Vol. II No. 16 (176)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
March 7, 2011
Philadelphia Daily Record
It’s Jewell
ANNOUNCING for Sheriff in Democratic May Primary in City Hall this morning, State Rep. Jewell Williams enjoyed impressive backing from his General Assembly colleagues, City Council Members and labor leaders. NAACP head Jerry Mondesire emceed announcement. Acting Sheriff Barbara Deeley endorsed Williams to succeed her, as did Williams’s chief rival for that office, Alan Kurtz, who dropped out of race on the spot.
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JAZZED UP and bigger than ever, Penna. Convention Center opened its new wing Friday to major hoopla. This facility can now handle largest conventions in America. Phila. Flower Show also opened at Convention Center this weekend, with audacious new strategies. Photo by Bonnie Squires
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Nutter, Casey Rally Against Block-Grant Cuts Mayor Michael Nutter, Sen. Bob
investment – all of which promote
Casey (D-Pa.) and community leaders
economic development and job cre-
flocked to the Mayor’s Reception
ation.
Room in City Hall this morning, calling on federal officials to protect Community Development Block Grant funding. The federally funded CDBG program has provided small and large communities across Pennsylvania with the flexibility to use al-
Translation/Interpretation Arabic, Hebrew, English, French For more information, call William Hanna
267-808-0287
located funding to address issues that directly affect their residents, including blight reduction, community revi-
The US House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would cut funding for the CDBG program by 66% for Fiscal Year 2011. If passed by the US Senate, Pennsylvania communities could lose $150 million in FY11. Significant cuts to CDBG funding have also been proposed for Fiscal Year 2012.
talization and private sector 2|
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
4 MARCH, 2011
The Mayor and Senator were joined by John A. Garner,
munity Development Corps.; and Sister Mary Scullion,
executive director, Pennsylvania League of Cities and Mu-
Co-Founder, Project H.O.M.E.
nicipalities; Rick Sauer, Pennsylvania Association of Com-
Philadelphians Feel Less Positive About City, Poll Finds A new poll from The Pew Charitable
“It’s hard to say exactly what is be-
Roughly equal numbers of Philadel-
Trusts’ Philadelphia Research Initia-
hind this shift in attitudes, said Larry
phians see their city as being “headed
tive shows a downward drift in
Eichel, project director of Pew’s
in the right direction” (40%) as view
Philadelphians’ attitudes toward their
Philadelphia Research Initiative. “But
it as “off on the wrong track” (39%).
city and its government.
the across-the-board nature of it sug-
Last year, right direction outnumbered
gests to our pollster the deep and lin-
wrong track, 41% to 34%.
This slightly-less positive outlook appears in the forms of fewer residents approving the city’s overall direction,
gering impact of the recession on the lives of Philadelphians may have something to do with it.”
poorer ratings for most City services,
Those who approve of Nutter’s job performance outnumber those who disapprove by 52% to 37%; last year,
lower assessments of the quality of
As a group, Philadelphians are dis-
the margin was a bit wider, 53% to
life in the neighborhoods, and reduced
heartened about their own economic
32%. As in the past two years, the
job-approval numbers for Mayor
situations. More than half of the resi-
Mayor polls better with whites and
Michael Nutter and City Council this
dents polled – 52% – report that they
Hispanics than with African Ameri-
year compared to last. Most of the de-
or someone in their household were
cans.
clines are in single digits.
unemployed and looking for work at some point in the last 12 months.
The wide-ranging survey of 1,604 Philadelphians was conducted by Abt SRBI Public Affairs, working with
Sixty-three percent describe their own finances as “only fair” or poor.
