Following the Money: Bethlehem Mayoral Race

Grace Crampsie Smith, a member of Bethlehem City Council, announced last week that she is running for Mayor. I expected a similar announcement from incumbent Willie Reynolds, but he and many other local government officials were dealing with the confusion caused by an OMB freeze on federal spending, which was later rescinded. Though he's made no announcement, I expect him to run. I'm unsure whether any Republicans are up for it, but I expect to see a Democratic primary. Campaign finance reports for last year are in, and they can certainly shed some light on who is backing them and why. 

Reynolds report (you can read it here) reveals that he pulled in $94,400 in campaign contributions last year, although $40,000 of that is a loan to himself. He starts the election year with a $96.951.30 treasury.

Contributions of $1,000 or more came from the following sources: KTMC PAC - $5000 (I believe this is a law firm that specializes in class action lawsuits; Matthew Bieber - $5,000 (software consultant); Richard Master -$5,000 (a business owner who has produced two documentaries about healthcare; Randy Galliotto (owner of Alloy5 architectural firm); Jack and Marian Spirk - $3,000 (Spirk is City Solicitor); Murat Guzal - $2,500 (Turkish businessman who is both a philanthropist and Democratic donor); Bob Donchez - $2,500 (Reynolds' predecessor as Mayor); Jim Broughal - $2,000 (Bethlehem lawyer specializing in municipal law); Plamenta Ayazou - $2,000 (Monocacy Builders); Diana Morganelli - $2,000 (Judge Morganelli's wife); King Spry - $1,500 (Bethlehem law firm); Borko Milosev - $1,000 (property manager); Kevin Kinross - $1,000 (Democratic strategist and business leader from Pittsburgh); Charles Marcon - $1,000  (construction); IBEW - $1,000; and Placido Corpora - $1,000 (Bethlehem businessman). 

Crampsie Smith's report (you can read it here) tells us she has $30,415.29 available and that she raised $23,630 in 2024. Most of this - $16,000 - comes from trade unions IUPAT, IUOE, IBEW: Plumbers; and Laborers Local 1174. She also received $1,000 from Donald Kaas (commercial lawyer).  

Please feel free to review the links to these reports and make any observations you think relevant about these contributors or their interest. This is what I call participatory journalism. 

Grace Crampsie Smith to Primary Mayor Willie Reynolds in Bethlehem

Although she neglected to send me her announcement, Grace Crampsie Smith has announced today that she is running for the Bethlehem Mayoral seat currently held by Willie Reynolds. As I mentioned earlier this week, she is a Bloomsburg and Lehigh U graduate who was first elected to City Council in 2019. She was a school counselor but may have retired. 

Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds to Launch Re-Election Campaign This Week, Faces Possible Primary Challenge

Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds will be announcing his plan to seek re-election this week. He had planned on announcing sooner but spent the past week determining the financial ramifications of an initial deluge of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump after his inauguration. 

Reynolds is a life-long resident of Bethlehem, a magna cum laude graduate of Moravian (where he played hoops and taught in Allentown before he was elected Mayor in 2021. Prior to that, he served as a member of City Council since 2007. He was the youngest person ever elected to city council.

During his tenure as Mayor, the City's long-term debt has continued to drop from a high of $171 million in 2015 to $88.5 million today. 

Reynolds faces a possible primary challenge from Grace Cramsie Smith, a Bloomsburg and Lehigh U graduate who was first elected to City Council in 2019. She was a school counselor but may have retired. 

I'll have more once candidates file nomination petitions. I am told there will be numerous Council candidates, and from both parties.    

Reynolds Explains Why Bethlehem Is In Debt and How It Has Been Reduced

I've been critical of Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds over the years. When he ran against Bob Donchez for Mayor, I supported Bob. When he ran against the late John Kachmar, I supported John. I am the person who pointed out his former heavy reliance on contributions from developers, a practice he subsequently stopped.  I blasted his policy on access as nontransparent. And I was highly critical of his 2024 budget, which included a tax hike. But fair is fair, and I commend his 2025 budget. It continues the trend of reducing city debt, which was started by former Mayor John Callahan and continued by Donchez. 

Over the past 10 years, Bethlehem's long-term debt has gone from $171 million in 2015 to $88.5 million today. Mayor Reynolds plans to knock it down even more, to $56 million by 2028.

Dana Grubb, who opposed Willie in the primary and then supported Kachmar, was a little less enthusiastic in a comment. "Why did the debt exist/what was it incurred for? How many city positions have remained open and what is the impact on city services? Borrowing for capital improvements and paying debt off over the anticipated lifespan of those improvements makes sense, and given the deplorable condition of parks like Saucon and Monocacy at Illick's Mill, many city streets, the Payrow Plaza paver surface, etc. not making needed improvements is just kicking the can down the road. And yes, how much of the federal money has been used to pay the debt down instead of maintaining city facilities and streets?

The person in the best position to answer these questions is Reynolds himself, so I asked him. Here's his response:

City debt grew after the closing of Bethlehem Steel in the 80s and 90s. Less revenue coming in meant it was tougher to pay salaries, pensions, medical, etc. The City back in those days also had less money to pay for capital needs like street repavings. Debt grew as the city necessarily had to finance needs both on the pension obligation side and on the capital side.

