Vol. III No. 96 (462)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
June 6, 2012
Philadelphia Daily Record
ANY 2 WILL DO
SHOWING they are all in accord at today’s meeting of City Commissioners were Members Al Clark, Stephanie Singer and Al Schmidt. Majority rule was affirmed at this meeting, laying a clear course for all future policy decisions in this dissension-racked agency See story below.
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Jun. 9 State Sen. Vincent Hughes invites all to West Park Arts Fest on grounds and inside School of the Future, 40th & Parkside Ave., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 15 music acts, dance pavilion. Free trolley tours. Jun. 9Republican state senatorial candidate Mike Tomlinson fundraiser at Chickie’s & Pete’s, 11000 Roosevelt Blvd., starts 6 p.m. Tickets at door $40, two for $75. For info Kathy Lombardi (215) 519-7553 or kimb157@comcast.net.
$5 at the door. For info John Katrina (215) 252-6918. Jun. 15State Rep. John Myers hosts his final Senior Health Fair at Center in the Park, 5818 Germantown Ave., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For info (215) 849-6896. Jun. 15Celebrating 60th anniversary of SS United States celebration and stack lighting at Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Columbus Blvd., 6:30-9 p.m. Tickets $30.
For more information, call William Hanna
Jun. 10St. Edmond’s Parish Centennial Dinner at Penn’s Landing Caterers, 1301 S. Columbus Blvd., 2-6 p.m. Ticket $65 with a cash bar. For info (215) 334-3755.
267-808-0287
Jun. 13Republican City Committee schedules meeting for ward leaders at United Republican Club, 3156 Allegheny Ave., 7 p.m.
Meat & Deli Prego Pizzelle Baker Uno Panini Grill
$
29.99 $39.99
2024 S. 10th St Philadelphia PA 19148
215-468-5363 2|
Jun. 14Fundraiser for Councilwoman Cindy Bass at Tavern 17, Radisson Warwick Hotel, 220 S. 17th St., 5-7 p.m. Ticket levels $50 to $1,000. RSVP by Jun. 7 to Fran Fattah at RSVP@CindyBass.com or (215) 370-9883. Jun. 14Creative Class Fundraiser for Councilman David Oh at the Walnut Room, 1709 Walnut St., 5-8 p.m. Tickets $50 up. Special for Artists,
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Jun. 15-16-7- Annual St. Maron Church Lebanese Festival on Ellsworth St. between 10th and 11th. Friday from 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. Admission free. All welcome. Authentic Middle East cuisine and entertainment. Jun. 15-17- Remembering Juneteenth (Freedom Day, Jun. 19), three-day celebration hosted by Berean Baptist Ch., 2425-33 W. Indiana Ave. Rev. James Henry Buck, Jr., pastor. For info (215) 229-8048. Jun. 16Pre-Father’s Day Brunch sponsored by State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas at St. Paul Baptist Ch. Callahan Ha., 10th & Wallace Sts. All in 181st State House Dist. are welcome to come honor men aged 90 and up. For info Rev. Donna Jones (267) 886-3139.
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City Commissioners Bring In Majority Rule The Philadelphia City Commissioners this morning approved changes in rules and guidelines which effectively spreads the power of the chair in deciding agendas, approving introduction of new business, and approving the order of business to a majority of two. Essentially, this is in keeping with campaign promises to bring more transparency to the Offices of the three City Commissioners. The rules were offered by Commissioner Al Schmidt. The rules do not call for a unanimous vote and make a two-thirds majority the absolute rule.
Casey Deplores Defeat Of Paycheck Fairness Act US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, released the following statement in response to the Senate vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which failed to overcome a filibuster yesterday afternoon, 52-47:
“I’m disappointed that despite overwhelming evidence showing women are still getting paid significantly less than men for the same work, a minority in the Senate rejected a commonsense bill that would help narrow the pay gap. I cosponsored and fought for the Paycheck Fairness
Act to begin to close Pennsylvania’s staggering 18.6% pay gap, which hits middle class families in the pocketbook and damages our economy. The Paycheck Fairness Act confirms a simple principle- equal pay for equal work, and I intend to keep fighting to pass this bill,” said Casey.
