World War Ringside

Joe Louis had won his previous 23 fights, and was expected to do the same against Germany's Max Schmeling in June of 1936. Instead, the large crowd at Yankee Stadium saw the older Schmeling, a former World Champion, outscore Louis, and then knock him out in the 12th. Schmeling would go back to Hitler's Germany a national hero. Louis would go on to beat the Cinderella Man, James Braddock, for the World Championship. The stage was set for the most anticipated rematch in history. The famous 1938 fight, again at Yankee Stadium, was a sellout. Louis and Schmeling embodied everything about the pending war between the two countries. They were given pep talks by no less than Roosevelt and Hitler themselves. Louis carried the mantle for all Americans, but especially Black Americans, in the late 1930's. He would leave nobody down, by knocking out Schmeling in the first round.top photo of German toy produced between the first and second fights
bottom photo, one of three first round knockdowns in 1938

Arena Project Growing Private Parts

The Morning Call team of Matt Assad and Scott Kraus broke the news that Pawlowski is pulling even more from his magic hat. The project now will include a hotel, office building and parking garage on the arena block. A new artist rendition shows the new structures. The Allentown Planning Puppies will be asked to lick their approval. Last round, they were overlooked, and miffed. One must wonder if construction is really slated to begin when the plans are in a state of constant flux? Who will own the hotel and office building? It's apparent that eminent domain was improperly threatened, because the project clearly will be mostly privately owned.

Allentown Arena's Magic Show

Although demolition of the former shopping district is yet to be completed, or the first brick laid for the new arena, cracks are appearing in Mayor Pawlowski's taxpayer funded attempt to magically transform Allentown. Yesterday, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Joseph ElChaar, felt compelled to write a rah rah letter to The Morning Call. Surrounding municipalities have been alienated by the pilfering of their EIT taxes. Pat Browne, long time State Representative and Senator, soiled his reputation as details have emerged about the taxing district, and his connection to the various principals involved. Even the merchant victims of the scheme made the national news, with misinformed allegations that they were overpaid with taxpayer money. The revelation that tobacco taxes will be used to fund Allentown's grab, surely will have repercussions in Harrisburg. Once the monstrosity is completed and running, the real pain will begin. With home hockey games only occupying 40 nights a year, success is dependent upon concerts and other entertainment venues. The existing market for entertainment is competitive, to say the least. Last year, one rain storm put the new SteelStacks financially behind the eight ball. If SteelStacks, The State Theater, Symphony Hall, Zoellner, Stabler and others were not enough, enter the Sands Casino Entertainment venue. Starting in May, the Sands will bring one star after another, to their money making machine. With the adjoining Casino, their theater need not concern itself with making a profit, but only attracting people and their wallets to the complex. Pawlowski's taxpayer funded hall of scandal will languish, as insufficient parking and traffic congestion make for an unpleasant evening. Although speeches and letters will attest to how wonderful and successful it is, eventually, the rabbit will fall out the bottom of the hat.

ReAssessment Anguish

Yesterday, the phones at Molovinsky Property Management, and it's subsidiary, Bubbameister Consultations, rang off the hook. Clients were distraught after opening their reassessment notices from Lehigh County. We were able to calm most of them down, by referring them to the line under the former and new valuations. Based on this Preliminary value, your projected real estate taxes (County, Municipality and School District) should decrease due to reassessment. Our staff analyzed the data, and for many with the decrease projection, disappointment may be soon visiting. On the surface it appears that a property can withstand an increase up to 50% in valuation, without an actual tax increase, but those projections might not hold clear. Although Allentown includes trash removal in it's tax, the surrounding municipalities do not. Furthermore, the 2013 projections do not include the proposed tax hikes in most school districts. We therefore conclude, that a property with a 45% increase in valuation, projected to receive a 10% tax reduction, will most likely have a 2013 tax bill the same, if not slightly more, than 2012.
UPDATE: The Allentown municipal tax figures provided by the county for comparison, have the trash fee separated out.

photocredit: Carl Rubrecht

Allentown Arena Zone Barons Push Cigarettes

J.B. Reilly and Joe Topper have purchased a cigarette distributorship and moved the business address to their 702 Hamilton Street address. This maneuver allows their company, City Center Own Allentown, to use the $1.60 per pack Pennsylvania cigarette tax toward the debt service on their growing empire. Perhaps this was the conflict of interest which propelled Reilly to resign his position on the hospital board. One would like to think that tobacco taxes are used for health care, not private enrichment. Pat Browne, in the well done report by Matt Assad and Scott Kraus of The Morning Call, once again assures everybody that nirvana is coming. Allentown is fast becoming a well deserved national joke.

The Demolition of Allentown

In addition to three major local department stores, Allentown also sported three national chain five and dimes. Two of these emporiums stood side by side on the 700 block of Hamilton Street; F.W. Woolworth and McCrory. Those discount stores of their day sold everything, including souvenirs of Allentown and even Hamilton Street. The large buildings remained intact all these decades, still hosting national chains. Although Family Dollar and Rite Aid have other locations in Allentown, their demolition closes the chapter on Allentown's retail history. The two photographs were taken from the same location, sixty years apart. Click on images to enlarge.