When I got on Council in 2008, we routinely borrowed every few years to work on the city's capital needs. But the good news is that by this time we were already paying more down in debt than we were taking on. For example, our annual debt payments may have been $8 million but we were borrowing $5 million (every other year) during those 2000s years. Paying down more than we were borrowing was good, but we obviously wanted a future that was even better, and we have accomplished that. The last time the City borrowed for our capital needs was 2019. The every-other-year borrowings would pay for new fire trucks, new public works equipment, paving funds, etc. They would generally be approximately $5 million dollars. But when we borrowed the $5 million the city obviously had to pay it back with interest, so the long term cost to the taxpayer is $6-$7 million depending on interest rates. We were able to avoid this equation from 2019 to today with the ARPA dollars.

Out of $34 million we received in ARPA, we used $6 million for street overlays (2022-2025) and $12 million for other capital needs (2022-2025). By spending that $18 million on capital needs WITHOUT borrowing (as most cities do), we were able to avoid any NEW debt and interest payments for at least six years (2020-2025 but we probably won't borrow till 2028) while also making significant progress in our capital needs. Our progress on street overlays can be seen here. In 2024 and 2025, we will have 50 lane miles of roads, which is up from 29 lane miles in 2020 and 2021. I also attached two slides laying out how we used the ARPA dollars to increase our street repavings. I also attached a full picture from 2022-2025 of our capital needs projects/purchases that we completed (two firetrucks, two ambulances, etc.). Those are the same documents in our official budgets. I also included a slide that shows the approximately $25 million the taxpayers in Bethlehem are saving by not having to borrow thanks to ARPA. We essentially took $18 million and turned it into $25 million (by avoiding new debt). We didn't take the ARPA dollars and "pay off" any debt. We used the money to pay for capital needs and paving roads RATHER than borrowing new money to pay for these expenses and add to our debt (which is what we did up until 2019). So we have kept making debt payments while not adding any new debt. This is reflective in our bond rating of AA- which is the best of any of the top ten population cities in the state.

We are excited about all of this and what it means for our parks and trails in particular. We have completed several truly fantastic recreational projects over the last several years. The Greenway, our new Memorial Pool, new Fairview Park in West Bethlehem, $200k in improvements in Saucon Park, Monocacy Way Trail Phase I connecting Illick's Mill to Union Blvd (Phase II coming in 2025 that will connect to Sand Island and the D and L Trail), and a brand new Friendship Park in 2025 just to name a few. These projects, however, have primarily relied on grant funding rather than substantial city general fund dollars. Now, with our rapidly decreasing debt, the City should be able to make even more progress on even more of our parks. We are launching a Parks Master Plan in 2025 that will look to improve the programming and facilities systemically. Many of our 25 neighborhood parks were built in the 40s and 50s, and the Mayors and Councils for the last 70 years were not in a financial position to make year-over-year line item general fund improvements in the park system because of revenue pressures associated with the decline of the Steel. Now, that we have taken our debt from $170 million in 2015 to $88 million in 2025 and $55 million by 2028, we will see substantially lower debt payments (which can be seen in attached slide on our debt schedule) and the capacity for future Mayors and Councils to fund our park system systematically in a way that will not solely rely on grant funding (even though we are still having great success in securing those grants).

Reynolds subsequently added that "[w]e have a few vacancies in our Streets Bureau (strong job market will do that) but they are not intentional if that was the implication in [Dana's comment]. We are not leaving jobs open to take those savings to pay off debt. We hite those candidates as soon as they apply and pass backgrounds, etc. That vacancy factor just gets returned to the cash balance at the end of the year. And we don't use our cash balance (savings account equivalent) as a source of sustainable revenue for things like debt service."

I have no doubt that this response will lead to more questions, but it's clear to me that Bethlehem is on the right track with what essentially amounts to a fiscally conservative approach to finance. 

Over Past 10 Years, Bethlehem Has Cut Debt Nearly in Half

Many years ago, I sat in the conference room of then Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan's office. With the sun basking behind him, he told me that he was working hard to reduce the City's long-term debt. He was spending money that could be used for many other things in what essentially is a fiscally conservative move. I thought this was a pipe dream. Even if Callahan focused on reducing long-term debt, which no one really notices, his successors would quickly borrow to avoid tax hikes. But they didn't. Bob Donchez and Willie Reynolds, who followed Callahan, have continued this commitment to debt reduction. 

Over the past 10 years, Bethlehem's long-term debt has gone from $171 million in 2015 to $88.5 million today. Mayor Reynolds plans to knock it down even more, to $56 million by 2028.

Let me remind you that Reynolds, Donchez and Callahan are all Democrats. But this kind of fiscal conservatism is worthy of Elon Musk, Vibek Ramaswamy and anyone who considers himself a Republican. 

You can say what you will about Willie's budget or his policies as Mayor, but his commitment to reducing debt is a very positive and fiscally prudent move that benefits the city residents over time. 

I'll have more about Bethlehem's budget in the coming days.