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Daily Waffles From Joe Sbaraglia (The Waffleman) DUG OUT - A restaurant fre-
of good food, a good cup of cof- gle Tavern at 10th & Reed
quented by teachers and stu-
fee and good friends.
Streets. Every Friday and Saturday night he was there to
dents from Southern High School among other loyal pa-
DUSTY GALE - was the stage
croon, flirt with the girls and
trons. They spent their breaks
name used by Frank Crocetto.
serenade the diners. An old-
and lunch over a good cup of
For over forty-two years, he
time saloon singer who brought
coffee or sandwich. It is still
and his fpur-piece band enter-
smiles to many faces, he passed
open, continuing the tradition
tained the patrons of the Trian-
away in June of 1994 and will be missed in South Philadelphia. He was a good friend and the kind of guy that is hard to forget. So long Dusty . . .
3 BIG SALES WEEKLY
DUTCH KITCHEN - The triangular building at the intersection
of
Broad
Street,
McKean Street and Passyunk Avenue. It was a great restaurant as well as a place where you could meet and greet many of your friends. A good meal was always available for a reasonable price. It is now the site of a bank.
To buy a copy of this book E-Mail Dwaffleman@aol.com
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Toomey Worries About CBO Debt Warning US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) expressed concern over the longterm budget outlook report released by the Congressional Budget Office yesterday. Under the status quo baseline, the national debt will continue to explode. Without major changes, debt held by the public will rise from 73% of GDP at the end of 2012 to 93% within 10 years, approaching Europe’s disastrous levels. Twenty-five years from now, the national debt will reach 200% of GDP. Absent major entitlement reform, the country’s entitlement programs will continue their unsustainable growth. Spending on
mandatory health care programs will nearly double in 25 years and the Medicare trust fund will be exhausted by the early to mid2020s. By 2022, spending on Social Security, health care programs and interest will consume nearly 90% of expected revenue. “The country’s gloomy fiscal forecast is a failure of leadership on the part of the president and the Democratic majority in the Senate,” Toomey said. “The record levels of debt are already hampering our economic recovery and job growth, and absent a substantive plan to tackle our country’s spending addiction and unsustainable entitlement pro-
grams, our current problems are only going to get worse. “I introduced a budget this year and last year because our country desperately needs a fiscal blueprint that will balance our budget, reform our entitlement programs and restore economic prosperity. Unfortunately, the president has refused to engage in a serious discussion about our fiscal future and the looming crisis, and Senate Democrats have refused to propose a budget of any kind, let alone one that addresses these problems. I hope the CBO’s most recent outlook report will serve as the wake-up call this administration needs.”
UCB Cuts An ‘Assault,’ Says Sen. Williams State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-W. Phila.) issued the following statement on yesterday’s Senate passage of legislation to cut unemployment compensation (SB 1310):
middle-class among us is fiction. The unfortunate truth is that it’s all too real, no matter how ill-considered, for both families and our fragile economic recovery.
“With votes such as the one today that seeks to dismantle unemployment insurance for tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians, it’s hard to argue that an assault on working- and what’s left of the
“Unemployment insurance is not an aspiration for most hard-working Pennsylvanians; it’s a stop-gap measure, a lifeline, that keeps lights on, bills paid, groceries stocked and families in place. It’s a small • PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM
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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD boost of relief during economically shaky times, when there’s no immediate transition to that next job. Most of us know someone who falls into this category, making today’s vote to cut unemploy-
ment insurance that much harder to fathom, not when we continue to find tax breaks and other magic money for priority projects of this administration.”
