Vol. III No. 103 (468)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
June 22, 2012
Philadelphia Daily Record
Big Birthday
WISHING HAPPY BIRTHDAY to influential State Sen. Daylin Leach at a party in his honor at CHOPS on City Avenue are, from left, Alan Kessler, State Sen. Vincent Hughes, former State Sen. Bob Rovner, and a delighted birthday boy. More pictures inside. Photo by Bonnie Squires
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Jun. 221st annual Chick or Fish Fry hosted by Congressman Bob Brady, State Rep. Mark Cohen, Shirley Gregory and 49th Ward at Lou & Choo’s, 2101 W. Hunting Pk. Ave., 5-9 p.m. $10. For info Sonja Thomas (215) 200-6144, Ducky Birts (215) 510-1057, Teresa Tanner (267) 270-8088, Tommy Blackwell (215) 992-4425. Make checks payable to Shirley Gregory/49th Ward, 5803 N. 12th St., Phila., PA 19141.
Arabic, Hebrew, English, French For more information, call William Hanna
267-808-0287
Meat & Deli Prego Pizzelle Baker Uno Panini Grill
$
29.99 $39.99
2024 S. 10th St Philadelphia PA 19148
215-468-5363 2|
Jun. 22Cocktail reception for Joe Rooney, Republican 13th Dist. congressional candidate, hosted by Donna Parisi at A Child’s Place, 524 Sugartown Rd., Devon, Pa. Tickets $150$1,000. For info Maria Diezel (610) 430-0419. Jun. 23William Dunbar campaign headquarters opening, 2302 E. Allegheny, noon to 5 p.m. Special guest lists includes Congressman Bob Brady, Sen. Christina Tartaglione, DA Seth Williams and Mayor Nutter, Jun. 24Celebration Of The Drum at Hatfield House, 33rd & Girard Ave., 12-7 p.m. No cost. Bring your family, instruments, blankets or chairs. Jun. 2714th annual Youth Anti Violence Health Awareness Initiative at Myers Rec Ctr., 58th & Kingsessing
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Ave., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free event. Jun. 28Tom Matkowski’s GOP 65th Ward hosts fundraiser at Flukes Bar & Grill, 7401 State Rd., 6 p.m. Tickets $40. For info (215) 2982251. Jul. 7- Councilman Curtis Jones’ Block Captain Boot Camp at Belmont Picnic Grove, Belmont Ave. & Belmont Mansion Dr., 12-6 p.m. Workshops, picnic, games. Jul. 21Fundraiser for State Rep. John Taylor in N. Wildwood at Coconut Cove, 400 W. Spruce Ave., N. Wildwood, N.J., 2-6 p.m. Cash Bar. For info (215) 545-2244. Jul. 21Olney HS Class of 1979 Bowling Party at Liberty Lanes, 6505 Market St., Upper Darby, Pa., 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Cost $20. BYOB (beer or wine only). Jun. 28- Tom Matkowski’s GOP 65th Ward hosts fundraiser at Flukes Bar & Grill, 7401 State Rd., 6 p.m. Tickets $40. For info (215) 298-2251. Jul. 7- Councilman Curtis Jones’ Block Captain Boot Camp at Belmont Picnic Grove, Belmont Ave. & Belmont Mansion Dr., 12-6 p.m. Workshops, picnic, games.