Bethlehem Police Officers "Very Angry" About Loss of Trust

The arrest of a former Bethlehem police officer for sexually assaulting a 14v year-old student was addressed at Tuesday night's City Council meeting by Mayor Willie Reynolds, Police Chief Michell Kott and Council members. "Any behavior that undermines public trust or violates the law will be swiftly and decisively addressed," said Chief Kott in brief remarks. She added that the actions of one individual "do not reflect the values or the professionalism of our department."

Mayor Willie Reynolds told City Council that he has visited the police department during roll calls and has spoken to several officers. "As you can imagine, there is a very, very, very, very high degree of anger within our police department." He noted that Bethlehem officers pride themselves on a positive relationship with the community, which has obviously been damaged.  He said he would be reviewing internal procedures for improvements and thanked DA Steve Baratta for his assistance, vowing to work with him on any changes that need to be made.  

Council member Colleen Laird asked whether a replacement school resource officer has been selected. Chief Kott said someone will be trained over the summer. She also asked whether support has been offered to the school community. Chief Kott said the school district is offering every and any support it can. Mayor Reynolds added that counselors are available. 

NorCo DA: East Hills Middle School SRO Being Charged With Sexual Offenses

Northampton County DA Steve Baratta will be conducted a news conference tomorrow "at 2pm in the rotunda at Bethlehem City Hall. Costas Alestas, a school resource officer at East Hills Middle School, [is] being charged with Statutory Sexual Assault, Institutional Sexual Assault, Aggravated Indecent Assault, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, Criminal Use of a Communications Facility, and Invasion of Privacy."

From what I've been told, a teacher has been either suspended or placed on leave as well. It's unclear whether those matters are related.

Officer Alestas had been a Big Brother. The Bethlehem Police Department, on its Facebook page stated in 2017 that he was "mentoring" students at Broughal Middle School. "The officers meet with their little brothers/sisters once a week and play sports, help with schoolwork, read or just chat about things going on in their lives." 

I realize Alestas is presumed innocent, but this is a bad look for Bethlehem's Police Department, especially during law enforcement week. 

Bethlehem City Council Tables Proposed Restrictions on Public Comment

Nazareth is one of very few LV municipalities who muzzle people when it does not like what they're saying. I've experienced it myself. At one meeting, one borough Council member suggested that I have no right to speak because I own no real estate. He would prefer to hear only from the landed gentry. That Council has also barred Plainfield Tp residents from voicing their displeasure over the spreading of Nazareth sludge at one of their farms. Nazareth's practice is completely contrary to most area municipalities, which allow residents and nonresidents alike to weigh in on matters of public concern. Under Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act, "residents" or "taxpayers" of municipalities have a statutory right to "comment on matters of concern ... ." I've argue that any nonresident who buys a cup of coffee in an outlying municipality is a taxpayer. Since the Sunshine Act fails to explain exactly what constitutes a taxpayer, the term has to be interpreted broadly. 

Historically, Bethlehem has been very inclusive about allowing nonresidents to address city council during meetings. But much as it likes to present itself as a beacon of light, it might be getting a lot more like Nazareth. That's because Council member Grace Crampsie Smith is proposing changes to the public comment policy that shut out the vox populi.  

What prompted this move on her part were a few recent meetings in which mostly college students wanted Bethlehem to join other cities in calling for a cease fire. After being promised that they would see a resolution at the next meeting, City Council reneged. In my view, it's a promise that never should have been made. The pro-Palestinian crowd should have been told that what they were seeking was beyond the purview of a city government. So when City Council went back on its promise, people were outraged and there was, as Crampsie Smith put it, a "mini riot." Council had to adjourn at midnight without even having scratched the surface of city business.  

As a result, she proposed this change to the City Council's public comment policy at last night's meeting. 

"Public Comment is extended to the citizens and taxpayers of the City of Bethlehem for comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation which are or may be before the board or council prior to taking official action. In no event shall one individual address Council during Public Comment for a period in excess of five (5) minutes."

What constitutes a citizen? Beats me. Who is a taxpayer? Is it someone who pays EIT? Property taxes? Sales tax on a cup of coffee?  The terms are undefined. 

Stephanie Steward, City Council Solicitor, explained that the terms are purposely kept broad because she envisioned an unenforceable "honor system" under which speakers themselves could decide whether they are citizens or taxpayers.  "You want to tread lightly," she explained. 

That made no difference to Crampsie Smith. "We will try to enforce it," she said, completely contradicting advice just given by City Council's solicitor. She was outraged by the antics at the March 5 meeting, in which the real problem might have been Council President Michael Colon's absolute failure to keep control of the meeting and allow numerous personal attacks. She noted that she had to move to adjourn. ... At midnight. 

Crampsie Smith had a strange ally in Council member Bryan Callahan. He ran on a complaint that City Council does too much behind closed doors but was more than willing to shut down public comment. He said nonresidents should email the city clerk or go to their own townships. 

From the floor, Ruby Khaluf (sp?) stated the amendment may be unconstitutionally vague and overbroad because it fails to define what constitutes a citizen, resident or taxpayer. 

Other Council members opposed Crampsie-Smith's proposed limitation on public comment. 