In the past year, City Council’s jobapproval rating has declined, moving from positive to slightly negative. Thirty-nine percent approve of the job
Rutgers University Professor Cliff
Sixty percent of residents rate their
City Council is doing, while 42% dis-
Zukin. The poll also gauged public at-
neighborhoods as excellent or good
approve. In 2010, 42% approved,
titudes on casino gambling and some
places to live, compared to 61% last
34% disapproved.
of the policy questions facing city
year and 65% in 2009. In the poll, respondents were asked to
leaders. Ratings for City services have
select between more government
Some of the numbers – including
dropped off. Over the past two years,
services and higher taxes on the one
those about the city’s overall direction
the declines in the combined good and
hand, or fewer services and lower
and the Mayor’s job performance –
excellent ratings are down anywhere
taxes on the other; 43% opted for
are not as low as they were in an April
from 1 percentage point for senior
more services/higher taxes, 44% for
2009 survey conducted at the height
services to 13 percentage points for
fewer services/lower taxes.
of that year’s City budget crisis.
street maintenance and repair (from 33% to 20%).
4 MARCH, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
And when asked whether the City |
3
should seek to save money by reduc-
$30,000 want the City to provide
ing guaranteed pension benefits for
equal pension benefits, compared to
new employees, 44% said yes, 45%
29% among those with family in-
no. There is a big split between
comes above $100,000.
African Americans and whites on this question. Fifty-two percent of Blacks
Mar. 10St. Patrick’s Day Parade Luncheon & Sashing of Grand Marshal at Doubletree Hotel, Broad & Locust Sts., 12 m. Tickets $50. RSVP Kathy McGee Burns (215) 872-1305. Mar. 10Cocktail Party for Traffic Ct. candidate Fred Mari at American Pub, 1500 Market St., in Center Sq. Bldg., 5-7:30 p.m. Donation $50. For info Mark (215) 9909352. Mar. 10Fundraiser for Controller Alan Butkovitz at Vesper Club, 226 S. Sydenham St., 5:30-7:30 p.m. Donation $500. For info (412) 721-9489. Mar. 10South Philadelphia Business Association annual Scholarship gala at Galdo’s catering, 20th & Moyamensing Ave., 6-10 p.m. Honoring DA Seth Williams, and Row Home magazine’s Dawn Rhoades and Dorette Rota Jackson. For info (215) 336-1108. Mar. 10State Sen. Anthony Williams hosts foreclosure-prevention workshop at Ezekiel Baptist Ch., 5701 Grays Ave., 6-8 p.m. Mar. 11Sen. Bob Casey, John Dougherty and others host St. Patrick’s Day Toast at Finnigan’s Wake, 4rd & Spring Garden Sts., 6 p.m. Contributions $35/person, $60/couple, $250/sponsor. RSVOP recommended. For info rsvp@bobcasey.com. 4|
want new employees to get pension benefits equal to those of current City workers and retirees, while only 36% of whites take that position. Answers also vary according to income; 50% of those with family incomes under
Philadelphians remain generally in favor of casino gambling in the city, supporting it by 53% to 34%, a result little changed from a year ago before the first casino opened within the city limits. As for a possible second casino in Philadelphia, 47% oppose the idea and 42% favor it.
Environmentalists Will Hold Forum On Gas Drilling In City Hall Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds
To put public health at the center of
Brown has partnered with Clean
the debate, Philadelphia groups and
Water Action and other environmental
elected leaders are banding together to create a forum for spoken comment which will be transcribed and sent to the DRBC before the April 15th deadline for comments.
groups to host a forum on natural-gas drilling in the water supply of Philadelphia. The Delaware River Basin Commission, which governs water use in the whole Delaware River Watershed, has released a set of draft rules for hydrofracking for natural gas: http://bit.ly/e48Ax0.
Doors at 5:15 p.m. The forum begins at 5:30 and ends at 7:30 in City Council Chambers (Room 400, City Hall). People may begin lining up outside
If these rules were allowed to be final-
City Hall at 4 p.m. or earlier; musi-
ized and implemented, natural-gas
cians will be on hand at the northeast
drillers would begin exposing the
corner of City Hall along with advo-
water we all drink from to the high
cates.
levels of radioactivity, toxic chemicals and other dangerous contaminants that have so many people concerned all over the rest of the state, the activists charge. Most Philadelphians drink water taken from the Delaware
Co-sponsoring organizations are Delaware Riverkeeper Network, PennEnvironment, Protecting Our Waters and Sierra Club Southeastern Pennsylvania.
