Dour, Misguided Molovinsky & NIZ

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

Is The Color Purple Now Blue

As I set type for tomorrow's edition, we learn that Lehigh County Commissioner Jon Irons is resigning. Jon is very progressive, more so than the accused, indicted drug dealer. How the commission got so far to the left escaped my active scrutiny. Last time I was at a meeting, Lisa Scheller and the Republicans were in charge.

In recent history, I know that progressive Josh Siegel easily beat former Allentown Police Chef Roger Maclean.  A Republican partisan in my orbit claims that only Democrats can now win, and that good people don't want to run for local offices.

I understand the Democratic strength in Allentown with a Latino majority. I believe that the D's strength in the county should be alarming to the Republicans campaigning for the midterms. While I won't be doing much endorsing, I make an exception for Jarrett Coleman, who has been fighting for the taxpayers since being elected to Harrisburg.

Trump and Marie Antoinette

On Saturday night, Trump stated that the earthquake in Venezuela was terrible, but because of his takeover of that country, people were dancing in the streets. I have been watching reports from that devastated country, and needless to say, no one is dancing.

How out of touch must someone be to refer to dancing when there is so much destruction and death? Trump is right up there with Marie Antoinette. How sycophantic can Republicans be to not call Trump out about such statements?

Although the Republicans are emboldened by the Trump pick successes in the primaries, they may well end up with a less competitive candidate come the general in November.

Growing Up Allentown

I'm a baby boomer. I was born at the end of 1946. As soon as my mother climbed out of the hospital bed, another woman climbed in. I grew up in the neighborhood now called Little Lehigh Manor, wedged between Lehigh Street and the top of the ravine above Lehigh Parkway. That's me on our lawn at the intersection of Catalina and Liberator Avenues, named after airplanes made by Vultee Corporation for the War. We had our own elementary school, our own grocery store, and the park to play in. 

On Saturdays, older kids would take us along on the trolley, and later the bus, over the 8th Street Bridge to Hamilton Street. There were far too many stores to see everything. After a matinee of cartoons or Flash Gordon, and a banana split at one of the five and dimes, we would take the bus back over the bridge to the shelter of our neighborhood.

reprinted from June of 2008

ADDENDUM JUNE 30, 2026:This post along with thirty five other baby boomer memories of Allentown comprise my book available at Amazon.

Ed and Matt, Two Charter Abusers

Back in 1996, Allentown had a charter commission to recommend new guidelines. The issue then was deciding if we wanted a Managing Director or a Mayor. The blue ribbon panel decided on a strong mayor format.

City Hall continued as such, until Ed Pawlowski hired a managing director to help him. Matt Tuerk has followed suit, and also hired a managing director.

Ed and Matt had similar motivations. Ed wanted to be free to run for higher office. Matt wants to be free to go on junkets. One common denominator is this long term blogger. In Ed's case, I just started the blog in 2007.....I'm still here, now on Matt's case.

shown above blogger phoning out from his underground bunker during Pawlowski indictment

Another Junket For Mayor Tuerk

Recently, I took Mayor Tuerk to task for his junket to Madrid, Spain. Since then, he went on one to Los Angelos, and now is in Tangier, Morocco*. Although he posted on Facebook about the Front Street fire, and mentioned how exhausted the firefighters were, residents just assumed that he was on the scene...They assumed wrong. 

With the mayor being limited to two terms, he has started his lame duckness almost immediately after being elected. I don't know how to say that he's screwing the voters in Spanish, but they appreciate that he can.

I don't know what, if any recourse the voters and city council have against this early pattern of abuse, but I hope that they assert themselves.

*UCLG World Congress and World Summit of Local and Regional Leaders: Held in Tangier from June 23–26. This event is gathering local and regional government leaders to discuss sustainable development, education, and international urban management.

Did The Trump Visit Help Mackenzie

My guess is not only didn't the visit help him, it actually hurt him. Trump is so polarizing, what good could it possibly have done Mackenzie? Mackenzie had no primary, only the upcoming general against a strong Democrat. Bob Brooks beat Ryan Crosswell, who was immensely qualified, well financed and campaigned hard.

I surmise that Mackenzie didn't have that much choice about the visit to Mack. Trump, as usual, was motivated by his own ego, he couldn't even remember Mackenzie's name.

Mackenzie has been a grinning sycophant since day one, so now he will pay the price come November. While the Republicans will squeeze out some encouragement by the turnout at Mack, they better not overvalue it. Maybe they will get lucky, and Trump won't return before midterms.