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Ron Panepinto Jewelers 700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980

www.PanepintoJewelers.com We Buy Gold & Diamonds

Serving Citywide Political, Labor, Legal and School Communities of Philadelphia Vol. XII. No. 26 (Issue 544)

“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”

Back To Grass Roots For GOP

Value 50¢

Susquehanna’s Knockout Festival

AT HOME in his 26th Ward, Republican City Committee Executive Director Jimmy Dintino knows importance of street lists as he seeks to energize Republican strongholds in City.

Page 19

Feds Will Lend Mortgage $$ To Unemployed Page 23

What Truly Motivates Committee of 70’s High-Priced Execs?

COUNCILMAN Curtis Jones gave away 300 recycling bins at his mammoth Boot Camp for block captains in West and Northwest Phila.

See Page 4.

Coming July 22nd

The Delaware River Port Authority

Land Value Tax A Boon For All, Remains Ignored Page 20 Controller Says City Slow On Recovery Page 23

Page 2

TOBACCO EXPRESS Claymont, Delaware

TRI-STATE MALL

Special Supplement On

Senate Mulls Bill To Target Illegal Workers Page 7

A M AT E U R boxing was just one of many activities that entertained crowds at North Philly’s b i g g e s t street fair, sponsored

by Rep. Jewell Williams.

Jones Boots Up His Block Captains

July 1, 2010

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Page 2 The Public Record • July 1, 2010 www.phillyrecord.com

Committee Of 70: Once An Asset!

Why Have High-Priced Execs Changed Its Focus?

by Joe Shaheeli Two down, three to go.

Should those goals be met, who will become the next target of the Committee of 70?

Or maybe its President may decide to show voters how things should be done by running for Mayor, should his funding run out.

This unelected, private official has become a major player in shaping Philadelphia’s governance. He spearheaded and helped engineer the campaign to wrest control of real-estate assessments from the Board of Revision of Taxes and helped eliminate the Clerk of Quarter Sessions row office. He caused a meltdown in the latter office, resulting in the resignation of Vivian Miller as its Clerk.

They were easy targets.

One was made so by news events that showed the influence of a State Senator on some of the Board of Revision of Taxes’ sitting members; the other by the fact the Clerk had failed to collect allegedly millions of dollars in forfeited bail money.

But Miller’s meager staff couldn’t collect if they wanted to. Most of the bail jumpers were and, if still living, are fugitives. Some no doubt carry arms even to this day.

The Clerk had no power to coordinate the Courts, the Police, and the other elements within the criminal-justice system that have the capacity to seek and flush out defendants who fail to show for court hearings.

Now this President has fixed bull’s-eyes on the City Commissioners, the Sheriff’s Office and the Register of Wills.

He’s engineering the same kind of campaign that helped him win first two. His plan is simple: Plant as much material in the daily press knocking his targets, true or not.

Present only facts that make his cause look good, and then rely on a host of other “goodgovernment types” to barrage the dailies and weeklies with similar articles.

Ask Zachary Stalberg, the

Committee of 70’s president and its chief executive officer, and he will admit going after all five of these City departments.

His only response, he repeats over and over again to anyone questioning his motives, is, “We are looking for professionalism, government departments to run more efficiently and with less favoritism.”

His key pitch to those who he wishes to woo is, “We can save money and do it better without those who now hold those offices.”

Asked how much money can be saved by bagging each office in particular, the answers never amount to much. But at a time when some of this City’s elected officials have taken voluntary pay cuts to show they understand the budget shortfalls, any dollar saved sounds great. Indisputable.

Mere claims aside, though, neither Stalberg, nor the other members of his staff, nor his Board have the necessary experience to fully understand the nuances that go into the hundreds of daily decisions made by the elected officers who lead those departments.

So questions arise. Is he truly a champion of the voters, or has his drive to marshal public opinion against his pet peeves moved the Committee of 70 far from what it was planned to be, when it began as an interested handful of committed civic leaders?

“Today, we are so many more,” proudly proclaims the Committee’s webpage history. “Our diverse volunteer leaders hail from prominent businesses, law firms, and nonprofit organizations. They give their time, expertise, and influence to promote political integrity and better services for citizens.

“Seventy works effectively because of everyone involved, from the leaders – the clout they bring and the doors they open – to the people at the grass roots. Citizens from every walk of life give 70’s voice its pragmatic, demo-

cratic power when they volunteer and vote.”

Claiming to be a crusader for ethics reforms, the Committee of 70 sports a mantle of purity in order to give it a stronger voice in the more-demanding arena of policy analysis, especially when it cries, “In these tough times, we urge reforms that will put tax dollars to better use.”

Stalberg’s predecessor was Fred Voigt, whose top salary then was $110,000. Fred had a meager staff and an even more-meager budget. But every budding committeeperson or candidate, as well as the voters, generally understood when his volunteers showed up at problem polling places they would be asking questions that could not be dodged, knowing somewhere down the line, 70 could have the District Attorney’s office dish out a subpoena on a criminal charge of violating an election code.

Under Voigt, the Committee of 70 kept Philadelphia elections relatively clean, and generally worked hand in hand with the Commissioners on machine and other Election Day problems.

When he replaced Voigt in 2005, Stalberg broadened its mission to materially impact politics and government in Philadelphia. That sounded better than just working to keep election days free from fraud and snafus. He moved to attract big donors – and succeeded.

The 2008 filing of his nonprofit shows it took in donations of $1,185,222. His salary rewarded his acumen. His Board approved his pay for that year at $248,733 while his chief assistant Ellen Mattleman Kaplan – his vice president and policy director – got $115,115 for the same year.