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City Council Targets Citizens United Ruling Philadelphia activists today applauded the Philadelphia City Council for approving a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment designed to curb corporate influence over elections. The resolution – which was sponsored by Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez and co-sponsored by Council Members Curtis Jones, Marian Tasco and Cindy Bass – calls for passage of a constitutional amendment that would overturn the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, which gave corporations and wealthy individuals the green light to spend unlimited sums on elections. Since the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling, record amounts of money have been spent in races throughout the country. The resolution is one of more than 250 that have been passed since the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling. The local effort was organized by numerous organizations and elected officials, including Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People team in Philadelphia, Citizens Respond, Common Cause Pennsylvania, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1776, Fight for Philly, Philadelphia Jew-
ish Labor Committee, Philadelphia Coalition of Labor Union Women, Philadelphia MoveOn Council, Philly Rootstrikers, Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks, Granny Peace Brigade of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Democratic Progressive Caucus. House Administration Committee Ranking Member, Robert Brady (D-Phila.) commended the Philadelphia City Council on this resolution. “I have been a leader on this issue for many years, and it’s great to see support on this issue from our city leaders,” said Brady. “The Supreme Court got it wrong in Citizens United, and it’s time we clean up the mess it made. Hopefully this resolution will be a catalyst, inspire more of our state and local leaders, and push Republicans in the House to address this glaring problem and stop running out the clock on this Congress.” As Chairman of the House Administration Committee, Rep. Brady held three hearings on the DISCLOSE Act, a bill that required disclosure of political contributions that was passed by the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, the bill fell one vote short from passing the Senate. (Cont. Page 5) • PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM
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Daily Waffles From Joe Sbaraglia (The Waffleman) GRAVY - is what spaghetti sauce is called in South Philadelphia. The secret brews of tomatoes, various spices and herbs were cooked by many mothers and grandmothers throughout South Philadelphia. It was prepared every Sunday, early in the
morning. Gravy had to simmer for at least four hours, for if it cooked for less than that, it was not done. Some neighborhoods smelled delightful due to the aroma generated by the simmering gravy. Anticipation of a great spaghetti dinner grew as time passed
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and the aromas stimulated one's appetite. It was mandatory in our home that Sunday dinner was as close to noon as possible. GREEK’S - This luncheonette is on Snyder Avenue between Broad & Fifteenth Streets. The real name of this great luncheonette is Texas Wieners but the owner was from Greece, therefore the nickname The Greek’s. The Greek would line up the bottoms of six hot-dog buns on his left arm. He would then put a split, grilled hot dog on each bun. Mustard, relish, onions and his special Greek sauce were then applied to each hot dog. The tops of the buns were put on and the sandwiches were put on a paper plates if they were to be eaten there. If not, they were wrapped to go. The hotdog sandwiches cost fifteen cents each. Fishcake sandwiches were ten cents. They also serve delicious homemade soup. To buy a copy of this book E-Mail Dwaffleman@aol.com
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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD (Cont. From Page 3) “We salute Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez for her leadership and the entire Philadelphia City Council for its courage in taking up this critical fight to save our democracy from the tsunami of corporate money flooding our political campaigns,” said Steve Masters, a team leader in Philadelphia for Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People campaign. “The Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United has put the future of our democratic system of government in peril. This great city, which gave birth to both our democracy and our Constitution, is not about to sit quietly and watch our nation lose that precious gift. We’re willing to fight as hard as we need to defend and preserve our democracy for ourselves and future generations.”
resolution, the Rev. Micah Sims and Lynne Andersson, professor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, celebrated this milestone vote along with dozens of grassroots activists from labor and community organizations. Philadelphia is part of a growing movement in which city and town councils – from Los Angeles and New York, to Duluth, Minn., and S. Miami, Fla. – are calling for a constitutional amendment to curb corporate influence over elections. In addition, voters have approved similar ballot initiatives in cities and towns such as Missoula, Mont.; West Allis, Wis.; and Boulder, Col. State legislatures in Hawaii, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Mexico have called for an amendment as well, and similar resolutions have been introduced in 25 states.
At a press conference following the passage of the
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Fridays With GOP Vice Presidential Freddie Possible Cancels Philly
GOP Vice-Presidential Possible Cancels Philly Former Gov. Mitt Romney has secured the necessary delegates to seek his party’s nomination to challenge President Obama in November’s General election and now the GOP Vice-Presidential sweepstakes has officially begun. One name who you constantly hear being considered is Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has risen to national prominence in a short time. 6|
The son of parents who emigrated from Cuba, Rubio would graduate from law school exemplifying the American Dream. His start in politics was when he ran for West Miami City Commissioner and later got elected to the Florida House of Representatives and become Speaker of the House. He then launched a long-shot campaign for the US Senate against Florida’s popular incumbent Gov. Charlie Christ. When he upset Gov. Christ, speculation about his political future started almost immediately.
Many pundits believe Rubio would be an excellent running mate for Romney for several reasons. One, philosophy: Rubio is very conservative, a fraction of the GOP that Romney has struggled with over the course of the primary. Two,
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geography: Florida will be a major swing state in November and the selection of Rubio would all but guarantee the state for Romney. The Senator was scheduled to be at the National Constitution Center on Wednesday but canceled at the last minute. Rubio’s VP speculation took a dramatic turn earlier in the week when the Washington Post reported that Rubio was not being vetted by Romney’s VP advisors. Romney rebutted the report by the day’s end and said Rubio was being vetted by his campaign. Rubio’s press secretary said the VP speculation had nothing to do with the Philly cancellation and it was because he had to return to Washington for unexpected votes in the Senate.
