ALLENTOWN BUSINESS COALITION FORUM

For those who may not know, Allentown, PA has leadership that has been accused of "pay to play" tactics which can be translated to racketeering, unethical practices, etc and we were barely in the infancy of creating a "renaissance" for this city. The news is being heard from coast to coast. I mean it truly IS an interesting story of money, power, deceit, and hidden wiretaps. (I have seen many movies and television shows that have had similar storylines.)

Unfortunately, this is our reality. And when I say "our" I mean every business, whether new, old, or still being assembled in Allentown. "Perception is reality" for most and when the media shows FBI agents running into city hall, records being subpoenaed, and affiliations now being scrutinized, it is never a good look or representation for any company trying to sustain or obtain clientele.

The question for most business owners, in my opinion, should be "So now what?" "Where do we go from here?" "Do we wait for the other proverbial shoe to drop?" "How do we move forward?"

As a business owner in A-town pre - and post NIZ zone, I say let the "Feds" do what they do best and handle those entrenched in the illegal activity. It truly should not be our concern. Will it affect us? Yes. Can it cause hardship? Absolutely. But can it destroy our industrious town? Absolutely not.

If your business was established solely on the premise that Allentown's NIZ program would take you to the "promised land" then you should not have been in business in the first place. All best laid business plans have the ability to fall apart and that's why you need a PLAN B; and after reading the current headlines in the newspaper regarding Downtown Allentown, you may even want to start thinking about a PLAN C.

But what can business owners do when it seems the very foundation around them has become shakey ground? Simply, we continue to move on... We realize that Allentown is more than just 4 - 6 city blocks and our destiny is not in the hands of 5 or 6 men.

I propose all established business owners gather for an open forum, especially those in the Downtown Center City area, (small, medium, and large enterprises / from entrepreneurs to corporate board members) and talk about our future, whether they include NIZ benefits or not. We should, also, discuss our questions / concerns; practical actions that can be taken to continue to keep the Allentown "brand" alive and in a positive national spotlight; how to actually involve the community and get the "buy in" needed so that the pride in the city can be returned; and ways to improve Allentown so that businesses, corporations, and franchises that are outside of the PA realm will take notice and actually invest in our city due to our merit as well as our advantages.

If interested, on AUGUST 27, 2015 at 6pm, let's meet at The Epicenter Consulting LLC, 1132 Hamilton Street, Suite #301, Allentown, PA.

For additional information: 484.619.6541 / alfonsotodd36@msn.com