Issues

 

Safer Streets

    Increased Police on the Street: Mayor Pawlowski added police officers to the budget, helping the department recover from an unprecedented  wave of retirements.

    Initiated Hi-Tech Security Network: Ed secured state and federal grants to implement a state-of-the-art security surveillance network with over 70 cameras watching city streets.

    Decreased Crime: City crime statistics have dropped for the third year in a row according to the FBI and state police.

    Tackled Quality-of-Life Issues: Ed cleaned up crime hotspots and targeted  graffiti vandals, irresponsible landlords and nuisance crimes, such as excessive noise.

Strong Fiscal Management

    Reversed Allentown’s Financial Future: Ed transformed an inherited 8-million-dollar deficit into a 14-million-dollar cash reserve. He took a city drowning in red ink into the black, helping Allentown weather the nation’s economic downturn.

    Accumulated Surpluses: Ed beat budget expectations without raising taxes, in 2006 by $5.5 million, and in 2007 by $3.5 million. In 2008 Ed turned a projected  deficit into a surplus despite a sharp decrease in expected revenues by cutting expenses and finding new sources of revenue.

    Enhanced Fiscal Position: Ed turned Allentown’s negative bond rating into a positive one rated by both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investor Services.

    Streamlined Government Spending: Ed converted traffic signals to LED technology, reducing electrical consumption  and saving more than $120,000 annually. He reduced Allentown’s vehicle fleet and consolidated EMS billing services to create a more efficient department.

Economic Development

    Increased Investment: Ed brought over a half-billion dollars in new investment and hundreds of new jobs to the city since assuming office in 2006.

    Attracted Development: Ed helped spearhead efforts to bring the Iron Pigs to Allentown and build Coca-Cola Park, the new PPL Building, and the Butz Building.

    Redeveloped Abandoned Properties: Ed led the transformation of the former Exide Battery plant from an EPA brownfield into a $22 million investment by Bennett Toyota. Forced the sale of blighted downtown buildings, such as Sal’s Spaghetti House, the Colonial Theater and the Americus Centre hotel, for redevelopment.

Parks and Recreation Improvement

    Revitalizing Parks: Ed is working to refurbish the city's parks system, including creating a playground at Cedar Beach that will be one of the first handicapped-accessible playgrounds in the Northeast. Ed also plans to rebuild Keck Park and implement other improvements to the parks system.

    Improved Inner City Recreation: Ed helped provide new playgrounds at Central Elementary and McKinley schools.

    Preserving South Mountain: Ed plans to conserve the South Mountain Reserve, assuring this urban forest remains a healthy and vital asset to Allentown.

Community Development

    Re-created Communities: Ed organized the redevelopment of the crime-ridden Hanover Acres Housing Development into a new mixed-income community called Overlook Park.

    Deconverted Blighted Properties:
    Ed initiated the Old Allentown Neighborhood Redevelopment Project to purchase blighted multi-unit properties and convert them into single-family homes. The project also includes building new homes downtown.

     

Re-elect Ed Pawlowski

VOTE November 3rd!