A Message For Allentown's Pawlowski

I would think that Tuesday's election results may give some pause to Ed Pawlowski's hopes to be a senator. Despite a virtual snow storm of mailers with his endorsement, including both a picture of him and his message of a Renaissance, a quarter to a third of his candidates lost. In terms of his popularity beyond Allentown, his candidate in Whitehall lost; You don't get much closer to Allentown than that. Besides giving Pawlowski pause, his campaign and media manager, Mike Fleck, might need some introspection. The two top vote getters for the school board, Gerlach and Bob Smith, not part of the Pawlowski PAC, were outspent by Fleck tenfold. Even Armstrong, targeted by a separate scare mailer, survived the primary. Here in Allentown, where money was no object for the Pawlowski machine, if he couldn't hit a grandslam, his prospects statewide seem dim. Poor guy might have to settle for being Mayor For Life.

ADDENDUM: I opened today's Morning Call and discovered that reporter Emily Opilo and I were on the same page; We made the same points and used the same examples. Least anyone think I had seen her article prior to posting the above, I must now go one step further. Yesterday, I mentioned to Jeff Glazier, Pawlowski's big winner Tuesday night, that I thought Pawlowski failed by not hitting a grandslam. He thought that winning most of seats was a victory. Maybe Joe Davis would agree with me.

Bucking The Pawlowski Machine

Despite Pawlowski's PAC, and it spending $50,000 with a professional staff, CeCe Gerlach dominated the school board race yesterday. She came in first on the Democratic side, second on the Republican ticket, for almost one third more votes than Robert Smith, the second highest vote getter. Both CeCe and Robert Smith were independent of the PAC, Citizens for a Better Allentown. School Board candidates are allowed to cross register with both parties, leaving a total field of 7 candidates for the five slots come November. PAC candidates Charlie Thiel, Elizabeth Martinez and Audrey Mathison will also be on November's ballot, with Thiel being the third highest combined vote getter last night. Also moving forward to the general election are Mark Smith and Scott Armstrong.

CeCe ended her long day yesterday working the poll and phone at West Park. Overall, she had fielded about 60 workers, covering every one of the city's polling stations. Mark Smith also ran an organized campaign, his first foray into elected politics. Scott Armstrong, much to the chagrin of the Teacher's Union, Pawlowski's PAC and card carrying liberals, didn't campaign whatsoever.

Say Moo and Vote Pawlowski's PAC

Here in Reillytown, you don't even have to think to vote. Mayor For Life Pawlowski, unless he can get elected to something in Harrisburg or Washington, tells you who to vote for. The Morning Call gets you in the mood this morning by printing two stories glorifying the Renaissance. Women's merchant Sage is moving back to Allentown from the Promenade. They don't tell you that the owners are pushing 70, and looking to wind down their obligations. Second story is about more apartments coming to an old factory at 3th and Gordon. They don't tell you that the developer is cramming in 158 one room studios, which in reality are glorified motel rooms for single mothers and their children. Say moo, while Pawlowski milks your vote.

Saving Allentown From Right Wing Extremists

One by one, the oversized slick cards from the Pawlowski Political Machine, Citizens for a Better Allentown, reached the voter's mailboxes. They were sent to all voters, regardless of party affiliation. Each card, separately promoting a candidate for Allentown School Board, also had Pawlowski's picture and message, "We are committed to Allentown's progress. Over the last few years we have achieved so much, safer communities, job creation, and community development. Working together we can continue moving Allentown forward." While Pawlowski tries to associate his chosen slate to J.B. Reilly's new buildings, those living in his Dreamtown know that the community is no safer. If he were more honest, he would have said, "We are committed to now completely dominating Allentown's politics."

The four cards were followed by a fifth, picturing and promoting all four candidates. While the card stated that they would restore fiscal responsibility, the two candidates running for re-election, Martinez and Thiel, grandstanded by voting to hire back 20% more teachers than budgeted for.