Council member Kiera Wilhelm called the proposed limitation "reactionary.". She pointed to numerous prior ,meetings in which nonresidents have weighed in topics like the Bethlehem landfill and the spreading of Bethlehem sludge in Carbon County. She stated she learns from these nonresidents. "It is going to be our loss if we negate that option." She condemned Crampsie-Smith's proposal as one that "cuts off our nose to spite our face." 

Council member Hillary Kwiatek echoed Wilhelm. "I continue to want to hear from people both inside and outside of the City," she said. 

For the first time, Council member Rachel Leone actually said something. She observed that the City considers regional issues and regional voices should be heard. She would support a three-minute time limit or moving public comment on nonagenda items to the end of a meeting but was unwilling to go along with one that limits comments to citizens without even explaining who they are.  She agreed meetings can be long, but "Democracy is messy." 

Council member Colleen Laird agreed that there have been several "extremely long meetings," but "I signed up to represent the community and that did not have a time limit on meetings." She noted that the city library and water and sewer authority serve nonresidents who should be able to address Council. She viewed college campuses, which supplied most of the Pro-Palestinian speakers, as a plus for the city.  She added that Bethlehem just joined the "three city coalition" and asked if Bethlehem should ban a Mayor from another City. "I want people to be able to voice their thoughts on our city." She does support reducing allotted time to three minutes for items not on agenda and moving them to the end of the meeting. 

After discussion, Bryan Callahan proposed tabling the resolution and his motion passed 4-3. He was supported by Leone, Michael Colon, and Laird. He was opposed by Crampsie-Smith, Kwiatek and Wilhelm. 

UPDATED: LV Jewish Federation President Addresses Ceasefire Resolution in Bethlehem

As I write this story, people were still addressing Bethlehem City Council last night concerning the Israeli conflict in Gaza. It was standing room only, with at least 200 people filling the chamber and spilling out into the hallways. Just two weeks before, City Council rejected a one-sentence ceasefire resolution. They had promised to adopt a resolution of some sort at last night's meeting. But when the agenda for last night's meeting was published, no resolution of any sort was listed. This left many pro-Palestinian proponents feeling betrayed. Council President Michael Colon explained this failure by telling the audience that, instead of adopting a resolution, City Council opted to send a letter to federal officials expressing a desire for peace. 

Colon told several audience members that Council would violate the Sunshine Act by adopting a ceasefire resolution that it failed to include in its published agenda. That's certainly true. But guess what?  Council already violated the Sunshine Act when it decided, behind closed doors, to send a letter to federal elected officials. That should have been voted on in public and after deliberation, just as Easton City Council did when it recently adopted a resolution calling for peace. Bethlehem City Council did more than violate the Sunshine Act. It demonstrated that it is pretty much gutless and unwilling to discuss its decisions publicly. I expect this kind of cowardice from Colon, but am disappointed to see it in other members of City Council. 

Most of the people I heard speak wanted a cease-fire resolution, but the person who impressed me most was Robert Wax, President of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Federation. He represents 8,000 Jews in the Lehigh Valley. What he said was instructive, and I thought I'd share his remarks.

"The brutal atrocities on October 7 awakened many to the depravity of Hamas, the ruthless terrorist organization controlling Gaza with the stated goal of destroying Israel and murdering all Jews who live there. Over 1200 Israelis were savagely murdered. babies, yes, were burned and decapitated. Women, yes, were raped and subjected to sexual torture. And 240 Israelis, Americans and others were taken hostage. This was the most brutal attack on Jews since the Holocaust. And 140 hostages remain in captivity tonight. It's worth noting that this Council did not pass a resolution or take a position condemning those actions. 

"While the issues are complex, the following facts, yes, facts, are intended to provide you with a deeper understanding of the conflict. 

"First, what does Hamas want from Israel? Hamas wants to take the land "from the river to the sea." For those unfamiliar with this phrase, it means Hamas seeks all the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, In other words, all of Israel. This is not a compromise position. Unfortunately, over the past few months, protesters have continually repeated this threat from Hamas across the United States and even in Bethlehem and on our local college campuses. Some knowingly, and others unknowingly, calling for an entire country and its people to be wiped off the face of the earth.

"Has Israel offered land in exchange for peace? Yes, many times. The Palestinian Authority, formerly known as the PLO international terrorist organization and neighboring Arab countries, rejected nine peace plans between 1947 and 2019. Each of these peace plans would have created a state for the Palestinian people. 

"Does Israel occupy Gaza? No, Israel does not occupy Gaza. In 2005, Israel unilaterally evacuated the Gaza strip. Regrettably, the Palestinians elected Hamas into power, and Hamas began diverting humanitarian aid to support its military operations and began its reign of terror, including the October 7 massacre. 

"So what is the role of the United Nations and the United States?  The UN, through its refugee agency, has allowed humanitarian aid to be diverted to Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and employees of the UN participated in the attacks on Israeli citizens on October 7. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas pay families of terrorists who murder innocent Israelis a success bonus and a monthly stipend in perpetuity. In 2018, Congress passed the Taylor Force Act, which reduces economic aid to the Palestinian Authority until it ends this policy, which continues today. 

"Who else funds Hamas? Iran. Iran has sent hundreds of millions of dollars to Hamas and provides military training to the terrorists. How would residents of Bethlehem feel if a terrorist organization funded by Iran launched thousands of missiles at our families from UN sponsored schools and hospitals just a few miles away? Would we be calling for a cease fire or would we be asking our government to protect us from the terrorists targeting our homes? 

