The Weigh-In

                                            Madison Square Garden, March 27, 1942
When they met for the first time the previous March, Abe Simon battled Joe Louis for 13 rounds. The Detroit crowd went wild that the Jewish giant from New York could absorb Louis's punches. Louis had the power of Mike Tyson and the finesse of Muhammad Ali. When it was revealed that Simon had fought with a broken hand, the Madison Garden rematch became a big ticket. Louis knocked Simon out in the sixth round. It would be Simon's last fight.
click on photo to enlarge

Bernie Balks, Angle Falters

On Sunday night Bernie posted about the Gracedale Referendum being short on signatures, but the post never saw light of day. For one reason or another he deleted the post, or at least is postponing using it. The post is Bernie's usual fare about the effort being conducted by goons. Although the effort may be short by 4,000, I believe Bernie misreads the tea leafs. If I were the face of selling Gracedale, that being Stoffa and Angle, I would take no consolation that 15,000 people signed that petition. Yesterday, Angle was deposed of as President of Northampton Commissioners. Next November may prove difficult for him.
link to Bernie's deleted post

UPDATE: Bernie has republished the missing piece after reading this post. His explanation is here as comment 4.

Bluffing Bethlehem School Board

Bethlehem's Mayor John Callahan is trying to persuade the School Board to reconsider a tax incentive for Martin Tower that they had recently rejected. Without the tax break, Callahan suggests the developer will build affordable housing, instead of an upscale Shangri-La previously presented. More children will burden the school system, instead of the well heeled patronizing Main Street. The new plan is exactly what the developers would have built in the first place, with or without the tax increment financing. The property is too large, and the demand too small, for high end. The original total TIF request was less than 5% of the project cost. The developer is being more honest than the Mayor; He said that the new plans reflect the market conditions. The School Board only rejected the original plan two months ago, the market conditions has not changed since then. Although it was appropriate for Callahan to encourage the development of the Tower in the first place, he's now just shilling for a developer.

source article by Esack, Assad and Radzievich

Logjam at Doorway

In 2005, an official of the Allentown Police Union told me that he expected about 12 officers to retire under the new contract, then negotiated with the Afflerbach Administration. The Union had made some wages concessions, in exchange for the rule changes concerning retirement. We all know what happen, 80 policemen ran for the door, including that 40 year old Union official. Last week, Pawlowski announced another wage concession with the Police, in exchange for another rule change. The new change allows an officer to claim disability from day one of employment, including mental stress. The lesson, which should have been learned, is that it's better to give a raise with a known cost, rather than submit the City to enormous variables. When Pawlowski campaigned in 2005, he called the recent retirees a second police department, which the City needed to fund. Pawlowski signed this new deal unilaterally, bypassing City Council. Although Council President D'Amore huffed and puffed about being excluded in the procedure, as a staunch union advocate, he would not have objected to the content.
source article by Jarrett Renshaw
related post by Jeff Pooley
related column by Paul Carpenter

Kicking Off New Year

molovinsky on allentown starts another year of commentary and advocacy on local issues. This core mission will continue to be interspersed by local history, reports from The Holy Land, and ringside exploits from the 1940's. So, whether you consider here to be   A Must Read,  or just Old and Cranky, welcome aboard!

Free Houses for Christmas

No Virginia, there really are no free houses. When the previous owner was paid at settlement, somebody came up with real smackers. Now, I know you heard that because the mortgage was packaged and sold so many times, and the mortgage was being serviced by a collection agency, that there is no longer a real mortgagee; But there is my dear, real smackers were exchanged for that paper all along the trail. I know you heard the adult cry babies say that the mortgage servicers make more money forcing foreclosure than just doing their job. You know Virginia, they wouldn't have their business very long if that happen often. You can only cheat and sell your employer short so many times before he fires you. I know you heard that some man forgot to cross a T on the foreclosure form, but that still doesn't make the house free. No Virginia, too many people bought a house on a Yes We Can, and that house of cards collapsed. When you grow up we want you to be able to buy a house. It's important now that mommy and daddy give back the keys, and you all go live with grandma. That way dear, when you meet your Prince Charming, investors will once again be willing to come up with the smackers.