Nothing to see here. Move along.
State Rep. Jenn Mann, who also takes credit for helping "craft the language that created the Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ)," just happened to be on the nominating committee that named her to the NIZ Board. Although her employee, Peter Schweyer, recused himself from the actual vote, he defended the appointment during a City Council meeting. Another Council member, Mike Schlossberg, refused to recuse himself even though he worked for Mann and has been endorsed by her in his quest to take over her seat.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Both this blog and The Morning Call's Scott Kraus have detailed the cash connection between Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski and hockey arena beneficiaries, including whopping $10,000 contributions from J.B. Reilly, Joe Topper and a union looking for work at the arena.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Now it appears that the tentacles even extend as far as Northampton County's Tax Collection Committee, which is part of a regional bi-county effort that met on Thursday to seek answers from Allentown about its EIT tax grab.
At the end of Thursday's meeting, Solicitor Michael Gaul disclosed that one of his partners, Jerome Frank, just happens to be Solicitor to Allentown Commercial and Industrial Development Authority (ACIDA), the public entity that has paved the way for Reilly to poach other Lehigh Valley businesses. ACIDA also secured a $20 million line of credit for Reilly, which will be paid off with the very EIT proceeds that have both the Northampton and Lehigh Tax Collection Committees up in arms.
But it does not end there. Gaul, Frank and the other partners at King, Spry chipped in $625 apiece and contributed $2,500 to Pawlowski last year.
Nothing to see here. Move along. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
If you think something's wrong, you must be a "naysayer" or a racist.
42 comments:
How long will Pay to Play continue in Allentown. Need a investigation into these contributions if Pawlowski and his committee have violated any laws.
Hopefully the Feds will step in and at least review what is happening. If its given a clean bill of health, than so be it. This all smells from the bottom up and from the up down.
meh...
This behavior runs through the very blood of the lehighvalley and has since the dadona political machine was king of sherwood forest.
My head just exploded...hard to type...too much rage...
The story that keeps on giving. Every day a new revelation of political depravity in our midst. No wonder decent people avoid public service..guilt by mere association with these scum who are only looking to line their own pockets with tax payer money. Tyranny of the majority is here.
Political graft is a historical fact of life in America unfortunately. It's in the heart and soul of this country and sometimes you got to face it head on or you can't look yourself in the mirror. White collar crime is still crime no matter how you slice it. Suit and tie means nothing. Call it what it is..
Sorry Bernie. I'm just totally frustrated with these people. Do they think they are invisible? Do they think we are stupid? Follow the money..
How about the spin that this is just a story about community leaders coming together to better the region? Seriously... What was going on in the area of the arena? NOTHING. This will be an economic boom for the city. Let's not for get the EIT tax was a tax grab originally by the boroughs and townships. Nothing wrong with that through. One thing is for sure Alletown should ban Bernie from the arena when it is done.
Bernie,
You are grasping at straws here, everybody gives money to the mayor because they like him. He's doing a great job and they want to help.What's the big deal?
Allentown Democrat Voter
Bernie... You love naysaying racists. After all haven't you been to Angle's house for dinner?
The black cloud of government secrecy and coruption hanging over this posibly great project is unbelievable. Pat Browne has definately lowered himself to the level of the Democrat Party machine politicans in Allentown. The Atiyeh lawsuit needs to be watched carefully, imagine the City pawning this off as a City realted use, to avoid compliance with the Zoning Ordinance!
Also, it looks like Pawlowski has gotten to Cynthia Mota and she is geting ready to assume her proper role a bobbing head rubber stamper, by reconsidering her trash burning vote. Well at least she will get a free field trip to Egg Harbor with Marcel Groen, King Edwin and who knows who else, Heather Browne?, Julio Guridy?
This IS the gift that keeps on giving ...
Vielen Dank, Herr O'Hare.
Does anybody really know what time it is, Does anybody really care.
@ Dave. People actually avoid public service because of the irrational fear and hate generated by blogs like this that suggest impropriety when none has been proven. Allentown is a small city with a small political class. Of course you could tie nearly anyone to nearly anything with nothing more than innuendo.
1249
Bravo
Innuendo and nothing else.
Could not agree more.
Shaibu!
VIKTOR TIKHONOV
Cry me a river. HONEST people avoid public service because it's filled with unethical sludge - especially in incestuous pools like Allentown.
anon 12:49,
Yes exactly, leave Ed Pawlowski alone, he is a good guy trying to save the city. These kind of blogs should be regulated. They do more harm than good.
Allentown Democrat Voter
@ 1:37. If there is one thing that is really disrespectful to see it is someone who stereotypes a whole group of people and accuses them of impropriety. I have worked in government and have always tried to be as ethical as possible while working long hours and taking home a smaller paycheck than I would in the private market because of a sense of commitment to others and the community. (I've also worked in the private sector). To accuse all of us of being associated with sludge is ridiculous, dishonest, and mean. If you have proof of something go ahead and make it public. But, don't badmouth entire groups for no reason. Its about respect.
and dufus'es like Schlossberg will be representing the corruption that he is part of and surrounds him...
