Money Talks | 1
Š Copyright 2015 Temple University Photojournalism Photo Seminar 2015 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form, without written permission from the publisher
Money Talks
4 | Poverty
Dedicated to Philadelphia’s next mayor... The people have spoken, and we must continue to lend an ear.
Money Talks | 5
6 | Poverty
Table of Contents... ...Budget pg. 11 ...Education pg. 29
...Jobs pg. 51
...Poverty pg. 69
...Crime pg. 95
Money Talks | 7
TOGETHER WE STAND It’s a big city out there. Everyday, we probably pass a thousand people on the streets without so much as glancing at one. But behind each and every face is an individual. One who struggles against the myriad of challenges that everyday life manages to dredge up. Something that unites us all is our government. It defines how resources are allocated in every part of this city. These 8|
schools receive this funding. These taxes are levied on these businesses. These municipal jobs pay these wages. Septa tokens cost this much. No one can escape this system. It affects us all. And yet, living in our own little bubbles, we rarely consider the struggles of the individuals around us. We drift down sidewalks, through buildings, along the tunnels of the subway
system, and into the streets of Philadelphia while rarely engaging with the people who surround us. The aim of this project is to help us Philadelphians to bridge the gaps between us. We may look different, we may inhabit different parts of the city, and we may be treated unevenly by the institutions that govern us, but we all have an equal share in
the human struggle that consumes us. As such, we all have a stake in what happens next. We are all affected by these mechanisms in different ways. This purpose of this project is twofold. We hope to highlight some of the disparities that exist between us, while also reinforcing the concept that there is an umbrella under which we all live, one that, in its way, unites us all. |9
10 |
| 11
12 | Poverty
Taxes Citizen Piggy Banks Brianna Spause
The health of an area is directly affected by the economic status of its residents. The more than 12 million people that pack Philadelphia to its limits are not only the face but the change purse of the city. 82 percent of the Philadelphia Budget is made up of local tax revenues. The 8 percent on every purchase and $2 on every pack of cigarettes, the steady leak out of the bottom of your weekly paycheck, the bill that is slapped on the property value of your home each year – each of these government payouts is designed to get pumped right back into the city. The process starts at City Hall, the grand cultural and financial hub that casts its long shadow upon the heart of Center City Philadelphia. Each year, the Mayor sits down with a team of Economists and Financial Experts to draft a line-by-line spending plan on how to keep the city and its people happy, healthy and profitable. The catch is that it doesn’t always work that way. The School District is fighting an $80 million deficit tooth and nail while the pension system is cutting checks for an extra $62.4 billion to retirees this year. The long list of class codes and conditional-spending agreements is – to put it plainly – overwhelming and intimidating. In this Chapter, we explore the public’s opinion of the Philadelphia’s spending habit with our hard earned cash.
Money Talks | 13
Allen, 20
“ I think it should be spent more on the schools, and the police force because we need the police force so the crime can decrease.�
BS 14 | Taxes
Gabriel, 23
“I think they should build more shelters for the homeless, more soup kitchens, there’s a lot of things. They make city hall really nice, I think they should put that money towards the schools and the less fortunate.”
BS Money Talks | 15
Jas on, 5
0
“Some people need to be charged three dollars, they got a lot of money, some people don’t cause they struggling, just to say $15 to buy cigarettes. So it really aint fair to charge $2 to everybody.”
BS 16 | Taxes
Jose, 57
“A lot more should be put towards the school board because the children are our future.�
BS Money Talks | 17
Karl, 28
“They can spend their money on investing into the youth, give them extra curricular activities and bring back hobbies. The people in the community can all help out together. Starting an open conversation goes a long way.� 18 | Taxes
BS
Kevin, 27
“Spending less on prisons. Spending less on fighting crime and realizing the biggest reason all those things exist is lack of spirituality development, lack of community centers.�
BS Money Talks | 19
Marcus, 20
“ I’m from Georgia, cigarettes are really cheap down there. I basically have quit smoking up here because I can’t afford it.”
