For this post I tried to locate a photo of Seymour Traub lecturing me at a city council meeting. Our faces aren't visible, but you see a very tall man lecturing a short man. Reilly, Traub and the NIZ were lucky, because for years the only vocal objector was this blogger. After I represented the opposition at a Iannelli Business Matters show, Bill White wrote that I was dour and misguided.
While I was a minor annoyance to the powers that be, Jarrett Coleman would emerge to beat NIZ architect of record Pat Browne in the state senate primary. Coleman has been actively trying to inject some accountability into the NIZ for the sake of the taxpayers.
Sy Traub was forced this week to postpone a meeting to sit new members to the NIZ board, because they were not reviewed by Harrisburg. While the occurrence was reported by the Morning Call, the reporter doesn't understand, or at least report, Traub's consigliere role in the NIZ.
shown above Business Matters. left to Right, Tony Iannelli, Steve Thode, Sy Traub, Michael Molovinsky, Mike Fleck
How old is Traub? How long has Traub served in his current position? What compensation does he receive from his work on the NIZ? Isn’t there anything in the NIZ bylaws that would limit his term and allow someone else to fill his role?
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure what Traub’s official position is with the NIZ, but I know he’s a lawyer. Shouldn’t he have been aware of the need to get the new board members approved by Harrisburg?
Are there others currently on the board who also did NOT receive the proper approvals from Harrisburg prior to serving? If that’s the case, could it be that any votes taken during their time of service would be illegal?
Wouldn’t it be nice if the NIZ were transparent, and this type of information was readily available to all?
Many thanks to Senator Coleman for being the ONLY elected official serving Allentown who’s willing to ask ANY questions on behalf of the taxpayers.
It would be great if Allentown’s other state senator and state representatives would also be looking out for the taxpayers, but I suppose they’re just too busy collecting their campaign contributions from companies in the NIZ.
I would be happy if the Morning Call would just do a thorough and honest review of the NIZ. With the Morning Call, everything is just glossed over with polish. Never a real world examination of actual numbers. In my opinion, The NIZ has been a real loser for Pennsylvania taxpayers.
DeleteOf course, the heavily liberal Morning Call these days always includes a good dose of deceptive content and propaganda from the likes of Associated Press, New York Times and CNN.
Morning Call-Ford Turner-Feb 6,2022:
DeleteThe Morning Call's 2-year fight to uncover Allentown NIZ tax money ends after Sen Pat Browne crafts change in law.
10:26 - If the Morning Call had real journalists, they would be trying to apply some heat to our local politicians and asking them why they haven’t CHANGED that law.
DeleteThey’d also be questioning Josh Shapiro about why HE wants to keep things secret. You would think that someone who wants to be president would be all about transparency, unless he has something to hide.
There’s a ton of money, union involvement, and an awfully lot of secrecy since the NIZ started.
Real journalists would be all over it trying to expose the truth. What we have are political hacks masquerading as reporters trying to hide it.
The Morning Call is hiding plenty about the Democrat Socialist movement. This suggests to me, the Morning Call supports that effort. Who really controls that rag?
Deleteanon@8:26: To my knowledge, Traub has been the solicitor for the NIZ since day one. Nick Miller (state senator) has also introduced a bill intended for more oversight.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how ex mayor Ed Pawlowski’s supporters give him credit for establishing the NIZ
ReplyDeleteMayor Pawlowski revitalized downtown Allentown. He did not do anything that every politician has not done and did not deserve such a harsh sentence.
DeleteEd was a great mayor and if he runs again he will be elected in a landslide. Allentown will be a better place with him back in it.
Ed was a thug who used Building & Codes and other Inspectors as his personal intimidation goon squads.
DeleteCall me a liar, no one else ever has in all my years in public life, and I have never been indicted on a single felony count let alone convicted of 47.
mj adams
anon4:08: Ed was not involved with the NIZ, but did participate in the Arena. The former merchants were threatened and bullied. The taxpayers were cheated on numerous contracts, because they chosen on contributions to him, not value for the city.
ReplyDeleteAnon4:23:The Morning Call is owned by Tribune Chain. The local staff is very small with little institutional knowledge of the area, and dependent on press releases. Don't expect many, if any investigations by them.
So, all the monkey business within the NIZ keeps going on and on, evidently. American “news” media was never supposed to get this way. There HAS to be someone or some organization, besides Senators Coleman and Miller to publicly drill down on this scheme that is costing all Pennsylvania taxpayers to be shortchanged, if not actually being robbed.
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