His supporters say Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski is a visionary; a leader who has ushered unprecedented development into the city with the state-supported Neighborhood Improvement Zone.
His detractors say he's a man in isolation, unwilling to listen to an angry populace unhappy with his plan to lease one of the city's most valuable assets.
On Monday, Ed Pawlowski will announce a bid for a third term in office.
And so far, he has no opposition. Political observers on both sides say that's unlikely to change.
To take on the incumbent mayor, candidates face a significant barrier, said Councilman Peter Schweyer, one of two council members who will not be up for re-election this year. Pawlowski has deep pockets, and to run an effective, modern campaign, a challenger needs to have as much, if not more, Schweyer said.
"If you're looking to run for mayor, you'd better be prepared with a significant [financial] source ? one that isn't already in support of Mayor Pawlowski," he said.
In September, when Pawlowski's last campaign finance report was due, records show his campaign had nearly $150,000 at its disposal. Mike Fleck, Pawlowski's campaign manager, said he couldn't say for sure where the total now stands ? another report will be due in a few weeks ? but the mayor's annual holiday fundraiser that charged $50 per head attracted 150 people, Fleck said.
More aggressive fundraising will begin in February with a Mardi Gras fundraiser, Fleck said. But cash won't win the election for Pawlowski, he said.
"I think the mayor is unbeatable because of his record of accomplishment," Fleck said. "The fundraising is just the result of people supporting the record. It's not the dollars."
Even with no apparent challengers, the money must be raised because in politics, it's best to be prepared, he said.
During his last campaign in 2009, Pawlowski spent more than $220,000 on glossy brochures, professional staff and other items, more than four times as much as his opponent, Republican Tony Phillips. By the end of 2008, the winter before the primary, he had more than $53,000 in the bank.
For local Republicans, the cash needed to run just isn't worth it, said Scott Armstrong, an Allentown School Board member. No Republican has expressed interest in the job, he said.
But that's not an indicator that Pawlowski is well liked, Armstrong said. The mayor, he believes, has spent too much time courting wealthy investors for the city's downtown and has ignored the needs of neighborhoods.
"I don't think anybody who lives in Allentown and drives the streets and sees the orange 'unfit for human habitation' tags all over town and sees the problems on every corner is satisfied with where Allentown is going," he said. "Allentown is in the middle of a geographic area that is booming, and we have allowed the city to become the concentration of poverty."
Among Democrats, who make up the majority of city voters, there's also very little interest in the office. Rick Daugherty, Lehigh County Democratic chairman, said he knew of nobody running. People understand that it's a difficult job, and the mayor has done a tremendous job moving the city forward, he said.
The inaccessibility of the mayor's office could have the effect of driving potential contestants elsewhere ? perhaps toward the 2013 City Council race, Schweyer said. Five members, President Julio Guridy, Vice President Ray O'Connell, Cynthia Mota, Jeff Glazier and Joe Davis will face re-election, and twice as many people have expressed interest in running, Schweyer said.
The money needed to run for council is significantly less ? campaigns have cost as little as $250 or as much as $25,000 ? and that race could easily turn into a discussion of the mayor's performance, Schweyer said.
"To have six, seven, eight people running for council, it's interesting," Schweyer said. "I wonder if it is a sign that people have a lot of faith in Allentown and want to become part of all the tremendous stuff that's happening, or if it's a demonstration of discontent ? In a way it's going to be a referendum on all of us, the administration and council."
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