BS 20 | Taxes
Martin, 34
BS
“I don’t mind that they fund the school district in that way, but it also makes me more aggravated now is that they want to raise my property taxes to also fund the school district. So what was the use of imposing a two dollar hike on my cigarettes when they were gonna raise my property taxes on top of it?” Money Talks | 21
Nadia, 19 “What they have to do is stop paying superintendents so much and cut the pay for high-level people for the jobs that they do. People are making millions and millions of dollars to run the school district while there’s no books on the desk it doesn’t make any sense.” 22 | Taxes
BS
Raquell, 28
BS
“ I think that the city should invest more in the schools because they have to grow up and put more back into the community they’re learning from. If you’re not putting the money into the schools what do you have to look forward to?” Money Talks | 23
Tony, 53
“I think that it’s a little too high. The cigarettes are like 8 or 9 dollars a pack, but since it’s for a good cause I really don’t mind.”
BS 24 | Taxes
Mary, 29
“I take the trains a lot, it would be nice if they were cleaner, I would appreciate the funds going there.�
BS Money Talks | 25
26 |
28 | Poverty
Education The Fall of the Philadelphia School District Kathryn Stellato
The Philadelphia School District (PSD) is in a dire situation. The PSD, which currently has 206, 567 students in the district, does not have the necessary funding to give their students a satisfactory education. In 2012, state funding under Governor Corbett was significantly decreased, and has been deemed the “Doomsday Budget”. The effects of budget cuts began to show in test scores, program cuts and layoffs in staff. It became clear that the PSD was in serious debt, at one point borrowing 300 million dollars in non-recurring funds to help keep the schools running. Problems may have also began to occur with the rise of Charter Schools in the city. Charter schools, which are also funded by the PSD budget, started growing and offered a better learning situation for students. With 93% of Charter schools needs met, versus 78% of public schools needs being met by the budget today, the debate of whether Charter schools are a better option or whether they are hurting District schools is ongoing. Today, the Philadelphia School District is approximately 320 million dollars short in giving its students an adequate education. As of 2015, 31 schools have been closed with 5,000 lay offs. As the school district continues to suffer from budget cuts and funding shortages, Philadelphia’s school children continue to suffer.
Money Talks | 29
Rasheema, 11
“I have to bring my own school supplies, because if I don’t I’ll get a demerit...If I ask my teacher for it then she will give me a demerit and she’ll give me a pencil and she’ll say ‘This is the last time for me to give 30 | Education
BS
Allen Brown
(To borrow a pencil) “I have to trade my ID.”
ED Money Talks | 31
Ashley, 17
“Classes got smaller because we had a lot of teachers getting cut. And we only have nine classes out of the entire 4th to 12th grade and we only have a few teachers too. So your schedule is chosen for you.� 32 | Education
PM
Chad
“It’s just not sustainable to have, the way the teachers union is set up, it’s just too costly.”
ED Money Talks | 33
Jade, 15
“Not having a music program affected me, because I’m very involved in music.”
PM 34 | Education
Conie
“We conduct an auction to raise funds for computers and language programs and things like assistant principals.�
PM Money Talks | 35
Nikki
“No aids. No noontime aids, no lunch room aids, no nurse, not enough teachers, not enough assistant teachers. Things like specials, like a foreign language, we’re paying for.”
PM 36 | Education
Nyla, 17
“They’re cutting rap programs and performing arts programs and I think it’s really corny how they can’t use that money to empower kids to do what they want to do.”
PM Money Talks | 37
Evy
“I didn’t see that Isaiah was getting the proper education that I felt he needed to succeed.”
ED 38 | Education
Alyssa, 16
“I think it’s nice having …focusing on your interests because once we get out of there, there are college courses we can take and we can keep pursing our dreams. So you basically go to school for dreams.”
BS Money Talks | 39
Dana
“My husband and I both went to public schools in New Jersey and we had a good experience so the public schools around where we live aren’t quite as good as the ones we grew up with.”
ED 40 | Education
Effie
“ I’m encouraged but I do have concerns. I think because I’m concerned about funding.”