"And how does the Israeli Defense Force respond? The IDF is more cautious about mitigating civilian casualties than any other military in modern times. The IDF uses efforts, where possible, to warn civilians before bombing in populated areas. Hamas, unfortunately, hides weapons and terrorist command centers in schools and hospitals, using human civilian shields to protect its terrorist activities. It takes civilians as hostages. It launches thousands of rockets on civilian populations in Israel.

"Is Israel engaged in ethnic cleansing or committing genocide against the Palestinians? Absolutely not. Between 1948 and 2023, the combined Jewish population in Arab countries surrounding Israel dropped from 985,000 Jews to 12,000 Jews, representing a decrease of 99% and leaving Israel - a country the size of New Jersey - as the sole safe haven for Jews in the entire Middle East. During the same period, the number of Arabs in Israel increased from 156,000 to 2.1 million, and the number of Arabs living in Gaza increased from 80,000 to 2 million. So claims of ethnic cleansing or genocide are patently untrue. 

"Have other municipalities passed ceasefire resolutions? 99.7% of municipalities in America have not done so, and neither should Bethlehem City Council. 

"With all due respect, while everyone wants peace in the Middle East, these issues are clearly beyond the scope and jurisdiction of this body. Council has a lengthy agenda tonight, and it should remain focused on those items. If members of the crowd are unhappy with our federal government's position on the conflict in Gaza, they should contact our federal legislators and stop creating distractions at municipal meetings so that you can complete the work you were elected to perform." 

10:15 AM UPDATE: After five hours, the meeting ended in chaos. The City Council Solicitor began to discuss policy instead of the law. People continued speaking and then began chanting, "Cease Fire Now! Cease Fire Now!" Colon, who has spent most of his political career looking for a spine, failed to find one last night. The police chief approached the dais and said the meeting had to end. Eventually, the meeting adjourned without conducting any City business as audience members shouted "Stay!"

Gaza Supporters to March on Bethlehem City Hall For Cease-Fire

According to Substack site Lehigh Valley Left View, Gaza supporters plan to march on Bethlehem City Hall tonight to demand their City Council adopt a cease fire resolution of the Israeli-Gaza conflict.  

"At Bethlehem city council’s last meeting (on 2/20), dozens of speakers pleaded with the city council to pass a ceasefire resolution. Councilperson Bryan Callahan pushed for an immediate vote on a simple, one-sentence resolution, but council decided to take two weeks to articulate a longer, formal document, promising such a resolution would manifest on the agenda for this week’s March 5th meeting. With the deadline for altering that agenda having passed at the end of last week, we now know the city council has broken their promise. This makes the event Tuesday all the more important."

In another story, this group contends that democracy is nonexistent in the Lehigh Valley because the democratically elected representatives of the people in Allentown and Easton refused (1) a proposal to send social workers instead of police in response to 9-1-1 calls; and (2) a ceasefire resolution in Gaza. 

"As bitter a pill as it may be, the reality is that we do not engage in politics on a terrain where the majority wins, where social benefit is the goal, or even a terrain where debate is encouraged. Instead, the wealthy (more precisely, the capitalists) consolidate power, organize society for their narrow benefit, and discourage discussion."

If they want to see democracy denied, they should try living in any Middle Eastern country outside of Israel. 

Will Bethlehem City Council Take Stance on Israeli-Gaza Conflict?

When Bethlehem City Council last met, they were besieged by a rowdy audience demanding that they adopt a cease-fire resolution concerning the Israeli-Gaza conflict. They just happened to have a draft, too. Council member Bryan Callahan wanted to adopt it on the spot. But as Council member Colleen Laird pointed out, they needed time to consider the matter. Just as members of the audience had time to draft their resolution, City Council should be extended that same courtesy. So no resolution was adopted. As of late last night, no such resolution appears on the agenda for Tuesday night's meeting. 

Last week, Easton City Council rejected a cease-fire resolution sponsored by Council member Taiba Sultana in a 6-1 vote. But the adopted a general resolution calling for peace, with only Sultana in opposition. 

Members of the Bethlehem and Easton audiences were festooned in the kaffiyehs in some attempt to show solidarity with Palestinians. Ironically, that garment was worn by Bedouins in rural areas to protect themselves from the sun. More urban Palestinians traditionally wore a fez, but I guess that's less fashionable. 

My brother Mike lives in Bethlehem. I'm rather secular, but he's heavily involved in his church. He has written to City Council and has suggested that a day of prayer and reflection might be the best approach. I doubt a City Council can urge a day of prayer and reflection, but it can urge a day of reflection. 

Hello, 

After listening to the statements last evening concerning a ceasefire resolution, here are my comments and observations. 