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Blondell Moves Bills On Bldg. Energy, ATVs Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown introduced a resolution in yesterday’s City Council meeting authorizing public hearings to review and examine the regulations surrounding All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). The resolution was co-sponsored by freshman Council Members Curtis Jones, Jr., Maria Quiñones Sánchez and Kenyatta Johnson. The issue has reached a tipping point in many Philadelphia neighborhoods where riders run recklessly throughout streets and sidewalks, often ignoring stop signs and traffic lights. In addition to the public safety threat, complaints about the extreme level of noise skyrocket over the summer months. “Neighbors and community leaders have quite frankly had enough. This is one of those quality of life issues that touch a nerve with people in the heart of their community,” said the Councilwoman. “Factor in that young people are losing their lives and we have a real public safety crisis on our hands. Communities and families need to know that we hear them and are looking for solutions.” According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 521 deaths have been recorded in Philadelphia from 1982-2010 as a result of ATVs; from 1982-2006, 105 deaths were of children under the age of 16. Other large cities have implemented solutions to crack down on the problem. Sting operations are conducted in New York City and in Baltimore, gas stations are banned from providing fuel to ATVs and parents could be jailed for allowing a minor to ride. The Councilwoman intends to work in concert with police, concerned citizens and commu-
nity leaders to ensure a collaborative effort resulting in a series of recommendations and best practices that make sense for Philadelphia. That same session saw City Council pass Reynolds Brown’s Energy Benchmarking Bill. The legislation, co-sponsored by Councilman James F. Kenney, establishes a system of benchmarking and reporting of energy- and water-usage data for nonresidential buildings with 50,000 square feet or more. The bill will implement an online citywide program where property owners, tenants, prospective purchasers, lessees and the public at large can compare energy and water usage among comparable buildings. Property owners will find out how their buildings stack up to comparable buildings providing the tools necessary to formulate best practices and discover savings. “Step by step, we are taking action to make Philadelphia the Greenest City in America,” said Reynolds Brown, chair of the Committee on the Environment. “Passage of this bill checks off yet another significant item of the Mayor’s Greenworks Philadelphia Agenda and moves us that much closer toward our collective goal — a more sustainable city and planet for our kids.” Reynolds Brown has worked in concert with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Building Owners and Managers Association of Philadelphia and PECO to ensure and gather input from all sides. Philadelphia now joins Austin, Tex., New York, N.Y., San Francisco, Cal., Seattle, Wash. and the District of Columbia, who have already passed energy-benchmarking laws. • PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM
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Meet The Candidates For School District Head! The School Reform Commission’s Superintendent Search Team today announced the next phase of the search process designed to inform the selection of a final candidate for Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. This phase is composed of two community-engagement forums where members of the general public will have an opportunity to meet, hear from and ask questions of final candidates. The meetings are scheduled for Monday, Jun. 25, and Tuesday, Jun. 26, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the District’s Education Center located at 440 N. Broad Street. The School Reform Commission will announce
the final candidates on Friday, Jun. 22. In preparation for the candidates’ announcement the District is reaching out to parents, students, teachers and the school community at-large to invite them to attend the community forums. Members of the public who are unable to attend in person have the option to watch the community forums live on Comcast Channel 52, Verizon Fios Channel 20 and online at http://www.philasd.org/stream. Questions or comments to the candidates may be submitted in advance by email at superintendentsearch@philasd.org.
Smith Whacks Casey For Blocking Merit Pay The US Senate turned down an amendment to the Farm Bill offered by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that would have permitted individual merit raises even in union shops, following the model of S 3221, the Rewarding Achievement & Incentivizing Successful Employees (RAISE) Act. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) voted against this amendment, spurring his opponent in the general election Republican Tom Smith to issue a stinging attack. “I disagree with Sen. Casey, who with today’s vote said that union bosses and government bureaucrats should have the ability to block merit based raises 8|
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for hard working union members,” said Smith. “As an employer, I know the RAISE Act will empower American workers to earn compensation they deserve, something that has been thwarted by the National Labor Relations Board and some labor leaders favoring partisan politics over job creation. As a former member of the United Mine Workers of America, I respect the right of every American to be fairly compensated for their hard work and success.” The RAISE Act is not anti-union legislation, Smith asserted.
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Leach Celebrates Birthday With S.E. Penna. Big Shots
FROM LEFT, Martin Phillips, Jonathan Saidel, and Bill Ryan of Einstein Healthcare Network were among a large crowd of well-wishers at Montgomery Co. State Sen. Daylin Leach’s birthday fundraiser on City Line Avenue. Photos by Bonnie Squires
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FROM LEFT, Marcel Groen, chairman of Montgomery Co. Democratic Committee; John Hanger, Esq., former Secretary of Penna. DEP; and Rob & Nancy Fox joined in celebration.
MARSHA PERELMAN, Jen & Sen. Daylin Leach, Montco Coroner Walter Hofman, MD and Leach children at birthday celebration. 10 |
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PENNA. STATE TREASURER Rob McCord came to wish Leach a happy birthday.
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