ED Money Talks | 41
Jamaya, 5
“I did go to gym! (Did you go to gym, is that your favorite?) Yes!”
BS 42 | Education
Marquee, 30
“My husband and I both went to public schools in New Jersey and we had a good experience so the public schools around where we live aren’t quite as good as the ones we grew up with.”
BS Money Talks | 43
Laraya, 24
“Definitely more tutoring, those who are willing to help those who are not as fast as others.�
BS 44 | Education
Jamir, 16
“The textbooks they’re all ripped up and used, written in, torn. They got scribbles on pages and pages re missing, they fall apart when you open them, and it’s just nasty.
BS Money Talks | 45
Cathy, 9
“ You get to get exercise, and learn how to draw, and how to dance.”
BS 46 | Education
Shannon, 40
“I don’t think she’s getting the education she needs and I don’t think the schools are doing what they’re supposed to with these kids anyway.”
BS Money Talks | 47
48 |
50 | Poverty
Jobs An Unfullfiled Desire Matt McGraw and Jared Whalen
It has been said that humans have an internal desire to work. Philosophers have argued whether or not mankind’s obsession with building and inventing stems from just mere survival or something deeper. For many, finding a way to fulfill that desire has grown more difficult over the years. Unemployment is a word many have grown to know too well. Whether it is the college graduate struggling to pay off loans while working part-time in an industry outside of his field of study, the father laid off after twenty years of dedicated service to the trade he loves or the mother who has to work multiple low paying jobs just to make ends meat, the harsh reality of a weak job market affects many. Certainly, factors such as the economy, labor unions and politics have a major effect on the job market. But they have an even greater effect on those who are directly connected to job growth simply by being humans, just trying to work.
Money Talks | 51
Jonathan, 21
“Most of the students that I have to teach have parents who either collect disability checks, or are currently unemployed. Students have trouble in school because of it and it’s creating a huge problem in the
MM 52 | Jobs
Jade, 18
“My dad’s faced unemployment for years, and so has my stepmom, so for the two of them to make ends meet, having two kids of their own, it’s kind of a struggle. A lot of times I’ll go visit them and we don’t have
MM Money Talks | 53
Jac, 21
“Well my dad’s a small business owner, so my personal experience with unions has been from the opposite perspective of a lot of peoples’ in that I see the problems they create for businesses who are literally
MM 54 | Jobs
Brendan, 21
“I guess I’m just fortunate, but unemployment never struck my family. I’ve seen it in other families and stuff like that, I’ve had friends whose parents lost jobs and just hard times for them.”
MM Money Talks | 55
Alexander
“I would like to see more jobs, I would like to see more union and community, you know, I’m saying less violence. But I would definitely like to see something better come along. Nutter didn’t do too bad but things can be improved upon.” 56 | Jobs
JW
Name, Age description of person
Wiley
“So I’m worried about getting a job but I feel like it’s just the struggle now and it’s always been kind of a struggle to have to graduate and find a job, like the hardest part is actually going out and looking for it. “
JW Money Talks | 57
Sam
“I know seniors that graduated last semester or last year, and they did all these things and they’re still having a hard time getting a job.� JW 58 | Jobs
Ishmael
JW
“One thing would be maybe like a wage increase, that might help out a little bit. and just more entry level positions like sales and other stuff like that, that might work out. “ Money Talks | 59
Dwayne “I’m trying to do a professional internship so that way it puts my foot in the door before I get a real job, so that way I’m at least working with a company. I think by doing that it’s gonna help me out so I won’t be so worried.” 60 | Jobs
JW
Alexis
JW
“Just more jobs for people. Like, not like more like business corporations like center city, but like just regular jobs that people can do without like a college degree or whatever.� Money Talks | 61
Kevin
“Now, it is a high unemployment rate and it’s hard to get a job in the city but if you stop and don’t do nothing, that’s when it gets hard. Just sitting around waiting for a job, it don’t happen like that.” 62 | Jobs
JW
Andrew, 21
KS
