Mayor on the state of Allentown: ’Thank God we made it’ through 2020 (Updated Jan 22, 2021; Posted Jan 22, 2021)

“Our Allentown Health Bureau has truly been a champion for community health under the most challenging of times. Their leadership, professionalism and unselfishness has aided in the region’s response to this pandemic,” he said.

05/08/2021

In other years, Allentown’s State of the City is marked by mayors crowing about their administration’s accomplishments over the past year and touching on glowing plans for the future.

Friday’s speech, however, had Mayor Ray O’Connell celebrating the fact listeners and the city have survived during a historic pandemic that so far has a 400,000-person death toll, sickened many more, and created a devastating economic toll that still has not been completely realized.

“When I look back on 2020, the first thing I want to say is ‘thank God we made it,’” O’Connell said in the pre-recorded speech. “Baby boomers and those that followed have never seen anything like it. Our way of living has been totally turned upside down to try to put the brakes on a global pandemic.”

The pandemic has impacted every department in city government, and the administration was looking at an estimated general fund deficit of $8 to $10 million or more, the mayor said.

The estimated losses included a projected 12.5% decrease in earned income tax collections, a cut to the city’s share of Wind Creek gaming revenue, and a drop in areas that were once steady revenue, including licensing, building, permitting, and inspection fees and costs.

“Our people went to work. Leadership, department and bureau heads and staff across both the bargaining and non-bargaining units were equal to the challenge, as well as many of our other businesses and business partners in our great city,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell’s administration had temporary voluntary furloughs and a hiring freeze, departments made spending cuts to operating budgets, and the finance department restructured the city’s 2020 debt service.

The city created $4 million of “additional liquidity” in the city’s general fund, the mayor said, and the grim forecast for earned income taxes turned out to be 1% percent under budget.

All told, Allentown will most likely face a “modest” 2020 budget deficit, though the mayor did not give a figure.

Looking forward, Allentown’s $120 million spending plan for 2021 does not include a real estate tax increase.

The mayor lauded the Allentown Health Bureau and director Vicky Kistler. The bureau has investigated close to 10,000 cases of COVID-19 in the city, as well as providing ongoing guidance to businesses as rules and regulations change during the pandemic.

“Our Allentown Health Bureau has truly been a champion for community health under the most challenging of times. Their leadership, professionalism and unselfishness has aided in the region’s response to this pandemic,” he said.

The mayor touted the city’s decrease in part 1 crimes, and the constant work done by the Allentown Police Department, which is currently at 216 officers.

Plans include adding a second community intervention specialist and opening an entrance to police headquarters at 425 Hamilton Street, where visitors can speak with an officer, meet with investigators or can file or obtain copies of a report.

In 2021, Allentown is keeping its focus on lead remediation, including a $5.7 million federal grant, with a $500,000 match in CDBG funds, to reduce lead paint hazards in city homes.

The money will go toward lead hazards in 310 homes over the next three years.

O’Connell also mentioned the settlement between the city and the Lehigh County Authority, after years of negotiations over the concession lease of Allentown’s water and sewer systems through 2063.

The new year also includes another election for Allentown mayor.

O’Connell, a former city councilman, was appointed mayor in March 2018 after former Mayor Ed Pawlowski resigned.

O’Connell was then elected in 2019 to complete the final two years of Pawlowski’s term.

O’Connell announced last month he is seeking re-election, and he already faces competition in the Democratic primary and general election.

So far, mayoral race announcements have been made by city council President Julio Guridy, city council members Ce-Ce Gerlach and Joshua Siegel, former Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. Vice President Matthew Tuerk, and Stevie Jones, a machine operator for Keystone Food Products Inc. in Easton.

Tim Ramos, who ran against O’Connell in 2019 general election, announced he will again run for mayor as a Republican.

Credit: Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.