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It's an election year for Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, and as such his annual State of the City address had a campaign tone to it. Mayor Ed Pawlowski gave his annual State of the City address Jan. 26, 2017, at The Barrister's Club in Allentown. (Sarah Cassi | lehighvalleylive.com Pawlowski spoke Thursday morning before a crowd of Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce members at the Barrister's Club in Allentown. The chamber hosted the event. Again, there was no mention by Pawlowski of the federal investigation into a pay-to-play scheme involving city contracts that allegedly went all the way to the top of City Hall. Investigators have all but named Pawlowski "public official No. 3," alleged to be at the center of the scheme. The investigation led to a July 2015 raid at City Hall and a handful of guilty pleas from now-former Allentown officials, but Pawlowski has not been charged with any crime in connection with the probe. Last year, Pawlowski's speech was amid calls from city council for him to resign. This year, Pawlowski's speech follows his announcement he is seeking a fourth term. Pawlowski is already facing a field of primary and general election candidates, and candidates Charlie Thiel and Siobahn "Sam" Bennett were at the address. Thiel is president of the Allentown Chamber of Commerce. He gave the welcome remarks, but later declined to comment about the mayoral race, saying he did not want to politicize his work with the chamber. Bennett, wearing a campaign pin on her jacket, had no such qualms. Bennett said she commended the mayor for what the city has achieved, but said improvements in things like education and fighting crime are not keeping pace with the rest of the country. "They have not been improved in a manner that makes people feel good," Bennett said. Pawlowski's address focused on building on the city's improvements, from fighting crime to attracting businesses. The mayor lauded the decrease in 2015 in Part 1 crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery and assault. Crime statistics for 2016 have not been finalized. "They're all going in the right direction," Pawlowski said. The American Parkway bridge opened last year, which is great timing since work on the Tilghman Street bridge is set to start. Last year, Pawlowski focused on bringing retail business to the city. The city is still focusing on business, but outside the downtown, specifically Hanover Avenue, Union Boulevard and South Fourth Street. The mayor also revealed a new focus on housing -- new housing, improving existing housing and turning renters into homeowners. "Allentown deserves strong neighborhoods... neighborhoods that are great in their own right," Pawlowski said. He mentioned the new Strata II and III apartment projects in downtown "bringing young folks back to our urban core." But Pawlowski also announced an "audacious" new affordable housing plan for the city. It will include a new office called Housing and Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE). "(Affordable housing) should be a right," Pawlowski said. Parks were brought up last year, including a street tree inventory program. This year, Pawlowski said the city is planning a new central park at an old incinerator site in the center of the city. The project has already received a $85,000 state grant. The city is also getting a bike share program. Pawlowski ended his speech imploring listeners to be kind to each other, and said he wants to make Allentown a city of kindness. "It costs nothing," he said. Read the original article here.