River, with intakes downstream from
There will be no pre-selected speak-
18,000 future natural-gas develop-
ers. Councilwoman Reynolds Brown
ments.
will open the forum and speakers will speak in the order that they sign up
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
4 MARCH, 2011
for the open forum. Each speaker will
submit written comments of any
have three minutes, though they can
length and Clean Water Action staff
will deliver those to the DRBC.
School District: Report Shows Nothing Amiss With Security-Camera Buys A summary report released by Pepper
The law firm found that no evidence
Hamilton, LLP has shown no evi-
there were any improper or unlawful
dence of wrong-doing by the superin-
motives behind the selection of the
tendent and CEO or deputy
contractors used in the South
superintendent in the installation of
Philadelphia HS Camera Project in
security cameras in 19 “persistently
December 2009. Neither did it find
dangerous” schools, the School Dis-
evidence the initial recommendation
trict announced today.
to consider using Security Data Tech-
For months, Superintendent Dr. Arlene Ackerman and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Leroy Nunery have been scrutinized for the installation of emergency security cameras in 19 “persistently dangerous” schools. In
nologies, Inc. and the later decision to use IBS Communications, Inc. as the
recommendations of the state study. Pepper Hamilton found the original proposal submitted on behalf of SDT, stated that there would be Minority Business (MBE) participation of 33% and Women Business participation of 34%, but no information about any proposed subcontractors was included.
prime contractor overseeing the in-
It reported the original SDT walk on
stallation of cameras in 19 “persis-
resolution was not given to Dr. Acker-
tently dangerous” schools was based
man and/or Dr. Nunery with sufficient
on improper or unlawful motives.
time to review and ask questions about the proposal before the Septem-
December 2010, the District retained
Because of the apparent need to expe-
the services of Pepper Hamilton, a na-
dite the installation of the security
tionally-recognized firm with a local
cameras at the 19 “persistently dan-
Pepper Hamilton found that after the
office, to conduct an in-depth investi-
gerous” schools, the process was not
Sep. 22, 2010 SRC meeting, the pro-
gation after multiple agencies re-
as transparent and inclusive as it
posed MBE/WBE participation in the
quested a complete and detailed
could have been.
SDT proposal was not adequately ex-
account of contracting practices and procurement policies related to the installation of the above-mentioned cameras. This allowed for unbiased investigative efforts.
Because certain senior staff involved in the contracting process failed to effectively present a plan that was consistent with the School District’s policies and goals, the School District
Pepper Hamilton obtained and re-
administration made decisions based
viewed electronic communications
on incomplete information.
containing 676,668 pages. It interviewed 32 School District employees, three School District vendors and counsel for IBEW Local Union 98.
plained to Dr. Ackerman. Dr. Ackerman and Dr. Nunery expressed concern that minority contractors were not being considered to act as prime contractors on School District projects and asked whether IBS had the ability to act as the prime contractor on the “persistently dangerous”
from 35 School District employees. This amounted to 166,398 records
ber 22, 2010 SRC meeting.
There is no evidence to suggest that
schools camera project. They were
Dr. Ackerman or School District staff
told IBS had the ability to do so.
did not believe there was not an urgent need to expedite the installation of security cameras in 19 “persistently dangerous” schools in response to the
Pepper Hamilton found that Procurement Office staff delegated the role of managing the project to the Office of School Safety, with full knowledge
4 MARCH, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
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5
that they did not have sufficient re-
prepare a cost estimate for the project
tively plan significant capital projects
sources or expertise to properly man-
and instead used SDT’s $7.5 million
to avoid the use of emergency con-
age a project of this size.
budget proposal.
tracting processes and create more
Pepper Hamilton found that Procure-
Pepper Hamilton recommended the
ment Office staff failed to have IBS
School District should more proac-
transparent and inclusive procedures to govern them when exceptional situations arise.
