The monster, aka Allentown Parking Authority would be hard pressed to pass a polygraph test. In 2005, the former and current director of the Authority, testified in front of City Council that the majority of the merchants wanted the meter rate increased. They lied*. The Authority has always functioned for the betterment of the BIG BOYS on the backs of the smallest among us. In 1991 the Authority purchased the 13 parking lots owned by the declining Park N Shop for well over market price. Profiting from the buyout was Morning Call owner Donald Miller, Department store heir John Leh the 35th, Harvey Farr, and a few other good old boys. Keep in mind Hess's and Leh's department stores had their own parking decks, and the meters penalized the small merchants. Today the monster feeds on Allentown's poorest residents. Meters still extend out to 10th and Chew, 5 blocks well beyond the closest store. Over 100,000 tickets a year are issued to Allentown's poorest, mostly the intercity tenants. Now, 15 years after serving the needs of the BIG BOYS, the Authority again schemes for the connected. Now they give away the lots so that developers can have free to cheap KOZ opportunities. The new housing at 8th and Walnut was at the expense of the existing homeowners who used those lots as off street parking. The protest which came from a neighborhood group out of St. Pauls Church was labeled as naysayers to moving Allentown forward. Years ago the Authority paid millions for the lots, paid for them by aggressively ticketing the poor, and now are giving them back to the rich. The current plan is to "sell" a lot at 7th and Linden, used by the Verizon employees, so a developer can make a few bucks on unneeded townhouses.
Easton is beginning to realize their Parking Authority needs scrutiny. If they thought about it more, they may wonder why a town that size even needs an Authority at all. Please join me this wednesday Feb. 27, 4:00 pm at the Monsters house, 10th and Hamilton Sts., to support the Verizon workers attempt to retain their safe and convenient parking.
* I conducted a survey at that time, 40 out of the 47 merchants were opposed to the meter increase.
reprinted from February of 2008
Great expose article---And further when I borrow $20 from the mob, I have to pay back $30. When I get a parking ticket for $20, I have to pay $50 after a week.
ReplyDeleteBoth the mob and the Parking Authority use Gestapo tactics to collect the money. Brute force.
Hell the P A even tried to put a priest in jail for delinquent parking tickets.
Keep on writing!!!
I have a monthly pass for the Spiral Deck because I work downtown. Before the Allentown Parking Authority set up an automatic payment facility, I would walk down to the office once a month to pay for my pass.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was waiting in line, I always felt badly for the other people there. Many of them had clearly scrounged together every spare dollar they had in order to pay parking fines for expired meters or not moving their cars for street cleaning (probably because they work multiple jobs and care for children).
Parking fines are just one of many regressive taxes that unduly soak poor people.
For a long time this entity has been a cover-up for politicians, [especially the great deceiver Edwin Pawlowski], for appointments, construction projects and graff. As the FBI started to close its case, they elected to stay away because it is another can of worms that they did want to pursue. They were under complete control of the parasite Ed Pawlowski and he used their openings for pay to play opportunities utilizing Boyle Ventures for construction projects, NM&M for legal work and hiring retired Allentown Police officers to obfuscate the legitimacy of the Authority.
ReplyDeleteSo true. BTW, besides your survey, Ce-Ce Gerlach and Rich Fegely cross examined COC CEO Tony Ianelli until he had finally admitted that he had lied to city council because he had contacted only one merchant (whom we suspect was Jeff Glazier, then-city council member known for carrying Paelowski's water). It was a full year later that the Parking Authority finally admitted the purpose of the change was strictly to make money. Now apparently the parking police have a quota of 100 tickets/ day. Add to this that the parking authority's year end report as of 12/31/17 showed a deficit. Where is the money going.
DeleteI wish they'd get out of downtown and start ticketing the cars NOW parking on curbs and sidewalks. I can not believe people are not getting ticketed for this! Anywhere from 15th St, Lehigh St and even Union Blvd!
ReplyDelete