Panto spent extensive time at council Wednesday night - including a special presentation by Main Street and the pleadings of a dozen local merchants - discussing whether we should light the Peace Candle on Black Friday (his preference) or Saturday night.
He claims that he needs a reason "to go against 26,000 taxpayers" who want it on Black Friday. The idea that 26,000 people are supporting him is pure bullshit. I've lived here over fifty years and haven't heard a single person complain about the Saturday lighting last year. The fact is that Panto is doing what he always does: using anything controversial as a platform to espouse his opinions and putative expertise in front of a microphone; interjecting himself into a process he has no business in or probably any real knowledge of; and using his own, well-crafted techniques to bully council and the public around to his way of thinking until they give up and capitulate.
I have never been a fan of the Peace Candle for many reasons but that's irrelevant.
If we are going to have it here and it does generate a certain amount of tourist activity, foot traffic and retail expenditure (even if for just one night) then shouldn't we be maximizing its effect? If Saturday isn't causing some emotional meltdown of the total population AND it improves the prospects of a struggling downtown merchant class (as Manager Kim Kmetz can assuredly prove with her Main Street stats), then doesn't it make sense that we just accept it as a non-issue and move on?
This town has too many legitimate problems to name that are not being addressed while Panto pontificates over minutiae. Many of these problems are in the West Ward, but I won't get on a soapbox about them. What's the point with a tone-deaf government?
21 comments:
The problem comes that this is a tradition for many years. This tradition is surrounded by the Thanksgiving Day (P'burg vs. Easton) football game, high school reunions, and Black Friday. People from out of town travel in specifically for the game, Turkey day, high school reunions, and then leave Saturday morning. By just changing the day, you are undoing years of tradition that do not sit well with people of habit. It makes sense to have it on a day when everyone (businesses included) will benefit. But you can't change years of tradition at the drop of a hat. It's like moving the Easton/P'burg football game to a Sunday. In the whole picture of things, what is the big deal? There are more pressing problems. But try to get the city folk to accept it is another thing.
Lieb is a Debbie downer. Hasn't he seen the trolley?
Bernie, I'm curious why you have never been a fan of the Peace Candle? I've lived in Easton all my life and never even realized there was any controversy about the candle!
Love him or hate him, I don't know how Panto can go to the press without looking up the statues and contacting the business owners regarding their lighting. This Mayor is a press whore!
With significant buildings collapsing in the very heart of our downtown due to lack of oversight, one might reasonably find the Peace Candle an unnecessary distraction.
Just light it each day at 5:00. Win/win.
The articles I've read have mentioned the volunteers are overwhelmed by having two events, the Friday lighting and the Saturday promotion of small business shopping. Until more volunteers step up the solution is simple, have both events on Saturday.
What if the Peace Candle collapses?
Bingo. You can do it "officially" on Saturday. Problem over. No need to waste time discussing ad nauseum considering the other problems that face Easton.
I have no position at all and couldn't care less. The whole thing is silly, and I believe I made that point before posting Dennis Lieb's remarks. Easston has much more serious problems than its peace candle.
How many people really come to easton for the football game and then leave Saturday? My guess is most who do that leave After T-day dinner or perhaps by Friday...even before that day's traditional lighting. Let's face it, Black Friday isn't what it used to be. To the extent that it is a major shopping day it is so at the big retailers with the huge discounts, NOT the small shop owners along our Main St., USA.
This is a mean-spirited post. Sal personally lowered the center square flag after a mass shooting and posted it on Facebook in the middle of the night. Even McDonalds workers paying his commuter tax understand how great he is. He's the best. Three of the last four church festival queens agree.
Does Easton have Building Codes department?
Of course.
I just wanted to add that a small part of my post was edited out, which was that lighting it on Saturday eliminates for many people the tough decision to either do discount shopping at the suburban malls on Black Friday or attend the candle lighting downtown. I beleive that this relief from having to pick one or the other probably offsets any small number of people who may be attending a high school football game on Thanksgiving.
Also, as to the comment regarding Sal intervening in the "rope lighting" at businesses along Northampton Street. I'd say three things: Where's he been for three months since they've been lit since before Christmas? Why is he even talking about this when we have both a code department and a HDC to approve such things? Micromanagement of codes isn't the mayor's job under our home rule charter document, which might as well be burned for all the attention we pay to it.
Lastly, I agree that the lighting is appalling but so are the dozen or more shops (especially the cigarette stores) that have had their storefronts plastered with advertising posters, the backs of display racks and even plywood sheets for years. The Historic District Ordinance has specific regs for the requirement of open window area in storefronts and it hasn't been enforced once to my knowledge in all the years we've had the ordinance. I promoted a Local Historic District in Easton from 2000 until we finally passed one, but if the outcome doesn't achieve the intended effect why kid ourselves that we actually accomplished anything - and if we aren't going to actually enforce it lets just stop be hypocrites and get rid of it.
PS...some of the comments so far are pretty funny.
DRL
Where was Easton's Building Codes Dept.
when the gutted building in the heart of downtown was collapsing?
It is completely rude to post OT. It takes time to prepare these posts, and you are kicking both me and Lieb in the face when you ignore what we say bc you wish to discuss something else. Anonymously, no less! You could have posted to Opinions Online or you can start your own blog and see how it feels when anonymous cowards change the topic on you.
Baloney
Doesn't the County "own" centre square in Easton, and if so, why does the County allow Easton to cover up the Statues honoring our soldiers who have sacrificed so much for their Country? I was always told that the land the statue is on is where the first Court house stood. The County might have the final say on the so called "peace candle".
I recall a legal dispute over a small portion of the circle, but can't recall whether it is with the County or the state or federal government. I will look into that question
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