Ron Panepinto Jewelers
Jim Stevenson
700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
9371 ROOSEVELT BLVD. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19114 215-698-7000 JStevenson@ChapmanAutoGroup.com
Vol. XI. No. 17 (Issue 482)
“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”
HS Dropout HO Big $ Loser Hum What’s the difference between a Philadelphia graduate and a highschool dropout? Maybe excuses such as peer pressure, lack of parental involvement or guidance, or any other reason that can be thought up can explain why the Philadelphia schools are plagued with a high dropout rate. But whatever the reason, dropouts earn less than $414,000 less than graduates, according to a study released by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, in partnership with the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Youth Network. That’s the difference in net fiscal contribution over a working lifetime (tax revenue generated vs. tax revenues received) between a Philadelphia student who earns a diploma and one who does not. Furthermore, a high-school diploma has increasingly become the prerequisite to full participation in the mainstream economy. In fact, a highschool graduate earns almost twice the lifetime earnings of a high-school dropout – about $871,000 vs. $457,000 – and a four-year college graduate earns more than four times as much ($2.05 million). Funded by the William Penn Foundation and the Pennsylvania Dept. of Labor & Industry as part of Project UTurn, the citywide campaign to resolve the dropout crisis, the report paints a harsh picture of the economic prospects for high-school dropouts, not to mention the costs of ripple effects for employers and the city. (Cont. Page 2)
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! DA’s Race A Sleeper!
Last Day’s Registration Sets 30 Yr. Record Low
Sheriff’s Stats Bare Court’s Fault A major responsibility of the Office of the Sheriff of Philadelphia is the transportation under guard of prisoners to the City’s Courts at four different locations and their subsequent return not only to Philadelphia’s five prisons, but surrounding community prisons as well. This goes on daily, week after week. However, although the system of prison delivery, thanks to Sheriff John Green, has worked flawlessly, prisoners are finding they are not getting their day in court. Over half of them routinely spend the entire day in crowded holding cells, only to be told their hearings have been postponed. With the postponements go their chances of waving hello to their families and friends who have been sitting in the scheduled courtroom waiting for the deputy sheriff to bring them up from the holding cells. Also, it means another wait from anywhere to a month or more before the prisoner gets another chance at getting before a judge and the possible disposition of the case. In the end, the daily tabulation of prisoners transported from prison to the courts has shown over half do not (Cont. Page 2)
What’s Your Guess? Can you tell us how many will turn out to vote in this May Primary? Figure 900,000 are eligible to vote for sure. Email us at Editor@Publicrecord. Com. Winner gets a dinner for two at a top restaurant.
April 23, 2009
Controller Alan Butkovitz drew two ringing endorsements from public officials last week, DA Lynne Abraham and State Sen. LeAnna Washington. Grateful though he was for their support, the
by Joe Shaheeli Is it apathy, or is everyone in this city who’s old enough to vote registered already? But it is obvious the District Attorney and City Controller races headlining the ballot this primary haven’t juiced up voter interest. Making that obvious was Monday’s last-day registrations tabulation compiled by City Commission Chair Lady Margaret Tartaglione’s Registration Division. Tallied that day were 311 registrations, the lowest recorded in the past 30 years. One can try to credit the ObamaBush Presidential race which swept up every eligible voter along with thousands registered in duplicate and triplicate. But, in the opinion of the Registration Commission, it is obvious there are many more that could be registered but did not take the time, nor were their registrations solicited. (Cont. Page 43)
Controller said he was equally proud of the approbation of his fellow government auditors. Abraham’s Office is one of the many branches of City government that has been subject to Butkovitz’s audits since he was elected four years ago. Previously the DA had worked for 14 years with the legendary Controller Jonathan Saidel stating Butkovitz “was a worthy successor.” “Alan Butkovitz is a man of integrity and honesty,” she said. “He is an independent-thinking public servant who developed great government experience in Harrisburg. In tough economic times, we need to look for improvements in every government operation and that’s what Alan does.” Washington spoke of her years of service alongside Butkovitz in the Pennsylvania House of Representa(Cont. Page 43)
will be created.” Tartaglione, Democratic Chair of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee, invited Costa to her District to share details of the upcoming State budget and the way the State plans to spend more than $5 billion in Federal stimulus benefits. Costa, of Allegheny Co., is the Democratic Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The first event, geared toward Latino business leaders, was held on the campus of Temple University and (Cont. Page 43)
IN GOOD company was Controller Alan Butkovitz as DA Lynne Abraham, left, and State Sen. LeAnna Washington threw him their support.
Major Names Praise ‘Independent’ Butkovitz by Tony West
Tartaglione Charts Stimulus For Latinos State Sens. Christine M. Tartaglione and Jay Costa hosted more than 100 Latino business and community leaders this week in a pair of events designed to explain state plans for the Federal stimulus money and to explain how local groups can benefit from the spending. “We wanted to make sure this community is in a position to take advantage of the jobs and training stemming from the stimulus package,” Tartaglione said. “Well-informed community leaders can steer local residents toward the opportunities that