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 sometimes highlight comments from throughout the week and re-publish them here. There will be no Opinions Online next Saturday because we exceeded the 100 comment per month limit, and i was too slow to reset the limit.
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heard there was court injunction held this week on Allentown's solid waste contract, No one has seen any reporting on this issue??
Blogger's Reply: It would help if you could name some of the parties.
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Why is it that the taxpayers of Bethlehem have to foot the bill (30 Million Dollar$) for a parking garage in South Bethlehem and the developer (Dennis Benner) doesn't have to lay out a penny?
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I saw that Bethlehem City Council will be reviewing the City of Bethlehem 2014 Audit next week. Hey Bethlehem, just a reminder it is 2016! This is only about 8 months late! I am sure it will be all peachy and clean. Why the delay though? And why is no one talking about it?
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Updated 4 pm Bethlehem audit: Bethlehem officials attribute the delay in the city audit being released to a Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority auditor who lost his license. Another auditor had to be found.
The 2014 audit was about 6 months late as a result
However, I do think not having the prior year’s audit before going into another year’s budget process (2016) can put everyone at a disadvantage because they have no idea what budgetary and/or financial management weaknesses might exist.
As best I can remember this is absolutely the latest any audit was ever finished and reviewed by Council. Normally their review takes place around September after the audit year, which would have been September 2015. That would make the 2014 audit about 6 months late.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Saturday, March 05, 2016
12 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.
Bethlehem audit timing likely has to do with the federal filing system failing in the fall. No one could load their government audits until this year.
ReplyDeleteBecause the Bethlehem Parking Authority is the owner of the garage
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that the taxpayers of Bethlehem have to foot the bill (30 Million Dollar$) for a parking garage in South Bethlehem and the developer (Dennis Benner) doesn't have to lay out a penny?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Benner will mail every taxpayer a free lifetime pass? He's got a good thing going for sure.
"Bethlehem audit timing likely has to do with the federal filing system failing in the fall. No one could load their government audits until this year."
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with it. City Council must accept the draft audit before it would be filed with the federal system. They are reviewing the 2014 draft audit on Wednesday. This is typically done in August.
Word on the street is that the delay has something to do with some shenanigans with the RDA.
I think the Naz police chief accepts dog shit samples at his house in Bushkill Township. Just leave them on the porch.
ReplyDeleteJp mascaro had court injunction against city of allentown for not properly bidding the new solid waste contract, that was heard last week in lehigh county court, ALSO this weekend the city was stopping the collection of electronics recycling. Word has it the contractor that was taking the recycled material backed out of the agreement NOW the city can't get anyone to accept the material without paying them to take it. The wonderful city without limits!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteJp mascaro had court injunction against city of allentown for not properly bidding the new solid waste contract, that was heard last week in lehigh county court,"
ReplyDeleteOh. I see. An unsuccessful bidder is suing and seeking an injunction, but does not have it. That is likely why you haven't read about it. That, and JP Mascaro is doing a poor job of keeping us unformed.
With the election results from yesterday, it looks highly likely NO Republican candidate will garner enough total delegates to SECURE that party's nomination BEFORE the Republican National Convention.
ReplyDeleteThe delegate process is so convoluted according how each Primary and Caucus works, I
now expect, a "brokered" convention WILL happen. Looking at remaining state contests, my estimate is, even the current leader (Trump) will come up about 150 votes short of the minimum number required to lock-up the win before the party meets in Cleveland.
Therefore, Republican Party bosses and Convention Rules, changed in 2012, to make it harder for a "maverick" candidate to beat an "establishment" candidate will decide who becomes the nominee. Convention Rules can even be re-written AT the convention, by the way.
As current behaviors demonstrate, their "structured" nominee will NOT be Donald Trump.
The next President will be a DEMOCRAT. The Republican Party CANNOT WIN the national election with anyone other than Donald Trump. Ted Cruz is far better than anyone on the Democratic side . . .. but Cruz won't work nationally.
Thoughts anyone?
Fred Windish
Ted Cruz is a bible thumping fanatic and would be worse than any candidate including Mr. Trump, to be President. The man is deranged. LK
ReplyDelete"With the election results from yesterday, it looks highly likely NO Republican candidate will garner enough total delegates to SECURE that party's nomination BEFORE the Republican National Convention."
ReplyDeleteI would not fret, Fred. By the way, Netflix has a series called House of Cards. You'd probably love it bc Democratic President Frank Underwood (played brilliantly by Kevin Spacey) is the perhaps the most evil political figure I've ever seen, followed quickly by his wife and Chief of Staff. It is actually very depressing bc it seems that everyone is in it for themselves. Well, in that series, there is an Open Convention, and it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. It is great television and it seems that ratings these days are more important than what is actually being said. A person can advocate war crimes or make all kinds of crude sexist remarks and the media loves it bc it generates ratings. An Open convention would probably backfire on the R establishment bc even that is democratic.
Hey, Bernie . . .
ReplyDeleteNever watched House of Cards, but it sounds like something I'd enjoy. I even have a 4K television so it would look wonderful.
Here's what I see. Our system of government has been corrupted. People IN office only care about STAYING there! Preserving their power and privilege. Keeping the bigger office, the Committee Chairmanships they got by doing whatever the party boss wants. Corporate donors, international banking, and the like, determine ALL of it.
This is no longer about WHO is in the White House. Career politicians are about avoiding potential changes to THEIR OWN circumstance. The idiot RNC and their incumbents will be more than happy to go along without having their guy/gal in the Oval Office.
We'll see!
Fred Windish
What we see on the Republican side this year is something like the French Revolution. The Country Club Republicans had appointed Jeb Bush to be the nominee. When he couldn't find 5 people to support him they switched to Marco Rubio.
ReplyDeleteNow Marco is acting like a twelve-year old being denied what he was told he could have by his parents, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. They have said to the Republican voters "here is your candidate", and the mobs around the palace of Versailles are carrying touches and pitchforks named "Trump" or "Cruz". Rubio again yells out "I am rhe child of Ronald Reagan" and all he hears are laughs because all Marco has ever done is play golf, travel, and always miss school when asked to be there for votes.
All the king's soldiers and all the kin's men are not going to put the old GOP back together again. Look up the election of 1852 to see the fate of the Country Club Republicans.