@ 2:26. Prove it.
I got a kick out of the ET article today about Ingram being replaced on the City Planning Commission because his term expired last year.
Pay no attention to the fact that T&M Associates employee Mark Buchvalt's term expired two years ago and that T&M not only contributed to the Mayor, but shock, surprise...wait for it....is the engineer for the arena project.
I'm starting to wonder if there is anything legit about this project.
Bernie, The people complaining are the first to ask the politicians for a job.
What, do you think, is the solution?
Bitching on blogs, as we all love to do here?
Voter education, when at best, 40% of those who can even bother?
The Feds? These are guys that no-bid defense contracts (R) and sell guns to mexincan drug dealers (D).
Who can tell me how you fix this?
People eventually do get mad enough to get rid of the people doing the wrong thing, and will eliminate them at the ballot box. Until then, it is up to others to make sure the facts are known.
"To accuse all of us of being associated with sludge is ridiculous, dishonest, and mean."
Your point is well taken. Most of the people I know in government are honest and dedicated. I am certain the commenter would amend his remark if he could if he could see what I see every day.
Say what you will about either one but the two most trusted elected officials in the lehigh vallley are Panto and Stoffa.
Wow, the two guys O'Hare loves the most trusted?? Not in a million years. Panto is another Stoffa and people wont be fooled again.He should stick to Easton where he has them fooled.
To those defending this project and the politicians who gave it to us:
There is quite obviously a cloud of secrecy and deceit around the details of this project, from the zone that was created for it, to the way the properties were acquired, to the figures that (would supposedly) support it, to the few public votes related to it. That is the doing of every one of our elected officials involved.
If they want to remove that cloud, they should immediately change the way they are operating and move toward total transparency. That would include up-front and full disclosure of related campaign contributions to go along with any contract or project bid before it is approved, and the immediate release of such information for anything already in the works.
That is what elected officials who are truly concerned with good government would do. What we're seeing is the exact opposite.
It shouldn't take multiple Right-to-Know requests and investigative reporting by bloggers and reporters at a staff-reduced newspaper to let the public know what's going on.
I agree with the perspective of the last post.
"It shouldn't take multiple Right-to-Know requests and investigative reporting by bloggers and reporters at a staff-reduced newspaper to let the public know what's going on.
7:11 AM"
I have my doubts as to the viability of the project, but the execution of it tips it over the edge.
"Say what you will about either one but the two most trusted elected officials in the lehigh vallley are Panto ..."
freaking HILARIOUS. do you actually believe the drivel you write?
FDAA is dead. Long live the endless trove of party goombas whose job it is to denigrate the truth by attacking opposing opinions and statements of abject reality.
@Dave - Right on! You are absolutely correct. Few individuals have the ba*** to stand up for the people of Allentown simply for the principle of fairness and equity. Many attempts are made regularly to vilify them.
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Well, isn't this convenient? I just read the state may charge folks who fiile "right to know" requests. Hmmm....
Check out the Sunday Morning
Call (2/19) for an article on the matter.
That link at 9:20...
What is your point, pointyhead, other than to create a diversion?
Last time we checked, the beneficiaries of this boondoggle were rich, connected whitefolk, and the owners and employees of the displaced businesses were not.
Once again: The race card, misplayed.
-Clem
Bernie
Isn't Vaughn related to one of these key players? Also, did Browne ever actually meet with neighboring officals. Read he may have cancelled two scheduled meetings.
Vaughn is related to Reilly. Believe he is a brother-in-law. So far as I know, Browne has had no meeting with municipal officials.
"I just read the state may charge folks who fiile "right to know" requests. Hmmm.."
Yes. We're talking an increase above what is already charged. I guess the law has been too effective, even though state legislators have pretty much exempted themselves and the "predecisional deliberation" exception could be used to justify refusal to provide access to just about anything.
Anon, Your comment as to few people have the BA---to stand up, when there is one Mayors spends thousands to defeat the candidate, as Pawlowski has from the money he raises mostly that benefit as Reily,Butz,Jaindl and contractors. The voters need to see Pawlowski for what he really, If not Allentown will continue to go downhill and Pawlowski will be back in a Chicago Suburb as City continues to have the middle class residents move to the suburbs.What has happened to our All American City
Most government types I know are in it for purely personal gain, and have a hair trigger defense mechanism for being called lazy and covetous. It's because they are. Dishonesty and government are a well meshed culture. You've worked very hard to be so righteously mistrusted. Then, you'll expect to have some park named after you. You'd never make it in the real world. That's the real story of government.
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