Professional Women Choose New Board Members Professional Women’s Roundtable
tions, she chairs the Blue Ribbon
– a nonprofit providing networking,
Committee for the Philadelphia Lib-
leadership, educational and personal
erty Bell Chapter of the American So-
growth opportunities to a diverse
ciety of Metals. Rosenbloom is a
group of emerging women business
resident of Wynnewood, Pa.
leaders in the Greater Philadelphia region – announced new officers and board members.
is senior manager at Grant Thornton
hood Club of Bala Cynwyd, Pa.,
LLP. In addition to sitting on the
where she resides.
Philadelphia office leader of
for the Greater Philadelphia Chamber
Women@Grant Thornton, the firm’s
of Commerce. Sitting on the PWR
initiative to recruit, retain and pro-
board since 2010, she serves on the
mote client-serving women. Ireland is
Volunteer Committee for the Vision
a resident of South Philadelphia.
community positions. Dietrich is a resident of E. Coventry, Pa. Jennifer L. Lemert, MS-FNP, VP and Chair, Events Committee. Lemert is a family nurse practitioner at Pennsylvania Presbyterian Medical Center’s emergency department. A member of PWR’s board since 2010, Lemert resides in Ardmore, Pa.
Christie Mills sits on the Events Committee. Mills is corporate secretary/treasurer for Karr Barth Administrators, Inc. A member of the board of both the Philadelphia Doctors’ Chamber Orchestra and the Rox-
Liza Herschel is Chair, Board Devel-
borough Symphony Orchestra, she
opment Committee. Herschel is a
resides in Springfield, Delaware Co.
senior consultant for SDI Communications. In addition to sitting on the board of PWR and co-chairing its Events Committee since 2009, she is a member of the board of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. Herschel resides in Manayunk in Philadelphia. Caroline Bean is Co-Chair, Public Re-
Karen Moustafellos is Co-Chair, Ambassador, Membership and Sponsorship Committees. Moustafellos is CEO and co-founder of Elements and Alloys Inc. A member of the board of DOCOMOMO (Documentation and Conservation of buildings of the Modern Movement), she is a resident of Chestnut Hill.
lations/Communications Committee.
Shari Nathanson Rosenbloom, PhD, is
Bean is the national media
Treasurer. Rosenbloom is director,
relations/social media manager at the
Failure Analysis and Biomedical De-
Greater Philadelphia Tourism Market-
vices, at Corrosion Testing Laborato-
ing Corp. Sitting on the committee for
ries, Inc. (Newark, Del.). Among
the Southwest Center City Run, Walk
other professional leadership posi-
& Roll 5K fundraiser, she is a resident
6|
lationship manager, Commercial serves on the board of The Neighbor-
Dietrich is regional account executive
Technical College HS, among other
ship Committee. Briggs is VP and re-
Elizabeth Ireland is Secretary. Ireland
board of WOMEN’S WAY, she is the
tional Advisory Committee for the
Amara M. Briggs is Chair, Sponsor-
Banking for Citizens Bank. She also
Melissa Dietrich is the new President.
2020 Conference and the Occupa-
of Philadelphia.
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
In addition to Dietrich, Lemert and Herschel, existing board members are Anne Marie Aaronson, Esq. (partner, Dilworth Paxson), chair, Membership Committee, and Alexandra KaneWeiss (associate vice president, Star4 MARCH, 2011
Toplin), chair, Public Relations/Com-
hance business development and other
working/leadership programs, visit
munications Committee.
professional development skills. For
pwroundtable.com or contact (215)
more information on PWR and its net-
628-9844.