“Well I guess as a graduating senior I’m terrified of not having a job and terrified of finding a job. All I hear about is how hard it is to find a job and so I guess it’s a huge fear.” Money Talks | 63
Bojana
“Well, like I wouldn’t have anywhere to live I guess I would go back to Europe and live in some cheap country, Portugal or Serbia, which is where I come from.” KS 64 | Jobs
Taylor, 21
“Well I guess as a graduating senior I’m terrified of not having a job and terrified of finding a job. All I hear about is how hard it is to find a job and so I guess it’s a huge fear.” KS Money Talks | 65
68 | Poverty
Poverty The Demise of Philadelphia’s Industry Maggie Andresen and MJ Moyer-Fittipaldi
Poverty is multidimensional and complex. For economists, it is an issue of labor markets, production, incentives, wealth and choice. Sociologists and anthropologists tend to lean on social status, relationships, behavior and culture while, social psychologists look into self-image, group membership and attitudes. For political scientists, the questions may focus on group power and access to collective resources. City planners and urbanists see the effects of urban structure, isolation, and transportation access. No single framework can pinpoint or infuse every conflicting and complementary perception but, a characterization that lists each different perspective would not be as fitting as a multifaceted insight. The answer is Cross dimensional but, looking into postwar production in Philadelphia, a clear indicator towards the city’s poverty is directed from the 1960s hiatus due to industry relocation; without offering a viable alternate to the city’s workforce. This process was driven primarily by technological and market changes that rendered inner-city locations for manufacturing less profitable. By creating favoritism in single-story plants on extensive sites to allow more effective handling, the development of the suburbs and freeways provided the labor force, transportation, and communications facilitated the transformation. During the second half of this century, employment in the service sectors has been growing faster than in manufacturing. This seemingly inevitable trend was anticipated to create growth that was sufficient to maintain inner-city employment. While the city has locational advantages, the concentration of business and consumer services, and the perceived need for face to face interaction in services rose the expectation for the new economic base for urban areas in the service society during the 1970s into the early 1980s. Jobs moved from the city to the suburbs, this shift is a huge factor of what causes inner-city poverty but, researchers at the University of California in Berkley believe that the answer is greater than just one single cause. Numbers can only tell so much about victims of poverty, they gloss ovcr the familes that have been destroyed and the lives cut short as a result of urban decline.
Money Talks | 69
Kelly Vandergeest, 23
“I have two friends who are public school teachers and their books are falling apart.�
HS 70 | Poverty
Tweedy Bird, 58
“I take pictures out here for tips, that’s how hard it has been.”
HS Money Talks | 71
Donald, 16
“We need more smartboards and all that and other schools got everything.�
HS 72 | Poverty
Shafeek, 23
HS
“I don’t understand why there is so much property and so many big buildings going up, so many apartment stores being built—there’s money all around the board but a lot of people are still poor.” Money Talks | 73
Karlel, 62
Karlel, 62
“They t share, that’sthat’s what what it is, when see money, they snatch itthey up.” snatch “Theydon’ don’ t share, it is,they when they see money,
it up.”
HS 74 | Poverty
Brittany, 26 26 Brittany,
“There’s no way maketo money, you money, try to offer help stores stuff and they you away. ” “There’s notoway make youtotry toand offer help toturn stores and
stuff and they turn you away.”
HS Money Talks | 75
Shamashadeen, 38
“I pay child support, I got to pay this or they’ll incarcerate you. Look at the news, it’s sad to say but tonight they’ll be something going on, cause people’s backs against the wall.” 76 | Poverty
MA
Wallace, 72
MA
“We have a whole lot of abandon houses, they either need to be torn down or fixed up so they can have regular housing for the lower income.� Money Talks | 77
Aleeyah, 17
“There’s kids out here that need help and places to go, you gotta do something with the community you know; make it better.”
