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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Opinions Online, 10/17/15

Blogger's Note: Opinions Online is a regular Saturday feature. If you'd like to express your opinion on any topic, click on the Opinions Online button on my left sidebar. You can also call 385-325-2564. In addition to these submissions, I am taking some comments from throughout the week and re-publishing them here.

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Martin Tower needs to come down. It is not economically feasible unless at the taxpayer's expense to repurpose it as apartments or a multi-tenant office building. Too much asbestos, too expensive to run new plumbing and electric for hundreds of apartments, put in sprinklers, all new finishes inside and out, etc. etc. etc. It's a giant rotting penis that is a testament to the waste, excess, and false pride that helped bring the Steel down.

I am told the current owners have done little to zero in terms of maintenance in the last 10 years besides cut the grass, and the inside is in poor condition.

I'd like to see the site redeveloped as 1/5 townhouses that the average Joe can afford (<$200k), 1/5 as upscale apartments (like the ones behind Lowes), 1/5 as more upscale "cottage" type relatively small single family homes on small lots, and 2/5 open space. No retail. And not just because Main Street is crying up a storm. One need only to look a mile away at the Schoenersville Road corridor, plenty of decrepit retail sites there that are dying for redevelopment in to more modern facilities.

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No new state budget, should signal the voters in this state, that we have failed at electing every incumbent politician. What we have elected is a bunch of ambitious, self serving, power , money hungry, group of men and women, who cater to special , or personal interests, which will aid in their re-election. They have forgotten, or ever understood that they were probably voted in by people, from both parties, who expected them to maintain the strength of the commonwealth, an to serve the interests of all people regardless of political affiliation. They obviously can't, or won't, as salaries, benefits, vacations, and other freebies continue. Two party politics, means you never compromise with the other party. They believe there is no need to look at the other parties proposals, and as they show up on their desk , they are probably dispatched to the circular file. The two party system is failing us at the state and national level. We need to scream at these legislators to ["COMPROMISE"], or we need to scream for their removal. enough political posturing as the champions of the people, and work toward actually becoming them.

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I'm disappointed that the Lehigh Valley continues to reward bad behavior. A few weeks ago the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission presented an award to the Chrin Companies for the new interchange on Route 33. I noticed that Chrin paid for some of the event so there may be some quid pro quo but it looks bad to be rewarding Chrin for chewing up valuable land for warehouses, something we don't need more of and rewarding a company that continues to drag its feet with delay after delay at fixing its landfill.

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This comment is somewhat redundant having been mentioned here and on other blogs, but IMHO is worthy of rehashing. The ANIZDA Board publishes no minutes or financials of any kind on their website. Even their agendas which are published are "skimpy" and lack the time of the meeting, only the date. Now we recently learn, that apparently, they don't even show financials to their own members? Beyond the pale! Traub, Frank, & Hailstone should be embarrassed. While they may or may not have good intentions, these practices only serve to fuel the belief that there is rampant skulduggery . It reminds me of the Wizard of OZ, "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain".

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Generally, I'm against letting the government decide the winners and losers with the benefit of tax incentives. It puts people on disparate footing in the marketplace. For instance, if you had Shop A and Shop B competing for business and Shop A received tax incentives that Shop B did not, Shop A could charge lower prices because it's not carrying the same debt service. It also leads to corruption at worst or ethical conundrums at best, which is what we've seen in Allentown and what looks pretty icky in Bethlehem here. When you have blighted areas, like the old brownfields in Bethlehem, the choice is to wait for a White Knight to come in and save the area, or to create incentives to draw development in. I don't think many rational people argue against those types of incentives because we all see what happens when properties get ignored for years and years. If they bring in jobs and revenue, all the better. Now, Martin Tower is an odd duck because the costs to renovate the thing is probably the same has tearing it down. The best bet is to start over and see what you have. I think the best use for the property isn't a large scale retail establishment or high density housing, which is the only two things that would make a developer any money considering what they have to do with the tower. It's a shame the property couldn't be used as a park of some sort because it is beautiful land, right near the Monocacy and Burnside Plantation.

