The Morning Yawn

The Morning Call is always sparse on Monday. They compose Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Friday, so besides the Allentown police blotter, there's no local news. The limited space is filled with stories with no time line, like today, on Martin Guitar. Half of this limited local space today is filled with the voter checklist for tomorrow's election. If Monday's papers aren't worth the price, today's deserves a total refund. The voter checklist, all two and half pages, or half the local section, is from last May's primary. Wonder if it will matter?

The Marketplace Speaks

Allentown's experiment in fine dining is over. Sangria is becoming Billy's Diner, and the eloquent rooftop bar at Cosmopolitan was converted into a dance club. Although the club will have different hours and a separate entrance, the restaurant cannot escape it's downward transition. Allentown simply does not have the ambience to support upscale dining. I'm pictured above, in my younger days, at a club in Brooklyn.

Open Letter To Mayor Pawlowski

Mr. Mayor, I don't know if you remember me, Mr. Molovinsky allowed me to use this newsletter to write you before. Maybe you remember, I live in the senior highrise on Union Street, and used to get my prescriptions at the Rite-Aid on Hamilton Street. Maybe you remember, I used to work at the Mack factory on S. 10th Street, but that was long before you even heard of Allentown, much less lived here. Here's my question. I was a union guy and usually voted Democratic anyway, but why is there no one else on the ballot this year? Why are those City Council candidates putting their posters all over town when they have no opponents? I don't use a computer, but my daughter prints out Mr. Molovinsky's newsletter for me. We have been walking up to Hamilton Street and looking at that hockey stadium, holy cow! My buddy, on the next floor, says that you're running for governor or president. I said, No, he's running for our mayor again.

p.s. Mr. Molovinsky took this picture of me a long time ago.

Lehigh County's Opportunity

When Matt Croslis endorsed Scott Ott on Thursday, the politics of old cried pay to play. Muller's henchmen, and their sycophants in the blogosphere, even rumored and fabricated details of the payment. Croslis has now vetoed the very amendments that Ott and the reform commissioners passed at the budget hearing. The IT budget, the same sex health benefits, the crime center, and the tipster budget, are all back. Truth be told, the old establishment which Muller represents, cannot understand independent thinking. In their world, if you're not touting the establishment line, you must be receiving some payoff. It's refreshing to see new people, like Croslis and Ott, assert independence. It's nice to know that the voters on Tuesday have the opportunity to rid themselves of business as usual.

The Donovan Factor

The Donovan campaign has some wheels, not so much as a viable shot for mayor, but it's effect on the contested race of the election, Muller vs. Ott. The Republicans in Allentown are no factor, the six of them may, or may not vote. My guess is that Donovan will get their default vote. The group in play is those Democrats and independents that are disillusioned with Pawlowski. Each vote that Donovan gets, may well be from someone who would have otherwise stayed at home, but now in the voting booth, will vote for Muller. Conventional wisdom has Ott winning in the suburbs, but Muller sweeping Democratic Allentown. If Donovan increases the turnout in Allentown, Muller benefits.

UPDATE: It would be ironic if Donovan voters were to vote for Muller, particularly those who were against the water lease deal. Ott was against the water lease deal, recognizing it as a bad deal, and voted against extending the charter of the LCA. Muller is on the LCA board and voted for the water lease deal.     from an anonymous comment

County Executive Endorses Scott Ott

Democratic County Executive Matt Croslis Endorses Scott Ott for Executive ALLENTOWN, PA – Today, Democratic County Executive Matt Croslis endorsed Scott Ott for Lehigh County Executive. This major cross-party endorsement affirms Scott Ott's results-oriented approach to governance. “My goal as County Executive was to be transparent and collaborative in an effort to put people before politics,” said Executive Matt Croslis. “This approach has been successful in large part because of the working relationship I have developed with Scott Ott. I believe Scott will bring a fresh perspective to Lehigh County and that he will work tirelessly to find new and innovative ways to provide the necessary services of County government in the most cost effective manner. It is my hope that my endorsement will promote bipartisanship and continue to put the interests of the County residents before politics.” "I'm honored to have the support of Matt Croslis," Ott said. “During his time as county executive, we haven't always agreed, but I could always count on Matt to tell the truth, which made it easy to work together with him to find solutions for the taxpayers we represent. I'll continue to work to make local government more sustainable, accountable, focused and effective."

UPDATE: The Morning Call reports endorsement