MA 78 | Poverty
Skip
MA
“Basically every program that they [Philadelphia] have, every bill that they come into play is to keep the rich, rich and to keep the poor down because basically all we are are dollar signs to the city.� Money Talks | 79
Danny
“It’s strange enough, but a homeless person could be sitting next to a banker and it’s ok. You know what I mean, it’s kind of weird, I haven’t really figured it out yet. Like we’re all one big family.” 80 | Poverty
MA
Mike, 25 Mike, 25
“There’s kidskids in fourth and grade, they’re basically saying these kids are gonna need athese jail somekids day; “There’s in grade, fourth and they’re basically saying instead of saying let’s correct the issue on the ground floor so they don’t need to go to jail in the are gonna some day; instead of saying let’s correct the issue future. (On theneed schoolatojail prison pipeline)
MA MA
on the ground floor so they don’t need to go to jail in the future.” (On Money Talks | 81
Ras, 33
“Politicians live in another world, they don’t live in reality. They just show up when they need you to vote for them, to kiss babies and shake hands, and go back to their old neighborhood. They live in DC, they 82 | Poverty
MA
Amin, 27
“There’s kids in fourth grade, up and they’re basically saying these my kids are gonna need a jail someis day; “Personally, I came in poverty; so me, family, everyone a instead of saying let’s correct the issue on the ground floor so they don’t need to go to jail in the victim so we all were suffering through the same future. (Onof thecircumstance, school to prison pipeline)
AK MA
stuff...probably the drugs that they were doing affect how I am today
Money Talks | 83
Laquia, 16 Laquia, 16
“Instead getting an education we get into the back copback cars.”of cop cars.” “Insteadofof getting an education we get into of the
MA MA 84 | Poverty
Derrick, 29
“There’s kids in fourth and they’re basically kids are gonna a jailleverage some day; “The majority ofgrade, people out here thatsaying are these struggling don’tneed have instead of saying let’s correct the issue on the ground floor so they don’t need to go to jail in the and you gottoaprison smallpipeline) percentage of people who just don’t care about future.then (On the school
AK MA
themselves but when people want to do something for themselves, it
Money Talks | 85
Laquia, 1632 Arjuna,
“Instead getting an line...we education were we getdoing into thevery backwell, of copwe’re cars.” still doing well, “I have of a clothing
we just came from LA, but it’s just like people don’t buy as often as they used to, and you can see that margin going down, even from the 86 | Poverty
AK MA
Lynette, 31
“There’s kids in fourth grade, and they’re basically saying these kids are gonna need a jail some “The price of living is tough around here. Like if you don’t haveday;a instead of saying let’s correct the issue on the ground floor so they don’t need to go to jail in the good job,thelike rooms are kind of high, things like that.” future. (On school to prison pipeline)
AK MA Money Talks | 87
Laquia, 16
Johnnny, 27
“Instead getting an education we about...I get into themean back oflike cop cars. ” “I knowof my friends tell me eating
cereals with water in it. So you know, I guess it affects and makes people feel bad... But you know, you always got to be grateful anyway, because things 88 | Poverty
AK MA
Bob
MP
“This used to be a really thriving business neighborhood, you can tell by all the storefronts, and over the years the population has changed. It’s really poor, drugs have really infiltrated the area, it’s just not the Money Talks | 89
Carlos
“More jobs...I remember when I was growing up we could just walk in anywhere and fill out an application and you’re good to go. No more..”
MP 90 | Poverty
Money Talks | 91
92 |
94 | Poverty
Crime ‘Kill-adelphia’ MJ Moyer-Fittipaldi
The City of Brotherly Love no more? Philadelphia over the years has adopted the “Kill-adelphia” nickname as year after year the city has topped charts when it comes to dangerous crimes. According to the Philadelphia Police Department, this past year the total violent crime offenses decreased by 7% and the total property offenses went down by 1%. While homicide had no change over the past year, rape dropped 10%. The only offenses that rose were commercial robbery (8%) and retail theft (7%). Juding by these statistics, it seems that ‘Kill-adelphia’ may have a chance of reclaiming its title of the City of Brotherly Love. Even though the statistics may give residents a positive attitude when it comes to crime, the city is still subject to the ‘most dangerous stereotype.’ With approximately 34 colleges in Philadelphia the crime rates must be a concern of prospect students and especially their parents. During this chapter we will showcase those who have been affected by crime and the thoughts of individuals who believe they can pinpoint the direct cause.