• Council is to be commended for their tolerant and respectful behavior, even when many unfair comments were made about elected officials' presumed motives and opinions. 
• Many of the comments were overtly antisemitic/racist: One speaker's statement, "From the river to the sea." is clearly a racist statement expressing the desire to remove by any means necessary the Jewish people from their county.
• There are two sides to the story. Little was said about the brutal and horrific attacks that were made on October 7th against innocent women, children and elderly Jewish citizens. There were also American citizens who were killed and taken as hostages. Statements that were made about the October 7th attacks were made in the context that they were falsely reported or did not happen.   
• If Hamas would lay down their weapons and surrender, there would be an immediate ceasefire. 
• The Hamas charter includes language that call for the elimination of the Jewish nation. 
• Many of the speakers disqualified themselves with their hateful and arrogant rhetoric. Some should have been removed from the room for outbursts outside of decorum. 
• Statements of fact were made that were anecdotal and not supported by data.  

City Council needs to be cautious in resolutions calling for a ceasefire:

• Language should be carefully chosen to avoid any misinterpretation that could be considered racist or antisemitic. 
• Mayor Reynolds' suggestion was noteworthy: calling for peace rather than a ceasefire. "Ceasefire" is becoming a politically charged word. 
• There are many Bethlehem Jewish and Christian citizens who have good reasons to be supportive of Israel. Their views should be valued and respected. 
• The resolution should include a call for mutual respect and tolerance among all religions and groups within our city. 
• Council can lead by calling for a city-wide day of reflection/prayer/mediation and hosting respectful conversations with diverse groups to foster greater understanding and respect.  

Wishing you all well as you craft the resolution.  

Easton Mayor Sal Pamto Explains Millage Rate

On Tuesday night, with little discussion, Bethlehem City Council voted 6-1 to approve both a 2.6%  property tax hike as well as an 8% sewer tax hike for next year. The sole dissenting Council member was Grace Crampsie Smith. It did so despite having received $34.4 million in ARPA funding, which can be used to replace revenue. In Allentown, their City Council enacted a budget that takes $760,000 out of the rainy day fund without touching $1 million in unspent ARPA funding, Given the amount of federal funding provided to municipalities over the past two years, both Bethlehem's tax hike and Allentown's decision to deplete its emergency fund balance are fiscally irresponsible decisions. If the Lehigh Valley's three cities, only Easton acted responsibly. For the 16th year in a row, it avoided a tax hike by raising parking meter fees and passing along part of the cost of an increase in trash collection. 

Some of you remarked that Easton is near its maximum tax rate of 25 mills for third class cities and thus has been forced to be more creative. This is incorrect. Mayor Sal Panto posted a comment on this blog explaining that the 25 mill max applies only to the city's general fund. He added that is only taxed at a rate of 12 mills. Here's what he said. 

Hi Bernie, Sal Panto here. I would like to clarify the issue about the millage ceiling. The ceiling for a city of the Third Class like Easton is 25 mils for the General Fund. This does not include a number of budgets that aren't part of the General Fund. The actual millage rate for the General Fund is about 12 mils and all budgets combined including recreation, debt service, etc. equals 24.95 mills. Let's also remember that I have never shied away form the fact that we are increasing fees, like parking fees. The intent is to place any increases on our visitors and tourists, and not the city property owners, many of who are elderly and on a fixed income. The fact is that we could raised the millage rate a lot higher if we needed to but my intent is to keep it level and hopefully lower the rate.

Whatever you may think of Mayor Panto, he has been an incredibly good steward of the people's money. And incidentally, he is a Democrat.

What's Your Take on the $10 Million Grant For Bike Lanes in West Bethlehem?

This year is the first I've ever cycled in temperatures below 50 degrees. So on Tuesday morning, I rode from Nazareth to my favorite bike shop in Bethlehem, Action Wheels, which just happens to be next to my favorite restaurant, the Pho Bowl. That way I could grab a healthy lunch and continue my trek. At the bike shop, they were very excited about The Morning Call report that Bethlehem is getting a $10 million grant for protected bike lanes, enhanced crosswalks and LANTA infrastructure along 1.5 miles of West Broad Street. Action Wheels is located on West Broad, serves a lot of bike commuters and should benefit immensely

This is an even bigger coup for Bethlehem. I've never hesitated to criticize Mayor Willie Reynolds, but he and his staff should be commended for snagging this grant money while Easton argues about the Israeli invasion of Gaza and Allentown keeps trying to defund the police.  

According to studies summarized in People for Bikes, which is obviously a tad biased, protected bike lanes substantially reduce both cycling and pedestrian injuries. They are reported to increase retail sales, nearby property values and even make motorists feel more comfortable. Moreover, people who might be reluctant to cycle on roads embrace protected bike lanes.  

As nice as this sounds, there are also studies concluding that these bike lanes are actually unsafe, increasing the likelihood of a crash by between 117 and 400 per cent.  The problem is that drivers do not look for or see cyclists in the dedicated lane and will turn right into them if turning at an intersection or into the parking lot of a business. Cyclists in turn are lulled into a false sense of security and are less likely to be vigilant. 

I do a lot of cycling and walking. I've ridden on a few of these dedicated bike lanes in Philly and dislike my own experience. For one thing, motorists tend to ignore bike lanes and will both drive and park in them. I feel safest when I'm on the road, hugging as much of the right side of the road as I can (without smacking into someone opening a car door). I try to be highly visible and can usually stop or swerve if a car suddenly pulls in front of me, That's one advantage of being slow. To be honest, I make more mistakes than drivers, and they are mostly very courteous. So I'm unsure whether a dedicated bike lane is really needed, but am interested in what you think. My own experience is very limited. 

