When the mayor ignores the required budget process, it’s not a minor oversight—it’s a breach of public trust. The city has put procedures in place to ensure transparency, oversight, and honest governance. Skipping them like Tuerk has done this year shuts residents out of decisions that directly affect our community.
After Mayor O’Connell vetoed a budget in 2019 and put a large tax increase into effect, the residents of Allentown made it very clear in 2019 by passing Bill 15544 that a bait and switch like that will never happen again.
The text, as shared by an ABE follower says the following:
ADOPTION, DEFAULT AND VOTING REQUIRED FOR TAX INCREASES AND FEES:
Removes the budget default process (preventing a tax increase from going into effect by default), requires adoption of the budget by December 31 with an affirmative vote of four members of Council and approval by the Mayor.
(Passed 15544 6/20/2019, Adopted November 5, 2019; Section 805 changes - 8,982 to 965; Section 807D changes - 7,802 to 1,836)
It seems quite clear to me. If the mayor can’t follow the basic rules for handling public money, that’s a serious problem. The solicitor’s office plays a critical role in keeping our local government on solid legal ground. That’s why it’s troubling to see the mayor move through the budget process without proper guidance or correction from the very office meant to ensure compliance. Our community deserves a solicitor’s office that upholds the rules, not one that looks the other way; the Matthew Tuerk's way.
Our city deserves leadership that respects the process, not leadership that sidesteps it. The mayor seems to think that Allentown is a dictatorship and that he has supreme and everlasting power.
He thumbed his nose at the required budget procedures, refused to look at his areas in the budget that could see reductions, and name called members of council and threw a temper tantrum when he didn’t get his way; I mean who is smarter than him?
Abe is
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I have been flooded with messages talking about how Matt sent out an email to all staff saying that the City Council Solicitor, Attny Maria Montero, is wrong and his Solicitor is right. He then advised the entire city via email to "show up for me [him]"...spoken like a true dictator that believes he has unchecked power. No one wants to show up for you, Matt.
Matt-the one recurring theme that I hear from city employees is that you are the worst mayor the city has ever seen, and your decisions are destroying the city. You have armed your Solicitor's office to execute your unlawful orders, and you listen to people that don't deserve the positions that you put them in.
This is not just sloppy governance—it’s a direct violation of the public’s right to oversight. These rules are not optional. They exist to prevent exactly this kind of unchecked decision‑making. Cutting corners on the budget process shuts residents out, weakens transparency, and concentrates on power where it doesn’t belong. If the mayor refuses to follow the basic safeguards for handling public funds, the community has every reason to demand answers and insist on accountability.
Citizens of Allentown-this city is ours, and Matt Tuerk and Council are put in these positions to work for us. This latest move by Tuerk cannot go unchecked. WE should have our voices heard.
Call the Mayor's office - (610) 437-7547 - you may also email anyone on his staff by going here: https://www.allentownpa.gov/en-us/Government/Elected-Offices/Mayors-Staff -don't expect a response from Ms. Boyer since she is still driving around PA looking for Allentown.
Call the Solicitor's office - (610) 437-7545 - you may also email the Solicitor directly by going here: https://www.allentownpa.gov/ens/Government/Departments/Solicitor
Call the City Council office - (610) 437-7554 - you may also email anyone on his staff by going here: https://www.allentownpa.gov/en-us/Government/Elected-Offices/City-Council/Council-Members -Remember that Hendricks and Zucal are no longer on Council before submitting an email.
I just found this out:
Laura Cole left the city today. She is another HUGE loss to the citizens of Allentown. ABE wishes her and her family the best of luck.
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1 comment:
Abe while I love your blogs, I think you got it wrong. Michaela Boyer is the puppet master and Tuerk is the puppet. I wonder what this inexperienced barista child has on this mayor that she gets everyone she dislikes fired or pushed out. She gets him to do stuff like this to secure her raise when we all know she doesn’t do anything. What is more troubling is that for years now employees that are now ex employees have been claiming corruption and the FBI is crickets, crickets. Everyone has been fired or left because they cannot deal with his people. Well, with the exception of racist, Mrs. I don’t do anything but I do a good job at faking it Deputy Director of finance. I’m surprised so many have left her name out of everything when she is key to all of this. I have a prediction that all of the people Mickey Boyer doesn’t want in the city will be fired this year if not they will run for the hills. This year Tuerky will show the true evil in him since it is his last term. So “old people”, black people, Hispanic people and anyone who speak up will be terminated. Josh Siegel better be careful to have a racist person in your cabinet you wouldn’t want that mess trampling you over ðŸ¤
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