At a Town Hall lecture last night, I asked CACLV Executive Director Alan Jennings whether he supported Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski's privatization of the City's water and sewer. In his speech, he had mentioned a poll in which most Americans believe that government should work on behalf of those "who want to drink clean water."
But not in Allentown. Jennings is perfectly willing to privatize one of the Queen City's most precious assets - its water. Reason? "Allentown's solvency is the #1 priority," he explains, calling the privatization issue a "Faustian choice."
Jennings suggested that the rest of Lehigh County should ensure that the Lehigh County Authority has the means to make the purchase. He then went on to complain that the Lehigh Valley has 41 water and waste water systems in two counties, when only a handful are needed.
65 comments:
And where does Alan get his water?
Instead of being his own man he is Ed's. Sad. Lost all respect for him.
Scott Armstrong
jennings is right: a huge part of the problem is the balkanization of services in the lehigh valley.
speaks with forked tongue
Would it surprise anyone that Alan Jennings is on the Board of Directors of RenewLV? Now we know why RenewLV has been silent.
Jennings sold out long ago. Poverty has been very lucrative to Alan. All those 70s era MSWs made good lives for themselves by institutionalizing an underclass that provides very nice job security and a good living. Meanwhile, Alan lives in a nice house, is looking at a nice retirement, and poverty is much worse because his ilk took their money and said fuck you to the poor. Professional do-gooders are just fucking evil. Enjoy hell, Al. Lots of false prophets there.
Jennings is nothing but a leach on who ever has money. Right now, King Ed has millions coming in from the NIZ and now the sale of the water works. So in classic Alan Jennings style, he supports removing under privledged people from downtown Allentown the people he supposedly stands up for) so he gets a nice job on the nIZ board. Jennings woul dsellout his own mother to make a buck.
A nice job on the NIZ Board? That pays no salary.
maybe not a salary per se...
Shame on you, Alan Jennings.
What is worth more, a gallon of water or the U.S. dollar?
Have you seen what's happened to commodities lately? With the devaluation of the U.S. currency, I vote for the water. Blue gold.
We need water for life. Dollars - not going to be worth the paper they are printed on. Sorry to say.
Wars in the future will be fought over water. Allentown residents need to start one now over this water lease.
The people who want to lease the system are smart and they know the value of Allentown's water. And, they know that the people of Allentown, especially the council, do not.
That the mayor and council cannot see the problem they are setting this community up for is a shame.
Every Allentown resident with a heartbeat needs to be at Thursday's council meeting in city hall at 7 p.m. to speak out until council changes their minds. They need to call their council members and say "no."
The people of Allentown should be organizing in the streets with pitchforks and torches against this water sale. It's that bad.
The ultimate irony is that although economically the solvency of Allentown is the problem, the continuation of a system that allows Allentown to exist as an independent political entity prevents the economic problem from being solved. The organizational issue is caused by language in the current Pennsylvania constitution and neither political extreme wants to make the constitutional changes necessary for a fully functional regional government to be created. Some oppose it because they want to maintain their relatively low-taxed suburban safe havens while others don't want to create regionally elected governmental entities because cities like Allentown are the only places where they and their ideas can convince the citizenry to elect and re-elect their candidates.
7:11-
Renew LV is silent because it has no money, no staff and no audience.
They laid off their executive director and they've got a woman barely out of college running things, probably for free.
private water companies in jersey, virginia, New York, and other areas for years. world didn't end. yawn.
(i get that reasonable minds can differ on whether this is the best solution to A-town's financial difficulties. but can we please end the hystrionics?)
and BTW
1055 AM- spot on.
A Faustian choice refers to a German legend where someone sells their soul to the devil in exchange for power & knowledge.
The choice Faust had to make was giving up something priceless for power, money, etc.
Jennings is 100% right, selling the water system is a Faustian choice indeed.
The Banker
I thin he meant to call it a Hobson's choice.
Or could it have been a Freudian slip?
