A Disdainful Blogger

The email was accidentally sent to me from a cellphone during a three way communication. I was pitching a Morning Call reporter to publicize an issue, and he was requesting permission from an editor. The email said yes Molovinsky is disdainful, but it would make an interesting article. I earned the disdainful tag by taking the reporters to task for their shortcomings reporting the news of our community, and failing to credit myself and other bloggers when appropriate. My ability to alienate has hurt the success of my efforts on community issues. More diplomatic advocates receive the publicity which moves their agenda forward. As a younger man I was apparently too dumb to learn, now, I'm too old. With that introduction, let me take a swipe at the On The Cheap columnist, Spencer Soper. Spence, the big news isn't that House of Chen ended their economy buffet, but that J.B. Reilly is ending their business. Those buildings are being bought with the same threatening tactics used by the City against the merchants across the street, now home to the hole. This dour, misguided, disdainful blogger will appear this evening on Business Matters on WFMZ69 at 8:00p.m. During the program I insult the host, Tony Ianelli; It figures.
WATCH THE DEBATE, CLICK HERE

WATCH SPENCER SOPER'S MUSICAL VIDEO,THE HOUSE OF CHEN

Pawlowski Disrupts Debate

Bill White in his column yesterday notes that Mike Fleck, shown here in photo with boss Pawlowski, worked for Pawlowski and was disruptive at the debate, but he fails to connect the dots. As I followed Fleck from the lobby, down the hallway to the studio on Thursday, Sara Hailstone appeared out of nowhere for a second, to welcome Fleck. When we were wired for microphones, I didn't notice if Fleck was also fitted for an earpiece.

UPDATE: It's fair to say that Pawlowski doesn't think that the arena should be debated by the likes of Molovinsky, Thode, or  for that matter, any citizen.  In his op-ed piece in the Morning Call today, he ties it's completion to the success of the valley. He should be concentrating on quality of life issues in Allentown, that's the real gauge by which this city is measured.

The moment Ianelli indicated the show started, Fleck started yelling, football stadium volume, in my ear. I managed to regain my composure, and make all my points. I did misspeak once, referring to the arena as the public portion of the project. It's hard to remember that so much public treasure is going to enrich private interests. I asked Sy Traub, head of the NIZ Board, why he could appear, but supposedly Hailstone couldn't, for legal reasons. He had no answer. Fleck's yelling prevented me from actually hearing Steve Thode. White implied that Thode had come with multiple props, I only saw one. Fortunately, he did come with a cigarette carton, prompting me to say something about the immorality of using CHIP funds for Reilly's benefit. Hopefully, Pawlowski will allow the debate to air Monday evening at 8:00p.m. on WFMZ69; but, if the electricity goes out on South Mountain Monday night, you'll know why.
UPDATE: Ed Pawlowski has an OP-ED piece in Sunday's Morning Call about the arena. Jeff Barber, debate participant, writes in a comment. Ed, You’re the first Mayor in years to lead Allentown out of a troubled past.... You’re not in this fight alone; they're are hundreds of us behind you. Barber may be correct about hundreds of people supporting the project, but that's not enough, there are 106,000+ people in Allentown.

The Arena Debate

When I chose this photo for the post, the title was going to be Musical Chairs. I was going to address the changes in the cast of characters for the arena debate on Ianelli's Business Matters Show. Since then, Bill White has written a column in which I'm described as dour and misguided.* Worse, he characterized my debate input as preoccupied with the former merchants, ignoring all the other points I made. The first point I made, and the big one that White apparently doesn't understand, is that it's a sad commentary on our local government, when the first debate occurs after the buildings are torn down; After we spent $65million dollars, and are facing a tax backed debt service of $220million, without any public discussion. Apparently, Bill was busy eating a cheesesteak when I made that point. My second major point was that the NIZ benefits were applied in an unethical, selective fashion. Reilly already had $20million in his pocket, even before the rules were formulated. Bill missed that comment, he was taking a Movie Quiz about Cary Grant on his I-Phone. My third point was that although the NIZ doesn't use property taxes, it does use tax receipts that will now not flow back to various levels of government. They will want to maintain their previous budget, and consequently, raise taxes. Bill was chomping on a left over cupcake* from some contest he judged. The show will air on Monday evening, WFMZ69, 8:00 p.m.
*Despite my cracks about Bill White, I'm grateful that he covered the debate. Despite Bill's cracks about the participants, he apparently found the debate column worthy.

Weitzel's Expensive Catalogs

Although Greg Weitzel is leaving in 7 days, before he leaves, he is attempting to bully a compliant City Council into destroying our swimming pool system. Rather than simply build some ramps and railings to comply with new ADA regulations, like pools all over the country, Weitzel's plan* is to close 2 pools, and turn the other ones into water parks. Although CedarBeach Pool has served the city for 60 years, he wants to move it up the hill and add water park features. He wants to close Irving Pool, the only one on the east side, and turn the spot into a spray park. He wants to close Fountain Pool, which serves the inter city children, whose mothers don't have vans to drive them to CedarBeach. He spent $80,000 on a consultant from Indianapolis for these recommendations, which could have paid for the handicapped ramps at several of the pools. Let me be blunt. Before coming to Allentown, Weitzel built a destination playground in Lewisburg. He established a relationship with the manufactures of playground and water park equipment. Much of his accomplishments in Allentown were purchased from their catalogs. Allentown should wish him well, and have him take those catalogs with him.
 *Devon Lash/The Morning Call/May 3,2012
old postcard: Fountain Park Pool

Better Shoes By Farr

The For Rent banner hangs on the side of the building facing 8th Street, the other side faces Pawlowski's Hole. It's been a rough year for The Farr Lofts, with another one in store. Prior to the unilateral decision by the Arena Cabal, the loft residents lived next to the Rite Aid Drug Store, and always had the prospect of more interesting and changing stores on their block. Now, after gagging through no less than two years of construction, they will be next to a traffic jam called the Hockey Arena. Surviving merchants have just received their first fine, for not completing the additional NIZ tax forms on time. Welcome to the Hole. Unlike most of you, I will have an opportunity to publicly complain about these outrages today. Any message I can convey for you?

Invite Molovinsky

When Bernie O'Hare posted the other day that Some Businesses Matter was looking for someone to join Steve Thode to debate Hailstone and Fleck on the NIZ, I almost raised my hand. There was a time when Michael Schlossberg used to ask me to come on the show. I always said no; Truth is, I'd rather sit here, and opine on my schedule. Since Iannelli is essentially the third person on the pro side, it is not inappropriate to add a third chair for the side against.* Anyway, if they want to balance out the show with someone who was party to the displaced merchant's point of view, I will rent a tie and jacket.

*Bernie O'Hare will be on opposing side with Steve Thode

UPDATE:  I have been invited by Business Matters to take Bernie O'Hare's place.   Michael Fleck, representing the NIZ with Sara Hailstone, refused to appear with Bernie.

UPDATE:  I have been informed that Sara Hailstone will NOT attend, and is being replaced by Jeff Barber, local mortgage broker and NIZ supporter.