Money Talks | 95
“I was more angry that these kids were so angry they had to take it out on me. It could have been anyone else i was just in the wrong place at the wrong time but, it’s kinda funny because I was in the right place. It was my house, but definitely not at the right time.” 96 | Crime
MJ
“As long as you’re smart, you’re safe. That’s how I always thought of it but, that’s when I parked my car on Gratz and a brick flew through my window”
MJ Money Talks | 97
“I’d say Philadelphia has a large number of police officers but, they’re not being distributed throughout the city properly. These blind spots they’re allowing people around the city who are poverty stricken the opportunities to produce the high number of crime we see every day. 98 | Crime
KS
“I didn’t realize they were that...they were just incredible like, I mean they are obviously supposed to be well trained and everything but, they were. And they handled the situation very well.
MJ Money Talks | 99
“So it definitely traumatized me for a few weeks and I think even now I think I’m a lot more cautious and a lot less trusting of walking on Temple’s campus.”
MJ 100 | Crime
KS
I do think that Philadelphia has a crime problem because the police officers aren’t as responsible as they should be. And they don’t get out as fast as they should be. There were a lot of people who died and things could have been avoided if they came on time” Money Talks | 101
“Yeah, I believe there is a crime problem but, I think the problem is just like any other city. Especially when it comes to impoverish areas where a lot of people turn to crime as a way to I guess feed themselves. Also, kind of a lack of protection of the kids that they feel like they need to protect themselves in violent ways and thats where I see a lot of the issues where there’ a disconnect between parents being able to take care of their kids.” 102 | Crime
MJ
“I’ve definitely been the victim of crime in terms of being jumped on the street but, it hasn’t really affected me in the long term. Like I said, I go where I please and I won’t let any sort of crime stop me.”
MJ Money Talks | 103
“I think the area surrounding north Philly [needs more police patrol]. I think a lot of times they just think that it’s just so bad that they don’t need to be there, and then they patrol the more touristy areas a little bit more. So I think if they started coming more frequently to North Philadelphia.” 104 | Crime
KD
“I was walking home from school one day and i was approached by two little boys who told me that they lost contact with their mom. They want to call her because she was supposed to pick them up from school. Yeah, I gave them my phone but, soon after that one of them just grabbed my phone and ran away with it. I was hesitant at first but since they were so young, just little kids, so I chose to trust to them in the end.�
JJ Money Talks | 105
Philly does have a major problem with poverty, education rates, and many places you have that you’re going to have crime you’re going to have robbery extortion majorly just things that happen as after effects to those kind of things.” 106 | Crime
MJ
KS
“I think it has to deal with school, they get dropped out of school and things like that and the jobs, they cant get into certain jobs and because of that the only way they can get by is by selling drugs and selling guns and things of that nature� Money Talks | 107
“If you don’t take the stand they cant hold it against you, yes they did. The physical evidence said I didn’t do it, the physical evidence. The jury convicted me cause I didn’t take the stand. – Gregory Louis Kelly, 57. Maxed out on a 12-25 year prison sentence, has been out for seven years. “ 108 | Crime
MA
BS
“With the police, they should just flush them out and start all over again. With everything that’s going on, hate crimes and cops killing a lot of people, I feel like they should get people who they know are responsible .” Money Talks | 109
Photographers AW Ashley Kane
KS Kelsey Stanger
BS Brianna Spause
MA Maggie Andresen
ED Eddie Durkin
ML Matthew Leister
HS Holli Stephens
MM Matt McGraw
JJ Jessica Jia
MJ MJ Moyer-Fittipaldi
JW Jared Whalen
MP Marissa Pina
KD Kelsey Dubinsky
PM Phylandra McFaddin
KA Kathryn Stellato
Front and Back Cover, Table of Centents by Brianna Spause Foreword by Eddie Durkin