Founded in 2002, PWR seeks to en-
Spring Approaches With A French Flair At The Flower Show The image of Paris here has been a bit
the largest and oldest indoor flower
under siege lately. December’s must-
show in the nation.
see Philadelphia theater included the touring production of Les Miserables, which, although outstanding, presented an image of 19th-century Paris for which “sordidly corrupt” would be euphemistic. As did the rest of world, Philadelphians heard in October about full-blown riots related to pension re-
The 10 acres of exhibit space at the Show feature various exotic plants and eclectic designs. The entries total 2,000, and the Show also includes a marketplace, featuring 150 vendors, including some from outside the United States.
form and student tuition, occurring in
Many locals are taking advantage of
well-known parts of Paris. (These Oc-
the opportunity to showcase their pas-
tober riots were, for the most part, by
sion for horticulture. For example, the
very-much native Frenchmen, unlike
Greater Philadelphia chapter of the
the immigrants who periodically riot
American Rhododendron Society,
in the city’s suburbs). Perhaps most
which meets at Morris Arboretum in
horrifyingly to Philadelphians, the
Erdenheim/Chestnut Hill, presented
very pages of the Philadelphia Public
an exhibit called “Place des Rhodo-
PHILA. INTERNATIONAL
Record last Thursday included an arti-
dendrons.” According to chapter
FLOWER SHOW preview gala,
cle describing Paris’s population of
member Norm Sumner, “Most of
held Saturday night at “Springtime
163 City Councilors and 21 Mayors.
what we have here is evergreen, but
in Paris” exhibition, had hundreds
This article is reprinted blow.)
some plants here are deciduous. There
of patrons attending a cocktail exhi-
So the timing could not be much op-
bition on main floor of Convention
portune for the 2011 Philadelphia In-
Center, followed by a gala dinner.
ternational Flower Show to have a
Here, from left, are Drew Becher,
theme of “Springtime in Paris.” Open-
CEO of Penna. Horticultural Soci-
ing yesterday and running through
ety, turns microphone for opening
this coming Sunday, Mar. 13, the
ceremony over to Mayor Michael
show takes place at the Pennsylvania
Nutter, who had the privilege of
Northeast Philadelphia’s Horticultural
Convention Center. A tradition since
flicking giant switch which turned
Academy at Abraham Lincoln HS
1829, the Show has evolved from a
on lights on Eiffel Tower display.
presented the exhibit “Thomas Jeffer-
gathering of professional growers
Photo by Bonnie Squires
son’s Horticultural Legacy.” The ex-
showcasing their own prized plants to
4 MARCH, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
are literally thousands of rhododendrons and azaleas that are available. This is just a limited selection.” Fellow chapter member Myo Myint added: “There is a tremendous variety of flowers and foliage.”
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7
hibit included various flowers sur-
Media, Delaware Co., was titled “A
ample, Plastics Make it Possible®, an
rounding a small-scale replica of
Garden in the Bayou,” The exhibit
initiative sponsored by the American
Monticello. According to Sara Abdul-
featured, among other forms of plant
Chemistry Council, teamed up with
rasoll, a junior at the school, “People
life, a bald cypress tree covered in
artist Michael Dee to create a replica
may not be aware, but Jefferson
Spanish moss, as well as river birch
Arc de Triomphe with recycled,
brought some plants from Paris to
trees and Little Henry Virginia sweet-
reused and virgin plastics.
Monticello and Virginia in 1770. One
spire shrubs. Revenues generated by the Philadel-
of his purposes on that trip was to According to Mike O’Malley, a senior
phia Flower Show help support the
majoring in horticulture at Williamson
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s
Free School, “The plants that we have
outreach program Philadelphia Green.
Many of the featured exhibits com-
in the exhibit will survive the winters
This program offers encouragement
bined aesthetics with not only the
here in Pennsylvania. They’re all
and technical support to thousands of
practical but also with a nod to
cold-hardy enough to sustain not just
residents, community groups, and
French, or at least sometime-Fran-
one winter, but to continue on and
public and private agencies who work
cophone, environments. For example,
thrive.”
together to transform Philadelphia’s
bring back fruit, vegetables and beautiful flowers for his gardens.”
the exhibit by the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades of
communities and public landscapes Green technology and innovations are
into vibrant green spaces.
