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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Why is it that people from this country who leave to join ISIS and other such groups don`t have their citizenship revoked along with passport and denied future reentry into this country ? If present laws do not allow this the laws should be changed and soon. We don`t need folks like this.
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Bernie, I want to bring to your attention and others, that back in 2009 the governing bodies received $2.15million for Martin Tower redevelopment and asbestos abatement, as reported by the Mcal. I think this and any other past financial funding should get a full accounting of where it went. There is probably no cost advantage in removing the asbestos in a tear-down vs just removal, if removal is necessary at all. After all, Martin Tower was used 35 years up until 2007 with asbestos laws in place.
I had an opinion printed in the Mcall 12/10/15, which was edited a bit, but basically called for the protection of Martin Tower for historic, architectural and financial reasons. The tower makes high pay jobs possible; the loss of it and the rezoning plans bring minimum wage jobs. With the property value so low I called for the possible use of eminent domain to protect and benefit the public's interests in the property. Please keep up your effort and reporting.
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Why is the city of Bethlehem increasing taxes in the city by 2.2% and giving the dept heads and their subordinates a 6% wage increase. This will raise their wages to over $104,000 a year . With this increase the Business Administrator will be paid $107.000. Nice when you are not a resident of the city and pay no wage tax. Once again the property owner suffers. Hey how about our recycling going up $10.00 and the recycling coordinator get a $12,000 raise. Wake up property owners.
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Few people realize or ever talk about the two sides to economic development. Yes, jobs are necessary but how many more do we need ? Do we want unlimited growth and all the problems associated with it ? Increased traffic , more unhealthy days of bad air, loss of farmland and green space increased crime and basically more and more people , are just some results of more and more development. Remember when people move here they bring their problems with them; they don`t leave them in New Jersey.
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There should be more Bernie O'Hare's in this world. He fights for what is right in this world.
I am as far to the right as he is to the left. I have known him for many years and can call him a friend.
G. John Bryant, jr.
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Has anyone ever looked at the various boards, commissions, authorities and who sits on them, especially in light of all that is going on in Allentown?
While they are listed online with descriptions on the city website, their members aren't. But, looking a bit more closely, say, for example, the Allentown Housing Authority, where you've got Guridy (City Council), Jennings (ANIZDA), Hailstone (ANIZDA, Community and Economic Development)...small wonder Pennrose got involved in the NIZ.
But what about AEDC, ACIDA, ZHB, etc.?
Would be interesting if someone laid out a graphical "web" of players and their connections.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Saturday, December 19, 2015
24 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Thanks Bern, My old man chased and kicked Nazi's out of North Africa and France, never bragged, like he was ashamed, But he lived well and made me a Man.
ReplyDeleteim covered in sweat heart racing having just awoken from a dream in which Jim Gregory was released from SCI Pitts with $200 and a greyhound ticket to the Christmas city where he went immediately to master Kim's dojo for shelter. This space would be his new headquarters where Would live inexchange for cleaning and passing on his martial artistry, Donald Flad came back into his life as consigliere and muse while
ReplyDeleteScissorhands served as the political consultant who took no quarter.
I awoke just as Gregory gave his mayoral victory speech from a. Booth at Billy's downtown diner, it was beauteous
Grubb was right when suggesting an FBI investigation of the Bethlehem administration.
ReplyDeleteGrubb is a disgruntled former Bethlehem government staffer hell bent on being disgruntled...
ReplyDeletethe bedlam " to hell with the citizens" administration once again shows it's distain for the unwashed masses.
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't for people like Dana Grubb and a " very few others" telling it like it is, you would be completely in the dark. Also Grubb is not a disgruntled former Bethlehem employee I believe he was screwed for what happened. Get the facts straight It should have been the out of towner fired.One more s decision by the former Mayor.
ReplyDeleteA graphical "web" of players and their connections for land development issues in the ENTIRE Lehigh Valley in general would be a great project. It's the same names involved everywhere. From attorneys to engineers to developers. Same small tight group.
ReplyDeleteSee karner lost two more businesses on main street this week. Yoo-hoo, it's called economic and community development. bring back hanna or kelly
ReplyDeleteRon Beitler,
ReplyDeleteYou mean the "same small group" that unlike the rest of us, have millions of dollars that they can borrow and spend to redevelop useless and blighted properties that no one wants, to convert them into a tax base that helps and supports the City and its residents? Is it that small group , or is it another group?
The creation of NIZ, CRIZ, KOZ and TIFFS is a decades old practice that our legislators came up with when it finally realized that the old manufacturing industries and their sub parts like silk mills, and other factories are a ghost industry...and that those properties ought not be left to rot, useless, idle and eyesore.
The disgruntled and unmotivated keyboard tigers love to call those who benefit "crony capitalists" yet are the same folks who write down that government subsidized child tax credit on their tax return each and every year.
Some just have to have something to me miserable about all day long.
There should be more Bernie O'Hare's in this world. He fights for what is right in this world.
ReplyDeletesigned John Bryant
What does you buddy "fight" for? If you consider the use of a keyboard to spread lies and innuendo based upon hatred , jealousy and devoid of facts, then I guess you have a low standard for defining "fighter"
he is silent at the meetings he attends. He does nothing to lobby for the laws he detests. He complains about elected officials, but does not ever run for any office anywhere. He is not part of any civic / grassroots group that works for the people. He's a registered Democrat who works once a year at the polls, and demands that the courts fight his petty personal battles for him, because he can't learn how to function
11:06
ReplyDeleteYou forgot "...and I hate the way he licks stamps!"