DA’s Fundraising Is Slashed BY GOP Chief Philadelphia City Republican Chairman Rick Hellberg called upon Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams to cancel today’s campaign fundraiser which solicited contributions from over 34 deputies and chiefs of the District Attorney’s Office and denounce the campaign executive director’s unethical tactics. “The District Attorney is not supposed to be your run-of-themill politician,” asserted Hellberg. “He is a prosecutor and an officer of the court, who is entrusted with a solemn responsibility of assuring criminal justice is dispensed impartially and evenhandedly. As such, the District Attorney is required by law to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.” 6|
“Sending campaign contribution solicitations to your senior employees, at their government paid e-mail addresses, is not only egregious, but is shocking to the conscience. District Attorney Williams owes the taxpayers of Philadelphia more than a mere “I didn’t authorize” after the fact. District Attorney Williams must demonstrate his faithfulness to public integrity by canceling the campaign event right here and now.” Chairman Hellberg asserted that Section 10-107 of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter as well as Section 2374 of the Pennsylvania Election Code, expressly prohibits solicitation of civil service employees. “Macing is the practice of demanding political donations
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from government employees in return for continued employment or favoritism on the job. It is a crime in Pennsylvania. Simply inviting employees to the boss’ fundraiser by no means rises to the level of macing and there is certainly no evidence of macing being practiced by the District Attorney. Regardless, it is not a long leap to illegal activity and the practice of asking government employees to contribute to their supervisor’s reelection should be discouraged. Further, how does the rank and file assistant district attorney think that their donation or non-donation will be considered by management? We cannot afford to have our prosecutors wondering if they are being evaluated on factors other than performance,” asserted Hellberg.
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Greenberger, Levy To Talk About Development Next Tuesday, Jun. 12, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m., Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer Toddy, PC will host a rare opportunity for the public to hear simultaneously from Deputy Mayor of Planning & Economic Development and Director of Commerce Alan Greenberger, and President/CEO of the Center City District, Paul Levy, regarding the status of private and public-sector development in Philadelphia. As the fifth- largest city in the country, Philadelphia boasts an increasing number of officebased and retail businesses, restaurants, entertainment venues, and educational institutions, and a growing residential and workforce population. Greenberger and Levy will be joined by Zarwin Baum shareholder Darwin Beauvais for a panel discussion moderated by Zarwin Baum shareholder Kenneth J. Fleisher as they discuss development trends and what they mean for Philadelphia over the next three years. “It’s exciting to have the opportunity to discuss Philadelphia’s future with two of the most influential and knowledgeable people in the City,” said Fleisher.
“Both Mr. Levy and Mr. Greenberger have dedicated themselves to the betterment of our City, and those who attend will benefit from their willingness to share their insights about what they foresee for business and residential growth.” At the Philadelphia Dept. of Commerce, Greenberger leads efforts to develop businessfriendly strategies to help both small businesses and major corporations in Philadelphia thrive. Prior to this role, he was in private practice as an architect and planner with MGA Partners and its predecessor, Mitchell/Giurgola Architects. Among his notable projects are the West Chester University School of Music and Performing Arts Center, new campus plan and pavilions at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and the Master Plan for the Centennial District in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. Levy has been the CEO of the Center City District of Philadelphia since its founding in 1991. He has advised more than 50 North American cities and two dozen world cities on downtown management. He served on the
Board of IDA in the mid-1990s and as the organization’s chair in 1999. Since 1979, Levy has taught at the University of Pennsylvania in the City Planning Dept. The discussion will be held at Zarwin Baum offices, located at 1818 Market Street, 13th floor. The event is free and open the public. Space is limited. Please RSVP to Katie Schaer at (215) 569.2800 or events@zarwin.com by Friday, Jun. 8.
Carlton Johnson Kept On Minority Bar Body Carlton L. Johnson, a Partner with Archer & Greiner PC in Philadelphia, has been appointed to serve a third consecutive oneyear term on the Minority Bar Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. PBA President Thomas G. Wilkinson, Jr. informed Johnson of his reappointment in a recent letter. The Minority Bar Committee’s mission is to assure full and equal participation of minorities
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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD in the PBA, the legal profession, and the justice system in general. The committee monitors the status of minorities within the legal profession and promotes opportunities for minority advancement in the profession. In addition, the committee develops educational programs to address discrimination against minorities in the profession and the justice system in general, and makes recommendations to the PBA, the judicial, legislative and executive branches of government, and other
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groups, on issues affecting racial minorities. Johnson serves as Co-Chair of Archer & Greiner’s Civil Rights and Government Relations practice groups. A Philadelphia resident and former head of the Civil Rights Unit of the City of Philadelphia Law Department, Johnson concentrates his practice in civil-rights law, government relations and employment law.