This thing is a disaster and I've lost a lot of respect for Jennings in the process. All he's been doing lately is carrying water (pardon the pun) for Pawlowski.
I thought he was better than this.
The Banker
I see that the construction cost for Pawlowski's Palace of Sport has dipped slightly to $ 177.1 million dollars ...
... but the overall project cost has soared from $ 234.0 million to a whopping $ 272.0 million dollars.
I wonder if ALAN JENNINGS and his compassionate Democrat friends tugging heart-strings all day long can remember when the Palace of Sport project was only supposed to cost $ 80.0 million dollars.
ROLF OELER
How many social programs can any given bureaucratic agency fund for nearly $ 200.0 million dollars, Mr. O'Hare?
:-)
RO
Yes, a Faustian bargain indeed. He got it just right.
Jennings showed his true colors on this critical issue.
That a person so full of shit could fool so many bright and decent people for so long really baffles me.
A Faustian bargain indeed, Jennings, you ass!
Privatizing Allentowns Water system is not the legitimate way to resolve the Balkanization of services in the Leheih Valley asshole.
Those fools on Allentowns now defunct EAC had Jennings as their keynote speaker a couple of years ago. A ship of fools. The whole lot of them in that sinking town,
They would sell off their beautiful, declining park system if they thought they could get away with it and Jennings would support them. To hell with them all. And that haughty councilman Guridy, fools, hypocrites and worse.
this boy is quickly running out of friends and supporters as he sales his sole to the company store. he was two faced and self serving 25 years ago. glad you yahoos are finally catching on. Nothing but a whore looking for the next payday
Now that Mr Jennings has found the courage to speak up maybe people will listen.
Selling Allentowns Water & Sewer capacity is the best option on the table. The Mayor and Mr Guridy and Mr Riley all want the best for Allentown. They are smart, dedicated leaders who know things and have the information to make the correct decisions.
We should be praying for our leaders not second guessing then.
Corporate ownership of water and other natural resourcess is the wave of the future. Why fight it when our leaders point out its benefits?
Let the market deside the price of water and not the GOVERMENT . It's a win-win.
Oh BooHoo says Scott Armstrong. Now I've lost all respect for Alan Jennings!
Which one of these guys is more out of touch than the other?
This untiring advocate for social justice wants to sell off the people's water in Allentown.
Unmittagated bullshit !
Totally and utterly outrageous bullshit!
This is just the latest proof assholes ------- the Mayor has bought out or intimidated all the right people. The deal is done. Live with it. You precious water is as good as gone.
( I'd be remiss if I didn't give a special shout out to Mr Jennings. You go buddy, you can sell out like nobody else around. You da man! )
All these years and Alan has empowered no
one but himself.
All these years and Alan has empowered no
one but himself.
All these years and Alan has empowered no
one but himself.
Well mr banker sir tomorrow you will wake up just a little older and somewhat wiser.
Hey look I'm a liberal Dem.and would support much of what Jennings would claim to stand for. I don't find him objectionable for what he says he supports. I have nothing in common with his right wing-ding critics.
It's the fact that he has toadyed to the bankers and Lehigh Valley Partnership types forever. When push comes to shove he's no more a man of the people than the next gray suit. He's backing the stupid short sighted water sell out. I'm so not shocked. This is the Jennings I would expect. Wake up ladies and gentlemen.
I can only assume that Jennings support of the Allentown Water & Sewer rip off represents the official position of his organization --- CACLV.
CACLV board officers, Alicia Karner, Chris Reid, etc. are then on record, by Jennings statements, as excepting and supporting the privitazation of Allentown's most precious resource.
It is important to understand that this is the official position of the CACLV organization and it's board.
One wonders if the CACLV board had an open and informed discussion about this critical issue,or if they simply followed Jennings lead in support of the sale of Allentown's water capacity?
I for one would like to hear from CACLV board president Alicia Karner on this issue .