also prominently on display. For ex-
IT’S NOT ALL flowers either – here, an Arc du Triomphe made of recycled plastics by artist Michael Dee. (More Pictures Pag e 12) 8|
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
4 MARCH, 2011
Ah, To Be Politicking In Paris In The Spring! each level differ dramatically between the two nations. De-
by Tony West Some folks say Philadelphia’s City Council, with 17 Members, is too big. All right; so how would you like to have 163 of them instead? That’s what citizens of Paris deal with all the time. And they love Mayors so much, they have 21 of them.
partments are stronger than Counties, Regions are weaker than States. So in Philadelphia, if we want to affect police or fire policy, we vote for a Mayor, who then picks his police and fire chiefs. But in Paris, armed cops and firefighters are run by the national government, so you must vote for your
People from all over will be flocking to Philadelphia this
Senator or Deputy in the National Assembly to lobby the
week to marvel at the sights and sounds – and smells – of
President to change them.
Paris. This will happen when the Flower Show opens this Sunday, as this year’s theme is “Springtime in Paris”.
Traffic cops, on the other hand, are run by the City of Paris. So are meter maids – who in Philadelphia, through
One feature of French life that probably won’t be coming
an accident of history, are run by the State of Pennsylva-
to Philadelphia soon, though, is its unique soufflé of gov-
nia! Every great city’s government is weird in different
ernment and politics, which is nothing like ours.
ways.
That’s so even though the two cities have a lot in common.
One feature both Paris and Philadelphia share (aside from
Both cities are large (theirs, 2.2 million; ours, 1.6 million),
beautiful women and fabulous food) is that each city is
dense, diverse, historic cradles of liberty. Each is host to
two levels of government rolled into one. Philadelphia is
world-class science, culture and wealth – as well as world-
both a City and a County; Paris is both a Commune and a
class problems.
Department. Because it’s a Department, it gets national legislators of its own assigned to it.
But the tools of governance the two cities employ to deal with city life are very different. That’s because France and
Paris also happens to be the national capital – as Philadel-
the United States have very different approaches to gov-
phia once was, but no longer is. Yet Paris is governed
erning. As Philadelphia approaches the Flower Show, it
much more like the Quaker City than like Washington,
also is approaching its biggest municipal election, with the
D.C. Parisians have a say in both national and local affairs
Mayor, the Council and most other offices at stake. Paris’
just like every other Frenchman, whereas Washingtonians
next municipal election will be very different from
complain they have “taxation without representation.”
Philadelphia’s, though.
It gets weirder. Philadelphia has no true political body
“Civic government gets a little convoluted in France,”
below the City. Wards are mere hollow vessels for data-
notes Diana Regan with a grin. “Leave it up to the French
collecting and political organizing. Civic associations are
to make simple matters complicated.” Regan is a French
self-anointed private bodies which the City may reach out
professor at La Salle University and skippers the Alliance
and kiss if it wishes.
Française in Philadelphia. She runs frequent tours to Paris and knows that city well.
Paris, on the other hand, is divided into 20 Arrondissements (translating this as “Wards” would be misleading).
Where we have Municipalities, Counties, States and the
These are powerful independent governments in their own
federal government, France has Communes, Departments,
right, with locally elected officials, a common office
Regions and the national government. But the powers of
(Mairie) for lots of public services, headed by neighbors
4 MARCH, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
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9
you can easily meet on the street every day, where big-city citizens get small-town service. In part, that’s because they can’t afford to meet you only in their Mairie office to survive. While French politicians do get paid to go to work, few elected jobs pay a full-time salary compared to the US. It’s part-time work, like a
tional Assembly, 1981-1986, and subsequently Senator of Paris, 1995-2001. Shortly thereafter, he became Mayor of Paris and has been reelected once. But he’s still one of 11 Counselors at the 18th Arrondissement, along with his neighborhood butcher perhaps. However, he’s not his Arrondissement’s Mayor.
small-town public official. So a pol has two options to feed
So Parisians take it for granted their elected representa-
his family: either wear many public hats at once, or keep a
tives will always wear many hats. You can be a neighbor-
business on the side.
hood politician AND a city politician AND a national
At the Arrondissement level, it’s mostly the latter. “The
politician at the same time.