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Rich Fegley: Days after the FBI raided Allentown City Hall, Hillary Clinton returned a $1,000 donation from Ed Pawlowski.

Hillary Clinton campaign refunds Ed Pawlowski donation

Ed Pawlowski is "Public Official #3", correct? If the FBI was given permission to spend large sums of money and many man-hours investigating Ed Pawlowski and the City of Allentown, I am very confident that Public Official #3 will be going to jail. The FBI has been looking closely at Allentown since at least 2012.

Alan Jennings has now resigned from ANIZDA to avoid a possible conflict-of-interest with donors giving money to his organization, CACLV.

Hillary returned $1,000 of Pawlowski money to avoid a conflict-of-interest.

Who has received money from Pawlowski and his related PACs? You would all do well to give the money back now before Public Official #3 is convicted. When he is convicted, I hope we all remind one another who was on Pawlowski's "team".

Joe Hanna, Joe Davis and Jeff Glazier are a few of the people that should return Pawlowski PAC donations. When Public Official #3 goes down, politically you go down with him.

Who else is on Pawlowski's "team"?

Pawlowski, other top Allentown Dems form PAC to fund local candidates

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From Save Green Pond: People have been asking how they can contribute to Malissa's campaign.

The best thing, if you live in Bethlehem Township, is to vote for Malissa on November 3. And get others who live in the township to vote too! It WILL make a difference in this election.

You can also donate to Melissa's campaign. Malissa is self-funding, so any size donation is welcome- as a matter of fact, she says she loves small donations because they are from people who really care.

Malissa's campaign account is called "Friends of Malissa Davis".
Please write checks to "Friends of Malissa Davis" and mail to:

Friends of Malissa Davis
4282 Windswept Drive
Bethlehem PA 18020

You can also visit the Facebook page "Malissa Davis for Bethlehem Township Commissioner at Large" (I know it is long!)

And please forward this email to other Bethlehem Township residents who care about the future of their township.

Thanks!!

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Did Abe secure himself a zoning variance for the parking lot at Building 21 while he was making deals with the city, to park all of those tractor trailers there? Assuming they're for the show at the PPL Center. Guess there wasn't enough room in the AOW parking lot for all of them this time (BTW, wonder what the zoning is for tractor trailer parking there as well?)

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I have been following the election a bit. I got a robo call about Hayden Phillips wanting to turn Gracedale into a corporation. Is this true. I know there was a resolution that talked about studying a possible sale of the home again! Mr. Barron has my vote if that is the case. I am disappointed that Mr. Phillips would go down this road.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

No that is no totally correct. Mr. Phillips would rather impose a 20% tax increase. It is part of the Republican tea party conservative government agenda.

Anonymous said...

He wants to turn it into a 501-C-3. He is saying that to people while going door to door

Maggie Mae Mason said...

Nice race over in Bethlehem. BUT, one has to wonder how many new businesses came to Bethlehem this week. How many full time jobs were created? Perhaps the mayor and c&ed should only be paid based on the performance. They would be on welfare.

Anonymous said...

A new union-sponsored trade school is under construction near Allentown's Queen City Airport. Isn't a school no matter who owns it considered a nonprofit? This particular site has multiple political candidate signs posted. Isn't this illegal?

Anonymous said...

For years a single voice spoke of the loss of train transportation into New York and Philadelphia, often to brick walls. Now local news indicates interest in once again checking this out. Big problem. Tracks have been transformed into "green" running and biking paths thanks to taxpayer dollars.

Anonymous said...

In Allentown there are three Pawlowski PAC candidates for school board; Audry Mathison, Elizabeth Martinez, and Charlie Thiel.

Scott Armstrong

Anonymous said...

@ 8:30 little sensitive when it's the truth huh?

Anonymous said...

Haden Phillips voted for your new taxes, He wants to make Gracedale a corporation and yes he voted for the new HR Director for the Brown Administration with a huge salary increase as of Thursday of this week. Still want to support Phillips? Dunk your Tea bags in another county.

