There's lots to like about Napoli. He is a first-generation Italian American whose parents immigrated from Sicily in the '60s. His mom was a seamstress and his dad a machine operator. He as the first on his family to graduate from college (Alvernia). In Allentown, he owns and operates Assembly88, a casual men's wear store. A separate store for women will open late this year. He's been part of the Downtown Allentown Business Alliance since 2013, and its chair since 2017. Napoli is married and his daughter attends Allentown public schools. As a small business owner, he understands the plight of mom-and-pop shops everywhere. He gets the importance of public safety.
Tino Babayan is representative of a community that has been overlooked for far too long. Allentown is home to the largest Syrian community in the United States. It has never had representation on City Council. Tino is a Syrian immigrant who has prospered in this country, and he has taken an active interest in city government for many years.
Luis Acevedo, a manager at RJ Walker Plumbing, calls himself a "very humble individual." That's obvious horseshit. He not only spends several paragraphs bragging about himself but even takes credit for doing things anonymously. But he also appears to be a very hard worker who takes pride in what he does, He has been involved in several service organizations for many years before expressing an interest in government. These are the kinds of peop;le who tend to make the best public servants, if given a chance.
Those are the only three candidates I could support. Gerlach demonstrated extremely poor judgment when she took an underaged runaway to a tent city. She had to enroll in a special program for first offenders after being charged with endangering the health of a minor. If she endangers the health of a minor, just consider what damage she has already done to Allentown. She participated in rallies in which "Fuck the Police!" was the mob's war cry. And she insanely voted NO to a federal grant because it would have helped the police.
She is the antithesis of good government.
It blows my mind that Rodney Bushe is running. He participated in those "Fuck the Police!" rallies with Gerlach and, get this, he works for convicted felon Hasshan Batts' Broken Promises Neighborhood scam. Bushe wants to be one of those community mentors, a pied piper paid to steer Allentown's youth exactly as he sees fit. If he's on City Council, he can make sure the money pipeline to Broken Promise Neighborhood will flow freely.
Candida Affa was Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" most strident defender on City Council. She has demonstrated poor judgment on numerous occasions, although her alliance with Fed Ed is the most telling example. She needs to move on.
Finally, there's Sarina Torres. Although she's aligned with every far left agenda that exists, she's offered very little information about who she herself is. Is she a Kutztown student or not? Does she own a bar or not? What's the deal?. If you want people to vote for you, tell us who you are.
As a City resident mostly interested in support of law enforcement, I'm voting for Candida Affa. Affa is supported by the FOP Queen City Lodge and is running on a record of quality of life issues. These are very important issues in Allentown, and while you raise some valid points, I'm supporting her as an incumbent with a pretty good record on quality of life issues and support of law enforcement. I will also vote for Babayan and Napoli in hopes that Gerlach will be rejected again by City Dems.
ReplyDeleteAcevido refuses to say if he supports the $1.5 Million COVID windfall going to felon dope dealer Convict Hasshan Batts. Simple question.
ReplyDeleteAllentown used to be a city of industry and common sense people; hard working people with families who contributed to society. Now, it's a city run by nutjobs and losers and aspiring criminals who whine and moan about anything and everything without offering any solutions. But, alas, those who whine and moan the most are the same who've created the cesspool they complain about.
ReplyDeleteThe people get what they vote for and deserve what they get.
If it weren't for the historic buildings and beautiful architecture of those old buildings and homes, I'd say razing large swaths of the city and starting over may be the only hope to save it.
Allentown used to be a city of industry and common sense people; hard working people with families who contributed to society.
ReplyDeleteVlad: Are you a resident of Allentown? I would argue that the "cesspool" as you call Allentown was created more by your "common sense/hard working families who contributed to society" that chose to abandon Allentown for the suburbs the minute people of a different race/ethnicity exercised their freedom to move here. Maybe people with your views should live in the suburbs, among your own kind? For me, if we are proposing razing places, it ought to start with the suburban malls, shopping centers and tract housing developments.
Anonymously attacking Vlad bc you perceive him to be a racist does not answer the question who you like for A-town City Council. Vlad falls short there, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for your precise criticism, the white flight began in Allentown long before there was an influx of Hispanic and actually had nothing to do with race, at least not at first. This is chronicled in "Jack's Five Years." The white flight began when Allentown began razing neighborhoods, started to promote deconversions, added traffic meters and one-way streets, industry started leaving, and Sunday blue laws were followed in A-town but ignored in the 'burbs. It had little to nothing to do with race at first bc there was little diversity when the exodus began.
"Acevido refuses to say if he supports the $1.5 Million COVID windfall going to felon dope dealer Convict Hasshan Batts. Simple question."
ReplyDeleteIf he does I'd never support him.
" Affa is supported by the FOP Queen City Lodge and is running on a record of quality of life issues. These are very important issues in Allentown, and while you raise some valid points, "
ReplyDeleteValid points.
Ms. Torres was recently interviewed on WDIY. She sounded like an earnest energetic person. She said was is a Kutztown U. and owns a small business in the West End. However, I don't think City Council of a city of 130,000 people is an entry level job. You should have many years of practical experience and community involvement before you are ready to be a decision-maker for the city. In the meantime, I hope she becomes a member of some city committees or commissions and learns her way around.
ReplyDeleteSanto Napoli is highly qualified to remain on City Council and he has the right personality to be a consensus builder.
Mr. Bushe is currently portraying himself as a moderate realtor, but if you look at some of his past instragram posts, you can see that he has some rather radical "Defund the Police" points of view.
ReplyDeleteWasn't Ce-Ce Gerlach charged with endangering a minor?
ReplyDeleteBernie, I agree with you that Tino Babayan is an attractive candidate. And, although it's true that no Syrian has been on council, they certainly had political influence in Allentown. George Joseph, long time DA, organized the Ward (Syrians)into a political block. For many years, many city employees, especially in the street and the park departments, came from that community.
ReplyDeleteAllentown is going the way that all democratic cities go. And that is bad news.
ReplyDeleteWell, now, I lived in Moore Township Northampton County since 1995. I moved to east Allentown in February, after the death of my dear husband last November, and am trying to get educated about Lehigh County/Allentown politics in time to vote intelligently in the primary. What an interesting resource, Bern! You do a good job of presenting the candidates and issues. Dunno that I will agree with you, but it's good stuff. Thanks to you and your subscribers.
ReplyDeleteBeth Krempa
Beth, I am sorry your husband passed away. I did not know. I met him once or twice and really liked him.
ReplyDelete