Arrondissement’s Mayor could also be your butcher,”
Parisians never get to vote for their executives directly. In
Regan says. The result is an urban society that is very
theory, the only City officials you can choose are your
comfortable with politicians because it has lots of small-
Ar.rondissement Councilors. These vary with size but a
timers – people whose lives are very similar to their voters
typical part of town might have 12 Councilors. You elect
– and very easy to reach. For everyday paperwork and
these Councilors, but the Councilors elect your local
neighborhood crises, no Parisian has to go downtown to
Mayor from amongst themselves. Then the 20 Arrondisse-
“City Hall”. Instead, they pop into their community
ment Councils select a handful of their Members to form
Mairie. It could be a combo post office/police
the City Council, which, as I said, had 162 Members the
station/health center/records department, all within walk-
last time they anybody counted. These City Council Mem-
ing distance. All French couples are married at their
bers in turn elect the Mayor of Paris – not you.
Mairie. Your license plate tells the world which ArThat’s in theory. In practice, political parties make clear
rondissement you live in.
who they’re running to have run the City; voters get this All political power flows upward from the Arrondisse-
and vote accordingly.
ment. This unit varies greatly in size, but its representation is proportional to its population. The average Arrondissement harbors about 105,000 people, midway between a Philadelphia State Rep District and a City Council District. In your Arrondissement – and at every other level of French society – you don’t have “legislators” and “executives”. Those categories are as American as apple pie. Instead, you have “Councilors.” The Councilor is the basic building block of public officialdom. These fellows debate the problems, make the rules AND run the office. All higher elective offices are based on your local Council
Once installed, this Mayor then chooses his cabinet from amongst the other City Councilors. Parisian voters get a lot more political choices than Philadelphian ones do. Pennsylvania’s government, in practice, permits only two political parties to survive and prevents Philadelphia voters from having any other options. France’s government encourages many political parties to organize, to reflect all “shades of public opinion.” This important concern is baked into French law. The French hold it illegal for a government not to include a space for minority views. “Winner take all” is not the
membership.
French way. The 18th Arrondissement, for example, has, as one of its 11 Councilors, a guy named Bertrand Delanoë. He was elected in 1977 and has been reelected after many six-year terms. In the meantime, he also became a Deputy in Na10 |
So Parisians are represented in City Council by not one, not two, but six different parties. Many more parties are allowed to run for office. As a result, none of their elections
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
4 MARCH, 2011
are like the typical Philadelphian show, where you get two
of loving government too much, and that may be true.
party choices at most, and only one choice more often than
However, what Parisians get in return for their strange and
not. There are laws forbidding one-party contests and com-
complex system, is – well, Paris. So they must be doing
pelling competitors even in “safe Districts”. This regula-
something right.
tion guarantees all political views in a diverse neighborhood will always be heard. What about intraparty power struggles? Primaries like the one we’re facing this spring don’t exist. However, Party discipline often breaks down and candidates in the General Election often put together rival slates, or “lists”, that can split parties or mix parties. You don’t vote for the man, you vote for the list, on which each candidate is numbered in order. Then the electoral commission sees what percentage of the vote your list got. Say you’re running to fill 12 seats with 12 candidates. If your list gets two-thirds of the vote, the top eight candidates on your list will be elected. If a less-popular list gets only 8% of the vote, only one of its candidates – the “head of the list” – will be elected. With all these players and all these rules, Parisian elections can get wild and wooly. Runoffs, one week after the first round, are often necessary. Lists for the second round may change as a result of dealmaking after the first round. Elections are always held on Sundays, to make it as easy as possible for citizens to vote. Americans often accuse the French 4 MARCH, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
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GIGANTIC EIFFEL TOWER greets Flower Show attendees at gate. Photo by Adam Taxin
BALD CYPRESS TREE covered in Spanish moss, part of Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades of Media, Delaware Co. exhibit: “A Garden in the Bayou”. Photo by Adam Taxin 12 |
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
4 MARCH, 2011