Anonymous said...

@ 8:29am, I agree 100%. Once those rail corridors are converted to trails or greenways, I guarantee they will never become rail corridors ever again. Can you imagine the NIMBY WW3 that would start if Septa tried to install rails right by all those high end houses in Saucon Valley?

Bernie O'Hare said...

I hope no more public money is spendt on stufying passenger rail. We have already wasted public money on this pipedream , just a few years ago, to learn what we knew before we did the study - itcosts too much and would never break even.

Anonymous said...

Barron's poll numbers must be tanking if he needs to run negative misleading robocalls. Hayden's proposal to reorganize Gracedale as a 501c would increase Medicaid reimbursements by 10%, saving taxpayers millions without having to sell it. The resolution he introduced earlier this year to study the process received bi-partisan support.

Anonymous said...

3:08 as the controller, Hayden will not be able to do anything for gracedale. That position has nothing to do or is evenly remotely a legislative position. So Hayden walking around with his grand scheme should be laughed at by anybody in the county who knows what the controllers duties are. Funny how a guy who claims the controller is too political, walks around and makes political statements for a job he says should be A-political

Dachau survivor said...

It's been almost two years since you've been gone, the pain seldom subsides but your passion for human services clients will be immortalized in the speech that started it all which begins at 14:00.

http://nccvid.northamptoncounty.org/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=236&doctype=AGENDA

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:30, I believe the Tea Party (Taxes Enough Already) is brought up because of the hypocrisy and smugness of its apostles. Mr. Phillips is a tea party darling as are some of the other elected county officials. They gleefully raised taxers their first year in office by 10%,Mr. Phillips wanted a 20% tax increase. So, I guess when you claim a halo for your head, people will point ion the tarnish.

Anonymous said...

Who is paying for the newest version of the passenger rail study? How much are we spending to arrive at the same conclusion? You don't get any answers if you ask the questions. Just annoyed looks.

Anonymous said...

This is not a trade school. This is the Lehigh Valley Carpenters new training center. It will be used for apprentices and journeymen for extensive training for MEMBERS. Don't get your panties in a bunch and spread gossip about something you know nothing about. Jerkoff
East Sider

Anonymous said...

"Big problem. Tracks have been transformed into "green" running and biking paths thanks to taxpayer dollars."

That can be undone faster than it was done. Easy to change a greenway back into railroad tracks.

Whoever posted about receiving a robocall from Phillips stating his desire to change Gracedale has no clue about what the role and power of the controller is. If that was actually in Phillips' robocall, it is rubbish. He has influence over that as a council member, not as controller.

Anonymous said...

Great words on the Pa Budget or lack there of. The 2 party system and those politicians have betrayed the People , and the people sat back and allowed this to happen. This issue is 100 plus years old. This is nothing new.

A wise man once said --"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress (and politicians in general) discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." Alexis de Tocqueville

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy."

Bernie O'Hare said...

We/ve been on thin ice, but that quote has thus far been wrong.

Anonymous said...

The dream of rail is alive and well, currently residing in the state correctional system. The bronze adonis manslab Jim Gregory, between his dozens of pushups and solving gang disputes, has been working 12+ hours/day on his dream of building the future for all residents in the valley, with rail the centerpiece of his masterful plan.

Once released from his unjust incarceration, he will move mountains just with his smoky gaze as others cower in his presence and bow to his indominable will.

Rest easy one and all. Gregory is on the case.

Anonymous said...

9:46 = douchebag. Jim Gregory = love doll for the cell block

Anonymous said...

School 21:
Where are the tractor trailers on the old Op. Center that Abe now owns? Can't imagine that commercial property is zoned industrial for those trailers. Maybe
a city employee can look into this.

Anonymous said...

Bernie
Is this really the kind of language you want on this site?

. Jerkoff
East Sider

4:14 PM

monkey momma said...