If those five mailings were not enough, the sixth was a scare and hit piece against some incumbents. 4 years ago, we were fooled into electing right-wing extremists to the Allentown School Board. Our school board needs true-blue Democrats. The card concludes by saying that our schools should never be used as a political tool... Unless Pawlowski is holding the screw driver.

Pandering Politicians And The Pawlowski Effect

The Morning Call reports that last night school board members running for re-election gave the voters more than they expected, or perhaps can really afford. The candidates voted for both a zero tax hike, and adding more positions than sought by the school administration. Also running, but certainly not pandering, Scott Armstrong addresses the decision by his fellow board members.

Pandering politicians and the Pawlowski effect

At tonight’s ASD board meeting politics was on full display. Directors who never saw a tax hike they didn’t like ignored the administration’s recommendation for a 3.6% increase and embraced with full vigor a zero tax increase for next year’s budget. Then with total abandon they engaged in bidding war on how many positions to restore until finally agreeing on the number of 30. So after four years of a fiscal crisis that involved tax increases of $500.00 on the average household and staff reductions of over 20% just to balance budgets, tonight, four days before a primary, prudence was put aside. This evening priorities were more personal. To get their names in the paper as advocates for the taxpayers and the children these directors took the leap of faith that zero tax increases and 30 new hires will not put the ASD right back into the dire position that previous responsible choices had just extricated the district from. In short it was a very depressing night. Can one draw from this that the mayor’s influence is not already being felt ?

Scott Armstrong

A Pawlowski School Board Will Have Consequences

Taxpayers should know that a School Board, cherry picked by Ed Pawlowski, will have dire consequences. Presently, he has endorsed a plan to convert a former large factory into 158 apartment. Although the developer states that most will be studio apartments that discourage children, the real market speaks differently. In the real market, studios are less rent, and attract an endless stream of single mothers with children. Allentown has no shortage of that demographic, and the school district suffers from poverty and under parenting. Two years ago, another developer approached the school board seeking a tax free KOZ status, actively represented by the Pawlowski Administration. Those apartments would have resulted in more students with a smaller tax base. The School Board wisely turned down the proposal. What will happen when Pawlowski's Puppets dominate the board? They will be able to approve Pawlowski promoted projects, while separating Pawlowski from the taxpayer cost involved. Mayors always tell you that they have no control over school taxes. The voters would be wise to keep that disclaimer a reality.

Zimmerman's Battle With The School Administration

While twelve people battle to get, or stay on, the Allentown School Board, Director David Zimmerman, who isn't up for re-election this term, battles within the school administration. Zimmerman is a statistician and numbers guy, who doesn't abide by the Administrations use of arbitrary figures. Originally disturbed by discrepancies between the preliminary and adopted budget, his frustrations have only grown with the administration's dismissive attitude toward his inquires. He actually filed a Right To Know request with the district, which was denied. In addition to his concerns about the budget, whose fund balance has fluctuated as much as $12 million under different reports, he wants solid revenue projections from redeveloped NIZ parcels. He cannot in good conscience approach a tax increase without knowing how much money is on hand, or how much increased property tax revenue The Pawlowski and Reilly Company Renaissance, is actually producing.

  My concern over these issues arises out of my interpretation of the responsibility imposed upon me by my elected position to fairly and accurately represent the interests of the tax payers and students of the ASD.
David Zimmerman
Allentown School Board

Pawlowski Buys Democracy In Allentown

Pawlowski's PAC, Citizens For A Better Allentown, according to pre Primary filings, has raised over $63,000, and spent $43,000 thus far subverting democracy in Allentown. Allentown voters are having their mail boxes filled this week with oversized mailers, promoting Pawlowski's candidates of choice. Most of the contributions are cloaked in separate candidate reports, not yet analyzed by our Harrisburg staff. For instance, Citizens For A Better Allentown received a contribution from Friends of Ed Pawlowski for $23,000, and $10,000 from Friends Of Charlie Thiel. Direct contributions of note include local labor unions for $8,000, and Abe Atiyeh for $2,500. Friends of Schlossberg and Schweyer, combined, contributed $3,500. Please understand that all these Friends Of, are no real friends of democracy in Allentown.