Wouldn't you be interested to hear the CACLV boards viewpoint Bernie?
I do not believe jennings was speaking on behalf of CACLV, but himself. I will ask the board members.
Allentonians will able to afford Perrier after the hockey arena cash starts pouring in.
I am really surprised by Jennings support of this measure. Obviously water and sewer rates will increase under private ownership and such rate increases are regressive-that is they hurt the poor more than they hurt those who are able to pay. Water and sewer charges are not dependent on the size of a property or the financial capability of the occupants. Rates are the same for a poor family of four with a small house as for a rich family of four with a large house. In essence, a charge, in this case pension charges, that should be equitably distributed on a basis of property value or income level is corrupted and distributed to the poor at the same rate for the rich. That's not what Jennings normally supports.
Go to the public meeting tomorrow (Thursday) night and tell council what you think of this option.
If enough people show up angry, they may reconsider their decision and actually think about what they are doing.
Alan is not thrilled at all about his position on this issue. So GOOD arguments here, rather than name-calling, might turn him around. I would not be worked up if LCA got the lease. That's really another public entity. But I understand they lack the resources.
Thats a good one!!!!!
If they do and don't subcontract the jobs this will create.
LCA is certainly the best option.
This is concedeing a lot given that LCA Ex. Director runs a notoriously non-transparient shop and has historical played fast and lose with critically important monitoring data.
Conservative republicans to liberal democrats concerned with the health of the Little Lehigh Creek and watershead have had significant problems getting the LCA to collect and or share relaxant data.
Conservation groups and municipalities have been forced to petition the DRBC and the USGS to force the LCA to do the right thing.
The LCA has never meet a bottling company or developer they didn't like regardless of the impact on the Little Lehigh.
The LCA has been responsible for hundreds of thousands of gallons of raw sewage, that's shit water to the non-professional, dumped directly into the Little Lehigh, a high value limestone stream and trout habitat, not to mention a source of drinking water for the Allentown area.
The LCA's director is widely considered, to be kind, a snake in the grass. Several years ago Allentown's Mayor Ed had some espically choice adjatives to describe him. This is all a matter of public record.
I could go on.
Having said all that ------ LCA IS FAR AND AWAY - BEYOUND ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT - ABOSOLUTELY POSITIVELY THE BEST- BY A COUNTRY MILE- OPTION IN THIS UNFORTUNATE GAME!
Correction: should read " relevant data.....".
Damn spell check!
Bernie, A certain member of City Council was serving when The City Council voted to approve the pension disaster.Now he wants to correct the original blunder by leasing off the water plant. Does anyone really believe this cash windfall will go to correct the pension crisis must be drinking with Alan Jennings
Why did the RenewLV water study funded in part by LCA omit Authorities that were already regionalized, well maintained, and financially stable? Why just 3 and not 4 or 5 regional Authorities?
@3:24
Jenning knows full well the effect this will have on poor and working families. Squeezing them for the very water they drink. He's fully aware of the outrageous injustice and doesn't need you to explain it to him. Same with most of city council - although several of them are too dumb to get it.
Bernie@ 6:13 Jennings doesn't need any of your commenters either. He gets the whole sorry, outrageous deal. Completely. Totally. Fully.
He may be cynical but he isn't stupid.
So the question is what's his game. This is ethically a no brainer for him. Could be his buddy the mayor who is ready to bribe or bully anyone he can to pull off this scam, is leaning hard on him. Jennings is also pals with the LCA's Director from their Renew LV days, but the pay off there is less clear.
Or it could be/ who knows? But that's the question.
Jennings doesn't need you or I to convince him that the Great People's Water Heist is an indefensable outrage.
Anonymous said...
"Allentonians will able to afford Perrier after the hockey arena cash starts pouring in."
Anyone who thinks a minor league hockey arena in a difficult to get to, crime ridden area will bring in money is nuts. If this is such a cash cow, why are they moving?
Alan Jennings entire public persona is connected to his long term association with CAVLV.
