Vol. II No. 98 (258)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
July 12, 2011
Philadelphia Daily Record
Hotel Boom Coming
NUTTER ADMINISTRATION is working overtime to pitch city to hotel developers, now Convention Center expansion is complete. See story page 3.
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The Philadelphia Public Record Calendar Jul. 14Michael Meehan and Republican City Committee hosts fundraiser for Karen Brown for Mayor at Vesper Club, 223 S. Sydenham St., 5:307:30 p.m. Tickets $250. Jul. 15Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell celebrates her birthday with 14th annual Celebration and Health Fair for Homeless on City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza, 12 m.-3 p.m. Jul. 15Councilman Curtis Jones celebrates his birthday with White Linen Party at Centennial Café, 4700 States Dr., Fairmount Pk., 8-11 p.m. Donation $50. For info (267) 912-1420 or email SamanthaJoyWilliams@gmail.com. Jul. 15, 16Arts Bank Theatre hosts Classic Concert entertainment. $20. Hosted
by Miss Black Penna. For info (267) 281-3521, Jul. 19Fundraiser for Council candidate David Oh at McGillin’s Ale House, 1310 Drury St., 6-8. Free buffet, open bar. Contribution $50. Cash or money order. No Corporate checks. Jul. 23Brady Bunch get-together at Keenan’s at 113 Old New Jersey Av., North Wildwood, N.J., 4-8 p.m. Tickets $35. For info Tommy (215) 423-9027 or Charlie (215) 241-7804. Jul. 23State Sen. Anthony Williams hosts seminar on Building Financial Wealth by Improving Your Credit Score at 10 a.m. in Bossone Bldg. Atrium, 3200 Market St., 10 a.m. Parking available at 31st & Ludlow. For info Desaree K. Jones or Don Cave (215) 492-2980.
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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
13 JUNE, 2011
Summer School Out Early Due To Heat Due to extreme heat and humidity, all School District of Philadelphia Summer Learning and More students will be dismissed at the conclusion of the academic session today, Jul. 12. According to the National Weather Service, the combination of temperatures in the upper 90s and high humidity could create a situa-
tion in which heat illness is possible. The District is taking this excessive heat warning seriously. At the 1:00 p.m. dismissal time, routine transportation will occur for students. The heat advisory in effect until 8 p.m.
A Push Is On To Boost Hotel Development With the newly expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center open, the City of Philadelphia and its partners in the hospitality industry are working together to promote Philadelphia as the smart choice for hotel development and investment. Excitement continues to build in the City of Philadelphia, as the Convention Center, showcasing one million square feet of saleable space, recently hosted the International Society of Technology in Education. The tradeshow featured more than 20,000 attendees, using 28,500 total hotel-room nights, with an economic impact of $40 million. As a sign of the region’s growing economic development, partnership and commitment to progress, the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., with input from PKF Consulting, have once again teamed up to produce Philadelphia: Smart City. Smart Choice for Hotel Investment, a resource that highlights the opportunities for prospective hotel developments in Philadelphia. It includes a comprehensive market review (expanded Convention Center, transportation and access, 13 JUNE, 2011
new tourism developments, lodging by market and historical performance, and demand by segment), public financing programs and other City support for development projects, and an updated hotel map. “Philadelphia’s hospitality and tourism industry, which supports 56,000 jobs in the city, continues to work diligently to market Philadelphia as a compelling destination to hotel developers,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “The Convention Center is expanded and visitors from around the world are traveling here for business and leisure.” At the forefront of economic development are additional hotel rooms needed in Philadelphia. An additional 1,500 hotel rooms are essential to meet the needs of the expanded Convention Center, which has grown by 62% and has the ability to host two conventions simultaneously or megatradeshows. Philadelphia has already added more than 500 hotel rooms to its inventory in anticipation of the expanded Convention Center. In October 2009, two new hotels joined the Philadelphia hospitality landscape: Kimpton’s 230-room Hotel THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
Palomar Philadelphia at 17th & Sansom Streets and the 92-room Four Points by Sheraton right across from the expanded Convention Center. In May 2010, Le Méridien Philadelphia, a 201room hotel, opened at 1421 Arch Street, just steps away from the expanded Convention Center. So impressed by Palomar’s success, Kimpton is developing a second property – the Lafayette Building, along Independence Mall, which will open as the Hotel Monaco. The 270-room hotel is expected to open in the third quarter of 2012. Also, Homewood Suites is constructing a 130-room facility at 41st & Walnut Streets in the University City section of Philadelphia, slated for completion in spring 2012. In 2010, sales of Philadelphia hotel rooms reached an all-time high, as approximately four million room nights were sold in the City. Nick Gregory, director of operations for Kimpton Hotels Philadelphia, said, “The city has been incredibly welcoming of us and the guest response to our type of product has been extremely positive. We look forward to further integrating into the community |
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with the addition of our second property, the Monaco, and helping Philadelphia become a top travel destination.” The City and PIDC support hotel development and renovation projects in Philadelphia through 10 public financing, tax credit, and other programs. They include: The Welcome Fund, which can provide five-year financing in increments of $500,000 for every 10 new direct and indirect jobs created by a project as determined by an economic impact statement.