While dubious about enhanced bike lanes, I'm all for enhanced crosswalks and wider sidewalks. I actually walk more than I cycle (in terms of time), and can attest that drivers simply do not see pedestrians. My only issue with wider sidewalks is that they should be permeable pavements with more trees to reduce city temperatures on hot summer days.  

I''ll also agree that we should do everything we can to encourage mass transit.   

Bethlehem Pundit Bill Sheirer Has a Possible Tax Solution

Bethlehem is blessed with a wealth of intelligent people, although scant few of them are in government. One of the brightest is Bill Scheirer, a statistical economist who used to work in D.C. At last night's meeting of Bethlehem City Council, he drew upon his experience inside the beltway to come up with a suggestion that could not only ease the impact of higher taxes on people with fixed incomes, but would do so without violating the Pennsylvania Constitution's very strict uniformity clause.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of a property tax increase is the devastating impact it has on people with fixed incomes, most of whom are retired or disabled. Why not just exempt them? You can't because Pennsylvania's Uniformity Clause mandates that "[a]ll taxes shall be uniform, upon the same class of subjects, within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax, and shall be levied and collected under general laws." The Constitution does allow the General Assembly to carve out a rebate for those of us with limited incomes, but it is quite limited. 

He said that in the DC area, any property tax increase due to improvements made to the property goes into escrow and becomes due only when the property is transferred. He suggested that property tax increases could be deferred on seniors or those with limited income until their home is sold. They would still be obligated tp pay the taxes due before the increase. 

Here's an example. Let's say your current property tax is $500 a year. The City approves a tax hike to $600. You would still be obligated to pay the $500, but could defer payment if the additional $100 until title to your home is transferred. 

Bill's suggestion still runs afoul of the uniformity clause. But if this deferral option existed for everyone, it would withstand an attack because taxes would be uniform, 

Most homeowners would likely pay the increase if they are working, but would have the option to defer if, in their opinion, they need that money. The city would still realize an increase in revenue and would have a basis for a very low interest tax anticipation loan because the money will come once the home in question is sold. 

This idea is certainly worth a more detailed review. If the numbers work, they could make tax hikes a little more palatable.

The Drip! - A Facebook "Watchdog" Group For Bethlehem Water & Sewer

Mark Will-Weber, a running coach who makes his living with both his feet and his pen, has established a Facebook Page called The Drip. That's not about him, but Bethlehem's water and sewer bills that are skyrocketing after "upgraded" meters are being installed.   

Reynolds' Proposed Property & Sewer Tax Hikes Criticized in Bethlehem

In a brief blog yesterday, I told you that Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds has proposed a 2.6% property tax hike as well as an 8% increase in sewer taxes in next year's proposed budget despite receiving $34.4 million in ARPA finding from the feds. He may claim to want affordable housing, but these constant tax hikes say otherwise. Whether it's an apartment or a home, they are death by a million cuts to both renters and owners. They make homes and apartments more expensive.

Bethlehem resident Bud Hackett suggested at last night's City Council meeting that, before considering a tax hike, city officials should consider operational cuts. "If you're going to ask taxpayers to pay more, how about saying we did everything we could to cut costs?" He said one Council member (that would be President Michael Colon) has told WFMZ-TV69 that Bethlehem's proposed tax hike is actually 20% lower than other comparable cities.  He found Colon's attempt to minimize yet another tax hike "insulting." He went on to ask whether City Council "is a watchdog or an enabler."

That pretty much depends on which Council member. Members Rachel Leon, Grace Crampsie Smith and Wandalyn Enix are asking tough questions during budget hearings. The rest are certainly lapdogs. 

One differently abled resident - I won't name him - said his taxable income is just $2,000 a month. "Where is somebody with that amount of income supposed to come up with the extra money?" he asked of the proposed tax hikes.   

Dana Grubb is a former Bethlehem City employee who was defeated by Willie Reynolds in the most recent Mayoral race. He had this to say about the proposed property and sewer tax hikes: 

Four things about the City's budget that jumped out for me after the mayor's Chamber of Commerce fundraiser dog and pony show breakfast on November 14 at Moravian College:

1. If the city's finance are the best they've been "in a long, long, long time," why is a property tax increase of 2.6% needed?

2. The mayor championed sustainable revenues for his budget. One time revenues like the $34.4 million in federal ARPA funding are not sustainable revenue sources. Once it's spent, what replaces it?

3. How much of the 8% increase in sewer revenues will end up in the general fund, and not be used on capital improvements for the sewer system? It's an age old trick, increase specific user fees and then use them to bolster the general fund. Politicians get to claim no or low tax increases while still filling general fund budget holes.

4. How many and which employees are receiving increases in pay above cost of living and step increases, or reclassifications? If there are any, why hasn't a Council Human Resource & Environment Committee meeting being held to address this?

Budgets in Bethlehem (and probably elsewhere) are often a huge subterfuge, and it takes City Council Members with a a sufficient financial background to root out the tricks and hidden stuff to ask the right questions.