Jennings doesn't speak to the press or blogosphere as a private citizen. Ever. Never,
Jennings is, for better or worse, is associated completely with the CACLV.
Period.
The CACLV Board of the Directors has got a tiger by the tail with Jennings public support of Allentowns Water & Sewer system sell off/ sell out.
The CAVLV EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE has got some explaining to do. The proverbial material is about to hit the fan!
8:01, Wow! I have to check this out.
Some great points are being made on this thread I have to compliment everyone.
Bernie, you will find relevant material about the LCA on MM's site as well as some really find reporting on the now dormant blog, REMEMBER ALLENTOWN, done by a young man named Andrew Kleiner.
Check out the POO WATER series of reports on Mr Kleiner's site for info on the LCA raw sewage spills.
I would provide a link but it's beyound my skill level.
This is I think some of what 8:01 is talking about.
God bless you for what you do sir.
Bernie O'Hare said:
"I think he meant to call it a Hobson's choice"
Are you sure he didn't mean a "Hobbit's choice"?
I mean, we are talking about Pawlowski, after all. :)
I think it was a Faustian slip.
Rob Hamel, spelling could be off. Do check in with him. He has a lot of hard won insight into the LCA,
Mr Rob Hamel from LMTwp.
The top officers of CACLV are from the Stoiffa Adminstration's Economic Development department. They are and were aware of Jennings position. This is what happens when you mix so-called county public servants with official positions with these groups. Do the job you were paid to do and stop getting distracted.
Bernie, you are covering for her and the other one because you have a hardon for them. They should either resign from their leadership positions on the CACLV or their county jobs, can't serve two masters.
Also they should issue an official staement that the CACLV does not support or condone Mr. Jennings actions. Don't hold your breath waitng for that.
The issue of CACLV's board in relation to Jennings's statements in support of leasing Allentown's Water/ Sewer is not going to go away anytime soon.
A public accounting of CACLV's official position MUST be forthcoming.
Alan doesn't serve at the pleasure of the CACLV Board. They serve at his pleasure; was ever ( with few exceptions) thus.
6:12, Why don't you just come out and admit you hate these women bc Stoffa hired them. So you will sling mud at them, though you probably can't even name them both.
In this country, we have something called the First Amendment. It's not very long and uses no big words. You should read it one day, or have someone read it to you.
Jennings has a First Amendment right to express himself, and his board can't stop him. They could take a position themselves. They could establish a policy muzzling him, although I'm unsure about that bc it is a publicly funded group.
And bc it is a publicly funded group, there are members of government sitting on that board, Lehigh County, Northampton County and the three cities all have representation, and they should. It's called oversight.
Also, I fail to see how these NC employees have been distracted from their county jobs. That's just more bullshit.
Has the Board issued a public stament regarding Jennings coments?
I am unaware of any board statement.
That in and of itself is a statment regarding the Board.
Yep. 612 has a beef unrelated to this topic. There are 24 members on CACLV board. This includes public and private sector but there seems to be a fixation on just two. No mention of any other public board members. Actually, I think the diversity brings different perspective to the Board.
What is the CAVLV Board Ex. Committee' s responce? . It's high time the Board Pres. issues a statement clarifying their position on the 50 year lease of Allentowns water system.
Jennings public voice IS THE VOICE OF CACLV.
Spare me the 1st Amendment rap.
This isn't a Constitional issue but an organizational issue. This is indeed a public organization and that's why the public deserves a clear responce from the CAVLV Board.
Or is Jennings unaccountable to his board?
I think you need to focus your energy on the lease, not Jennings or is accountability to CACLV. I, for one, do not like the idea of muzzling someone just bc I don't like what he is saying.
I would to the CACLV board address this issue.
Bernie: you said you would check in with the CACLV board.
I hope you follow thru with that .
Thank you.
What is going on with Alan? NIZ. Has done almost nothing to stop the predatory payday bill. And now this?
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