" If the FBI was given permission to spend large sums of money and many man-hours investigating Ed Pawlowski and the City of Allentown, I am very confident that Public Official #3 will be going to jail. "

I respectfully disagree. If the FBI had enough evidence, they would have indicted already. The raid symbolizes a current lack of concrete evidence.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Actually, Monkey Momma, the rid is what the FBI does in public corruption cases. Is is fairly routine, and it is a very big mistake to conclude that it it denotes weakness. The fact that Public Official #3 has been identified as the recipient of bribes is an indication that he will be charged. The fact that he has not been charged yet is an indication that feds are working on a RICO prosecution and are building a case consisting of numerous crimes.

Anonymous said...

@10:14AM And I respectfully disagree with you. It can take years for an indictment. I know, because I was the victim of a federal crime, and it about took two years to bring an indictment. Perp received a letter indicating government was investigating in spring 2010, he was indicted in spring 2012. Now he is serving a 9 year sentence in federal pounding in the ass jail.

Time to indict is related to complexity of the case, for one.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Is this really the kind of language you want on this site?

. Jerkoff
East Sider"


No, it's note, but that is relatively mild.

Anonymous said...

@4:03AM You are hallucinating again, like remembering when you were 18 years old and had whatever looks you had. It is the 201x's, not the 1980's. Now you've gone the Teri Garr route - in looks alone. She has talent, yours is destroying your reputation.

Many trains left the station for the last time decades ago, including when Jim had manhood. Anything approaching a "jackhammer" is now overcooked ziti.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I deleted 4:03 am.

Tony Palumbo said...

Sparticus has been appearing in my dreams with an increasing frequency, the joy of a nocturnal emmision after weeks of chaste living is truly one of God's greatest gifts. To know that in the next 6 months the mensan Man-God will be holding court at Billy's Diner over a vegan-esque omlet is enough to make me stop drowning my sorrows in Thunderbird everynight.

Anonymous said...

Well there is always takeout for visiting days. Hope the Mensa finds a financial sponsor. Billy's is good but it ain't cheap.

Peter J.Cochran said...

THIS is Peter J.COCHRAN-form Lieutenant of the U.S.Army and Sargent in the U.S.Marine Corps -Vietnam Vet and match shooter in both- from Easton,P.A. I'M NOT HIDING on this issue. The reason Secretary of State of this nation and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a Marine Corps General are both in Israel at the same time is because the OBAMA Administration had thrown the JEWS --them 'under the bus'of late . I Can't site one occasion sense WWII when a Chairmen of Joint Chief of Staff went into another country to do business ,not even Vietnam. Point of reference-follows- The ISRAELI government and the U.S.Marine Corps are very close to each other . This administration has compromised that relationship. God BLESS ISRAEL.

Anonymous said...

It is the US Marine Corps not the Israeli Marine
Corps. What the Hell are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

Sad to see candidates removing other candidates sign in the local Judicial election!!! Not a good indication of what this Dem might do if he is sitting on the bench!!!

Bernie O'Hare said...

And do you have any evidence that one judicial candidate is stealing another's signs? NO. But you jump to conclusions. The reality is that sign stealing happens in every race, and is almost never the idea of the candidate. I have heard numerous complaints from the Dem candidate's camp. Neither of the candidates would sanction or encourage that kind of activity. Try coming up with a real issue, like how Vic has cost taxpayers $300,000

Anonymous said...

Again, please vote Democrat to your hearts' content and have a sensational time doing it, too.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Anonymous coward there is no reason for you to insult my readers

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
This week in opinions, can we mention the circus snake oil salesmen of allentown and how the notorious hamilton street gang o thugs infect the triboro area¿!($ Not only are they passionitly try to abducted adults in the traveling circus, they have also lowered there standirts yet again abducting children into the circus system of there creation too¿!($
By the way this system that was put in place to protect the children, than take away parental rights and incubates the ill circus behaviors eventually to be put back into sociaty to work for the hostel takover tactics employeed by the traveling circus¿!($
redd
patent pending