10:20 and 11:06 are Mezzacappa, who would find fault with me no matter what I did.
ReplyDeleteI use the keyboard to tell the truth. I told the truth about you, warning people not to elect you, and you responded with accusations you knew were false in an effort to destroy my reputation. You owe me $67,400 as a result, and your own reputation is in tatters. You are reduced to posting anonymously bc even you know the public no longer believes a word you say.
Many years ago, I used to speak at every meeting I attended, until I realized I usually had little to say and was really just wasting everyone's time. So I prefer to listen and learn from others, although there are times when I still speak if absolutely necessary. If i am covering a municipality, I should not speak bc then I am part of the story. I usually only speak if there is a Sunshine Act violation. If i spoke at public meetings, you'd complain about that.
No grass roots organizations? If I belonged to one, you'd call it a terrorist cell. I am far too independent to belong to most groups, who are very thankful for my absence. I am a Democrat only so I can vote in primaries. And I do not work the polls for the Democrats or Republicans. I work the polls as an election judge. This is partial public service, but i still get paid $200 to sit on my ass.
It is also true I have not and will not ever seek public office. I like to tell people that even I would not vote for me. I would be terrible. For one thing, I'm no people person. I feel no need to have people like me.
I am most effective as a blogger. I consider it a form of public service. Contrary to what you spew, it has been highly effective and has effected real change in local government. It has drawn attention to numerous issues.
Actually, Dana never suggested the need for a FBI investigation. To the extent that his remarks are interpreted that way, the interpretation is wrong. Also, he is a private citizen and is not running for anything, so I will delete any addition anonymous comments that attack him personally. If you want to complain about him instead of government, sign your name.
ReplyDeleteHe did give out the number in the middle of a council meeting
ReplyDeleteHe did, and you can interpret that as calling for an investigation or can interpret it as sharing information with the many people who have complained to Dana.
ReplyDelete@10:20,
ReplyDeleteWhile these "captains of redevelopment" may be responsible for renovating and reusing unwanted and blighted properties, the results of their efforts are less than stellar. The properties redeveloped don't render the higher paying skilled labor jobs that they originally provided. You cant' earn $25/hour working at Target. It's getting to the point that in order to work in the Lehigh Valley, you need to live outside the Lehigh Valley. And if you live in the LV, you need to work somewhere outside the LV that pays you to be able to afford the cost of living here.
John Bryant, blowhard, gives Bernie a nod. That is one person you don't need supporting you.
ReplyDelete"He's a registered Democrat who works once a year at the polls, and demands that the courts fight his petty personal battles for him, because he can't learn how to function"
ReplyDeleteIt is ironic that Mezzacappa would post this, but not a surprise. She's plum crazy. She's the one having a lot or trouble functioning, having lost her car to Bernie, had to sell her house to her mother for $1 to illegally shelter it from Bernie, can't find a job due to her reputation, and when she does can't hold it.
Meanwhile, Bernie is out there pounding the pavement almost daily, and scooping the dailies right and left on important matters in town and county governments. It is no contest. Bernie is of great use, Mezzacappa is a POC.
Was that you today Bernie? Dressed as Santa at the Wacker's Tree Toss event? Sure looked just like you except in a Santa suit.
ReplyDeleteThat Santa was a tad too thin, from what I have seen of the video. I was at a CCHS basketball game.
ReplyDeleteBernie,
DeleteMaybe allentowns own king should be out teaching Wolf how to adminstrationally handle the budget and public pensions¿!($ Than there could be a study funded telling the public glued together sawdust burns faster in the stratousphere as team hound from hell makes there new aqwistion in sicureing the 600blk of union st¿!($ The notorious hamilton street gang o thugs and there circlejerk circus sideshow continues¿!($ Hey what the hell have santa give money envelopes out like a circus stick to pimp the publics news media outlets as the criminal activity is a figment of the imagination anyway¿!($
redd
patent pending
Bernie, an interesting network analysis of influence in the valley was prepared by a Ph.D. student in his dissertation, "Why the Garden Club Could not Save Youngstown." Comparison of the Allentown region and Youngstown region, saying that Allentown was more successful. Turned into a book. http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Club-Couldnt-Save-Youngstown/dp/0674031768 Written in early to mid 2000s, though, in response to steel and other industries leaving. Interesting read and actually got a dissertation award. I had problems with it because author interviewed the same old characters, was really talking about the MSA and not Allentown in particular, and he misses the hollowing out of cities in favor of the region as a whole. Been a while since I read it.
ReplyDeleteThe network analysis, nonetheless, identified which organizations and which people were at the center of power. Network analysis has its problems in how it is developed, but it s a useful technique to see the flow of information and influence.
Sunday's front page story discussed His Honor Judge Young reviewing nonprofit status of specific groups. It would be wonderful if he would examine the Trexler Trust and its allocation of thousands of dollars to each trustee for work many citizens would do for free. Actually, the LVHHN's board members do just that.
ReplyDeleteHonor their community service for free. Just ask the hospital president.
#WACKER-TREE-TOSS = #FAIL
ReplyDelete