Josh Siegel Would Be a Disaster in Pa.-22 State House Race

Democrat Joshua Siegel is running against Republican Bob Smith in the State House race for Pa.-22. It is divided between some Allentown and Salisbury Tp wards. This is a no-brainer. Smith is eminently qualified and cares about people while Siegel cares only about himself. 

Smith spent years battling the degradation of the once proud Allentown school system as a school board member. That's a thankless, unpaid job. No matter what you do as a school director, you make enemies. What really sets him apart for me is what he did as a counselor at Mount Trexler Manor. In 2010, he was pulled from the roof by a suicide jumper. He went down with her, breaking her fall as she landed on yop of him. She escaped with minor injuries. Bob was far less lucky. He had several serious injuries and we're lucky he's still with us.

Smith's bravery is on a par with first responders like firefighters and police officers.  He demonstrated pretty clearly that he cares about people. According to his Facebook page, he's running to ensure safe communities, quality education, an affordable cost of living, property tax reform and lower energy costs. 

In contrast, New Jersey transplant Siegel is running as a matter of political expedience.  He could never be re-elected to Allentown City Council after alienating his fellow Council members, first responders and the public he supposedly serves. 

Instead of promoting a safer Allentown community, he voted No to grants for the Allentown police department. He voted No to filling the depleted ranks of police officers. He participated in marches with felons like Hashann Batts, where "F--- the Police1" was the battlecry. He doxed then Mayor Ray O'Connell by handing out the Mayor's phone number to angry protestors. O'Connell thereafter received threats and calls for days. 

Wait, there's more. He and fellow opportunist Mark Pinsley promoted foisting two new taxes on the already impoverished citizens of Allentown. First, he wanted to enact a 1% increase in Lehigh County's sales tax. Any economist could tell you that a sales tax is a regressive tax that is disproportionately felt by those with limited means. 

In addition to this sales tax hike, he and Pinsley wanted to enact a county-wide income tax to create districts that promote the arts. Yes, people who are already struggling in Allentown to put food on the table would have to work harder to help fund the artsy-fartsys.  

This is no race between a Democrat and a Republican. This is a choice between good and evil. As Plutarch notes in his Parallel Lives on Cicero, "No beast is more savage than man possessed with power answerable to his rage." If Siegel had any kind of power, you can rest assured it will be abused. 

This is a heavily Democratic district in Allentown's urban core. But the Hispanic population there might be willing to vote R. For Allentown's sake, I hope so.