Ron Panepinto Jewelers
Jim Stevenson
700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
9371 ROOSEVELT BLVD. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19114 215-698-7000 JStevenson@ChapmanAutoGroup.com
Vol. XII. No. 2 (Issue 520)
“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”
Nutter Unveils MLK Mural
MAYOR MICHAEL Nutter reiterates President Obama’s call to service as he helps unveil a King Day of Service mural that was painted by local students at Girard College, Founder’s Hall Ballroom, 2101 S. College Avenue.
Hardy Williams: Champion Of Change by Tony West Martin Luther King drew his power from other people. When he came to Memphis or Chicago or Birmingham, he came not just as himself, but as many. In Philadelphia, some say, he arrived as Hardy Williams. The former State Senator, a native son of West Philadelphia, was a pio-
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Serving Citywide Political, Labor, Legal and School Communities of Philadelphia
neer in the Northern civil-rights movement. When he died on Jan. 7, 2010 at the age of 78, he left behind a city transformed by a massive social and political evolution he had helped usher in. Williams was one of a handful of brilliant African American tacticians who found one Philadelphia in the (Cont. Page 12)
Mike Fera Public Servant Of The Year 2010 Come celebrate with us our Public Servant of the Year 2010. We will be honoring Cement Masons Local 592 President/Business Manager MIKE FERA. A Celebratory Supplement and dinner will be Feb. 4th, 2010. For more information call John David:
215-755-2000 or John@PhillyRecord.com
Value 50¢
January 14, 2010
Nutter Appoints Key Players Mayor Michael A. Nutter has begun to fill vacancies on many key City boards, and has swooped three of the City’s best players. The Mayor appointed Herbert Young as his new appointee to the Board of Labor Standards. Nutter also announced Martin G. Bednarek as his new appointee to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. And in another smart move by the Mayor in 2010, he named Ryan N. Boyer as his new appointee to the Tax Review Board. Boyer will replace Mary Mason, who resigned in December. Young joins Michael McAnally, Patrick Eiding, Carl Mason and Valarie Cofield. The Board of Labor Standards reviews appeals of building contractors who have been removed from the City bid list for violations of fair labor practices. “I am pleased that Herb has accepted my request to join the Board of Labor Standards,” said Nutter. “After 22 years in the construction industry, he will bring valuable experience to the review process.” “I am honored that I have been
considered to serve on the Board of Labor Standards for the City of Philadelphia. I would like to extend a special thank-you to the Hon. Mayor Michael Nutter and Chief of Staff Clay Armbrister for the recommendation,” said Young. “I have been involved with the construction industry for the last 22 years (the last 15 years with Turner Construction Co.) and I truly understand the im(Cont. Page 2)
WASHINGTON SAVINGS’ Marty Bednarek and Laborers Local 332’s Ryan Boyer have been appointed to fill key City vacancies by Mayor Nutter.
Building Trades Go With Specter
LEADERSHIP of Phila. Building Trades announced unanimous endorsement of Sen. Arlen Specter, at podium, for a sixth term in US Senate yesterday at Sprinklerfitters Hall in N. E. Phila. Among them were Tom Gallo, Sam Staten, Jr., Mike Fera and Pat Gillespie.
Controller Comes Out Swinging The City Controller has come out of the gate fighting in 2010 as he looks to trim costs and improve the way the City allocated its money. As part of his tax-collection initiative, Philadelphia Controller Alan Butkovitz directed the City Treasurer to begin withholding pay from 405 delinquent City employees owing $2.6 million in back taxes. In a letter sent to the City Treasurer, Butkovitz directed the City to
start withholding a percentage of pay from employees beginning the pay period starting on Jan. 11, 2010. Under Pennsylvania law, the City Controller has the authority to withhold up to 20% of a City employee’s income. Butkovitz first advised delinquent city employees of the pending withholding back on Oct. 1, 2009, which resulted in a number of employees paying their back taxes or entering
into a payment agreement. Under the Controller’s withholding process, 239 City employees, or 60%, will have paid off their tax delinquencies in less than one year. The City will receive more than $1.3 million over the next five years. Employees had 30 days to pay their delinquent balance in full or enter into a payment agreement with the City. (Cont. Page 2)