HUD 108 Loan, which can provide below-market financing for building acquisition and renovation and equipment purchases in increments of $35,000 for each permanent full-time equivalent job created by a project.
time jobs created through 2013.
Green Roofs Tax Credit, where the City offers a credit against the Business Privilege Tax of 25% for all costs incurred to construct a green roof, with a maximum credit of $100,000 per business.
“Philadelphia is a great business address and primed for hotel development,” said Jack Ferguson, president & CEO, PCVB. “An expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center is bringing additional people to Philadelphia, whether it be to meet here or visit here and that requires additional hotel rooms.”
Job Creation Tax Credit, where the City provides a tax credit of up to $3,000 per employee for new, full-
Developer services, where the City will bring together all major operating departments and utilities involved in the permitting and approval process to review and facilitate development projects.
Feds’ Mortgage Program Calls For Takers Need help paying your mortgage? Then call 1 (800) 522-4171. It’s your way to begin an application for a loan from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
The agency taps into a federal foreclosure-prevention program designed to help homeowners who are at least three months in arrears on their mortgage payments. Applications must be approved by
Sep. 30. Homeowners qualify if their gross income is at least 15% lower than when the property went into foreclosure.
Thomas Adds Security To Senior Development Seniors living in Casa Carmen Aponte Senior Development at 2121 N. Howard Street have been the target of criminals in the Norris Square community over the past few months. Drug addicts were gaining entrance, shooting drugs in the stairwells and robbing several of the residents. That ended this morning with the dedication of an electronic surveillance system made possible through the Philadelphia Prevention Partnership, funded through a grant gotten by State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas (D-N. Phila.)
Thomas reports it is the first in a series of senior developments in his 181st Safe Communities Initiative: Senior Electronic Surveillance Program. The system was designed and installed by Logistics Management Consultants, Inc. (LMC) in partnership with LinkTech, Inc., with Dr. Jamil Assaf Bautista, CEO of LMC as project director. Other senior developments in the 181st Legislative District that will receive new, upgraded surveillance systems through the program include Guild House East, Guild House West and Yorktown Arms.
Zogby Poll Says 9 Of 10 Want Fed Cuts Nine in 10 voters say it is important for Congress and President Barack Obama to reduce the nation’s longterm debt, and a majority prefers spending cuts over 4|
increased revenues as the means of accomplishing that goal, a new IBOPE Zogby Interactive poll finds. The Jul. 8-11 survey finds two-thirds favor means
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
12 JULY, 2011
testing for Medicare based on a person’s wealth, but similar percentages oppose reducing cost-of-living increases for Social Security and reducing provider payments in Medicare and Medicaid.
There is strong agreement to reduce defense spending (60%), end some tax loopholes and preferences (85%) and to reduce discretionary spending outside of entitlements and defense (62%).