It also doesn't help when a mayor announces a budget one day and the next day is the first budget hearing. There is no way City Council knew enough about that budget to be well prepared for that initial budget hearing.

Despite Receiving $34.4 Million in ARPA funding, Willie Reynolds Wants to Raise Taxes

Bethlehem has received $34.4 million in ARPA funding over the past two years. These funds can be used to replace revenue lost during COVID. So no municipality should be imposing a tax hike anytime soon. Yet that's precisely what Mayor Willie Reynolds is doing. He has proposed a 2.6% tax hike next year as well as an 8% increase in sewer taxes. The City spent all but $2 million of ARPA funding 

Does Bethlehem Need More Police?

Robert Virgilio, who owns and operates the Granola Factory, was at Bethlehem City Council last week. He even brought some samples of the popular Bethlehem Bar. He spoke highly of Bethlehem police, nut is concerned that the force is shrinking while the city itself is growing. He said the public should know whether there's been an increase in crime commensurate with the increase in population, but unfortunately, "there's not a whole lot in the newspaper anymore." He recently read of a shooting on Ettwein Street, but there was no follow-up story. He also noted that the city police website contains no online blotter as it did a few years ago. 

Virgilio suggested that Bethlehem police should establish a crime map like Lower Saucon Tp "so that the public can know what's going on with crime and any kind of illegal activity that's taking place so they can determine whether it's close to home, take a stand with crime watch, be aware of it and also so they can be aware of the fact that our police are taking care of these problems."  

This small business owner has obviously been rattled by another recent shooting, this one at the 540 Democratic Club on New Street. 

Mayor Willie Reynolds stated in response that Bethlehem has had 150 officers for a number of years, but keeping those officers is a challenge. He said fewer people are taking the Civil Service test to replace retiring officers. He noted that six officers were hired a few months ago, and another six are in the police academy. He also said an arrest was made within 24 hours of the Ettwein Street shooting. 

According to Bethlehem's webpage, there are 154 "members" of the Bethlehem police department. It is unclear how many of that number are officers.   

Steel Ice Center Partner Claims Bethlehem Race Will Close Him Down

Tom Schantz, partner of the Steel Ice Center in South Bethlehem, appeared before City Council on Tuesday night to complain about the upcoming Bethlehem Running Festival on October 21. This is expected to draw 6,000 runners. Proceeds of that race (there are actually four races) are earmarked for the American Cancer Society. But it will put the Steel Ice Center out of business for most of the day.

Schantz stated that the Steel Ice Center has five hockey games that day, which were scheduled a year in advance, starting at 6:30 am.  He said there will be no way for players to access his venue. "I'm paying these taxes to have my stuff shut down," he complained. He indicated the race was authorized by the City without contacting him or other business owners who will suffer during the event. It's just a shock that this could happen. I was the first one to build down there. No one else was down there. All these problems started coming down when ArtsQuest came down there. ... We're working side by side with ArtsQuest and they take and take more."

Schantz suggested that the race could be better run along the D&L towpath or Lehigh's campus. There's no need to host the race at ArtsQuest, "It's been going on for 11 years now since ArtsQuest has been down there."

Council President Michael Colon suggested that Schantz speak to Public Works after the meeting to see if some resolution can be found. 

Bingo Players Vote 17-1 To Support Municipal Donation of Firearm to Retiring Police Officers

Periodically, I call bingo at a small community made up of old farts like me. It's actually quite dangerous,  I've barely escaped with my life a few times when I've made mistakes here and there. I try to stay on their good side. Last week, during the intermission of about 300 games, I got up and polled them informally on this question: Should a municipality give a retiring police officer in good standing his firearm as a keepsake? There was no debate. I just asked those who supported this donation to raise their hands, and then asked those who opposed this donation to raise their hands.  

By a 17-1 margin, with one abstention, these bingo players supported the donation. Afterwards, they made a few points. They noted that retired police officers have stopped crimes in progress. They observed that retired police officers are better trained than most in the proper use of handguns. Finally, they argued that this is the least a municipality could do for someone who risks his life every time he puts on a uniform.  

The one person who voted against this donation thinks he owns Hackett Park. 

Last week, Bethlehem City Council had a similar vote. Instead of a donation, they were considering a resolution that would sell retiring police officer's handgun to him for a few hundred dollars. This resolution was much closer. It was a 5-1 vote, and could easily have been a 4-2 vote. 

Hillary Kwiatek was the sole No vote. Her specious arguments against the sale were as follows. 

First, she argued that more children are dying from firearms than any other cause. That's certainly true, but there no causal connection between those unfortunate deaths and retired police officers. 

Her second argument is police officers have high suicide rates, and allowing them to keep firearms makes that possibility more likely. She failed to note whether suicide rates among retired police officers is high. Doctors and dentists have high suicide rates as well. Under her logic, they should have no access to drugs. 

The reason this could have been a 4-2 vote is because Council member Kiera Wilhelm said the only reason she voted No is because otherwise, the gun would be sold to some third party. If the City just destroyed the weapon, she'd support a ban on sales. 

Based on my bingo poll, I'd say that both Kwiatek and Wilhem are completely out if touch. What they also fail to realize is that their attitude insults the very people who keep them safe.