh test. Period.
On City Council, there were two Republicans running for four seats--one of whom is actually a Democrat. I personally voted for three Democrats and one "Republican" on the basis of the criteria I stated above. To put it more bluntly: the Republican Party ran exactly one candidate for the combined mayor and council races (excluded opportunistic party switches). How can you call a Democratic sweep a product of stupid voters?
As for downtown, I live quite happily on 6th Street with my two young kids, who will be attending public school when they're old enough. We have a solid, if poor, neighborhood, with a mix of people--white, Latino, black, gay, artist, unemployed, professional. We get along pretty well, and like it down here in the Old Fairgrounds, with its stunning architecture and diverse street life. Quality of life problems abound, and real crime too. But it's a good place to live. I'm cautiously optimistic that Pawlowski will help make it better in the next four years. I'm staying put, and I hope that committed citizens like Scott will too.
One last point: Bethlehem really did handle things better, and in some ways it's a tortoise and hare tale. But there are a couple of crucial differences: Bethlehem's equivalent of the West End wraps around its main downtown. And the Bethlehem Area School District (whatever its current woes) includes Bethlehem Township. Big differences.
Monkey momma,
Tony is a friend of mine and a great guy. That doesn’t automatically make him a great candidate for mayor of the city of Allentown. I will for the first time break one of my own rules of not discussing inside Republican matters publicly. I met with the chair of the local committee over sixteen months ago and laid out a plan for recruiting quality candidates for this year’s election. It was ignored. The results are what they are.
Tony is a guy trying to make a difference in the city. My hat is off to him and I give him credit for trying. That is more than I can say for the local committee’s commitment to the city. Hopefully that will change. I give up on the local Democrats producing quality independent candidates for city offices. The truth is Allentown is a great success by their state committee standards, they harvest huge vote totals here every election. That is their only goal. Don Cunningham would have lost without that margin. It is a shame they couldn’t be bothered to couple competence with dominance.
Scott Armstrong
Jeff Pooley said...
"Quality of life problems abound, and real crime too. But it's a good place to live."
Partaking of the local cash crop are you?
Thank you for that insight, Scott. I hope this city finds leadership that cares about moving the city forward, instead of catering to the lowest common denominator. My kids and hubby and I love Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley (incl. Allentown) has been very good to us. There are truly great people in Allentown and Center City. Unfortunately, there are so many societal forces working against this city that the good people's efforts often go unnoticed.
Perhaps Republican leadership could reverse the trend of inadvertantly rewarding bad behavior with handouts - I don't know. But, affecting societal change would require heroic leadership - something I did not sense Phillips could offer.
I hope you continue to be an advocate for competence. We need more folks here who can see beyond the vote tally and look at the effects of policy on the residents. Allentown suffers from massive unintended consequences. But we're hardly alone in the country.
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