Grant Deadline For Community College Students Extended PHEAA is reminding first-time and non-renewal Pennsylvania State Grant applicants planning to attend a community college that the PHEAA Board of Directors has extended the State Grant deadline from May1 to Aug. 1. Applicants must be attending a community college and satisfy all eligibility requirements, including being enrolled on at least a part-time basis to qualify. The State Grant deadline for renewal applicants remains May 1. PHEAA anticipates the deadline extension will increase community college State Grant recipients by 35% to approximately 33,000 students. The maximum State Grant award in 2011-12 for community college recipients will be $2,313, or a 23% increase from 2010-11 levels. In addition to the deadline extension, the PHEAA Board of Directors approved the allocation of $50 million from PHEAA’s business earnings to supplement the 201112 State Grant Program. The supplement, combined with the $380 million appropriated by the General Assembly, will increase the maximum award from $3,541 to $4,348, an $807 increase over 2010-11. “The State Grant deadline extension for community college students, combined with the $50 million supplement funded by 12 JULY, 2011
PHEAA’s business earnings, is very good news for Pennsylvania’s students and families who are struggling to pay for their higher education,” said Representative William Adolph, PHEAA Board Chairman. “Many community college students don’t make the decision to attend school until later in the summer and this extension provides them additional time to apply.” First-time and non-renewal community-college State Grant applicants who had received a reject notification because they filed after the original May 1 deadline will be contacted with updated eligibility information. PHEAA is encouraging students to review their State Grant application by logging into PHEAA.org to ensure that their application is complete, especially those who thought that they missed the deadline and did not follow through with completing their applications. To determine eligibility for a State Grant, applicants must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and a State Grant Form which collects additional data elements not requested on the federal application. The SGF is only required for first-time State Grant applicants. Applicants can access the FAFSA at either PHEAA.org/FAFSA or fafsa.gov. First-time applicants can access the SGF directly from the FAFSA THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
on the Web, allowing them to complete the entire process from one site. Students who have already submitted their FAFSA but not their SGF will need to visit Account Access through the Secure Sign-In at PHEAA.org to complete their State Grant Form. For information on the higher education financial aid process, schedules for upcoming financial aid nights and FAFSA Completion Sessions, reminders of financial aid deadlines, and video clips offering tips and information pertaining to planning for higher education, students can join PHEAA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pheaa.aid.
State Liquor Stores In Jeopardy Again For some reason, even though the Pennsylvania Liquor Stores have proven to be a goose laying a golden egg yearly for the State’s General Fund, there is someone who wants to kill the system. This time, the axe edge is sharper and closer to being wielded since Republican House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) is again introducing legislation to abolish the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and privatize the sale of wine and spirits in Pennsyl|
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vania. Turzai’s legislation would close 609 State-operated stores, allowing for up to 750 licenses to be auctioned for new, privately owned stores, create separate licenses for smaller and larger stores, and impose a “gallonage” tax on the sale of wine and spirits, a policy already found in 33 states. Pennsylvania is one of two states (the other is Utah) to have Stateowned and operated stores. States imposing the “gallonage” tax average $4.50 to $5 per gallon, though they range widely from $1.80 to $12.80. Turzai also estimates the initial auction of licenses could garner up to $2 billion in State revenue. This new tax policy supplants the Commonwealth’s current 18% tax on booze which generated $271 million in State revenue.
the skills they will need for new jobs critical to the nation’s longterm economic success. Economic activity in the manufacturing sector has increased for 23 consecutive months and manufacturing employment has rebounded from its low, adding almost 250,000 jobs since December 2009. Participating in the hearing will be Sen. Jim DeMint, (R-S.C.) and Congressman Daniel Lipinski, (D-Ill.). Testifying will be Ron Painter, CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards; Dr. Harry Holzer, professor of public policy at Georgetown University; Charles Wetherington, president, BTE Technologies, Inc. of Hanover, Md.; and Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Employment Policy.
Gov. Corbett has commissioned a report studying the economics of privatizing.
229 Student Visitors Here To Improve City
Nearly identical legislation last year was defeated. Despite a Republican majority, odds are the bill may not pass the State House.
More than 23,000 students made a decision to pay money out of their own pockets in order to help improve living conditions of people across the United States and Canada. At least 229 of those students, belonging to World Changers, an initiative of the North American Mission Board (Southern Baptist Convention), will be in Philadelphia the week of Jul. 25, working on a variety of assignments that range from painting houses to putting new roofs on homes.
Casey To Chair JEC Hearing Tomorrow On Training Manufacturing Workers US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), chairman of Joint Economic Committee, will chair a hearing titled, Manufacturing in the USA: Training America’s Workforce tomorrow in Washington. The hearing, the second in a series of hearings on manufacturing in the USA, will focus on equipping workers with 6|
than 85 cities from Alaska to Florida, New York to California, and many places in between. In its 21st summer of operation, World Changers assists cities across North America to alleviate substandard housing. “Our partnerships are the key to the past 21 years. Relationships with cities and churches have provided an avenue for students to make a difference in communities across North America,” says John Bailey, team leader for World Changers. Following a six-session “how-to” study that participants complete prior to coming, students serving Philadelphia will hit the ground running. The major work begins Tuesday of the project. The students will be staying at New Covenant Church of Philadelphia for the week.
On average, participating students pay $250 to take part in the week. This summer, 95 World Changers projects will take place in more THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
12 JULY, 2011