Seventy’s expenses for the same calendar year came to $1,060,798, with its “website, morning after Election and Election Day activities, and Consulting” accounting for over $170,000.

Stalberg’s knowledge of

government came through his long career as a journalist, ending with his days as editor of the Philadelphia Daily News. To his credit, the Daily News copped two Pulitzers under his aegis, winning the American Society of Newspaper Editors’ 2005 Leadership Award.

As head of the Committee of 70, he deserves credit for getting Philadelphia voters to approve two major ethics reforms by overwhelming margins. That was a “motherhood effort”, hailed by everyone.

But despite his training and understanding of government, he still does not realize the necessity to keep the offices he is targeting independent, controlled by officials elected directly by voters. Stalberg’s vision is of a city where all decisions lie in the grip of one person, the Mayor.

Several years back, the County Commissioners of Philadelphia were changed from a County function to one belonging to the City. They became a legal line department, with the overwhelming majority of their employees passing civil-service examinations to remain employed.

Every decision made by that Department is in accord with City rules and responsibilities. Retained were the three City Commissioners elected by the voters, with minority representation guaranteed for one of the seats. The three are vested with the full responsibilities of insuring everyone eligible has a right to vote and providing them with nearby polling places, as many as possible with handicapped accessibility.

They function within a budget, the size of which is mandated by State and Federal election laws, which must be approved by the City Council and signed by the Mayor.

But that’s not enough Mayoral control for Stalberg. He wants the Mayor be able to hire and fire the persons who are running his own election for office.

None of the three row offices in the sights of the Committee of 70 – the City Commissioners, the Register of Wills, and the Sheriff’s Office – can be turned over to private contractors, nor can they be eliminated, since Federal and State law demand their existence. Each has a mandate, very complex, and managed extremely well by their leadership and administrative staffs.

In the case of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions, had Vivian Miller stood up to the pressures created by the flood of bad publicity heaped on her office, that office would have remained viable as well, save for the fact several years back it became an appendage of the 1st Judicial Dist.

Her problem, crowed the Committee of 70, was she did not collect millions of dollars from bail jumpers. But it was the courts that created this fiasco when they – in the interest of “reform” – placed all bail responsibilities in the hands of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions. Defendants only had to put up 10% of what was imposed on them for bail. As a consequence, the courts became a laughingstock among criminals.

The Clerk was not equipped with the necessary computers to try to track down bail jumpers or funded for the type of army needed to seek them out. Hence the impossibility of her task.

At last, this week, the 1st Dist. has launched a campaign

to make a serious stab at regaining the lost bail. It will be aided by modern tracking methods, while belatedly beginning the complex coordination between various departments that is the only route to true efficiency gains and cost savings in the criminal-justice system.

Stalberg isn’t perturbed by his lack of understanding of the law, which does not permit eliminating these offices.

Each must be occupied by someone.

Each someone, furthermore, needs to be versed in the laws that circumscribe the running of elections, the keeping of legal records and the workflow of criminal justice. And, as it has been proven in other cities, an independently elected official, answerable to the voting public, is the real and only key to good government.

Neither Stalberg nor Kaplan is a lawyer. They are unsuited to critical analysis of these branches of government. They are, however, good at making good press.

What Stalberg propagandizes, the idea of saving millions remains a fantasy. Yet Stalberg pursues his campaign with an appeal to frustrated administrators who haven’t served in any of those offices.

He trusts well-meaning dogooders to spread disinformation in the media, via radio and television interviews.

We’ll reveal some of these in next week’s Public Record.

(Next week: more on “70”)

Page 3

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Page 4 The Public Record • July 1, 2010

Newly elected Pennsylvania Democratic Chair Jim Burn has appointed Jonathan A. Saidel, former Philadelphia City Controller, to head a transition team charged with evaluating all aspects of State Democratic Party operations, including staffing, fundraising, communications and more.

“Jonathan Saidel has an undisputed reputation as an innovative manager with the ability to maximize an organization’s efficiency by conducting a thorough analysis and applying out-of-the-box thinking,” Burn said. “He played a major part in bringing the City of Philadelphia back from the brink of bankruptcy in the 1990s and he is a passionate and tireless advocate for our party’s mission and the working families of Pennsylvania,” according to Burn.

R EP. A NGEL C RUZ DISTRICT OFFICE 2749 N. 5th St. • 215-291-5643 Staffed by

Joe Evangelista • Debbie Toro Ready to Serve you

Councilman Wm.

Greenlee

Room 580 City Hall P. 215-686-3446/7 F. 215-686-1927

Saidel Heads Transition Team

Specifically, Burn has asked Saidel to expedite the search and interview process for key staff positions, analyze fundraising practices and opportunities, assess internal and external communications including the use of new media and internet technologies, examine the Party’s role in coordinating and contributing to the campaigns and elections of Democratic candidates at all levels, and identify existing strengths as well as areas where changes will increase efficiencies and effectiveness.

Saidel, who missed winning the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in the May primary by less than half of a percentage point, is a well-known and popular figure among active Democrats. His decision to stop the automatic recount process in the 2010 LieuCouncilman Bill

Green Room 599 City Hall P. 215.686.3420/21 F. 215.686.1930

State Rep.

ROBERT C. DONATUCCI 185th District 1809 Oregon Ave, Phila., PA 19145

215-468-1515

tenant Governor primary was seen by Democratic insiders as a positive step, allowing Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Onorato and his lieutenant gubernatorial running mate, Scott Conklin, to launch their General Election campaign without an unnecessary distraction and potentially divisive and expensive recount process.

“I am honored Chairman Burn has trusted me with this important responsibility,” Saidel said. “There are limitless numbers of talented professionals who can be called upon to help build our party by bringing their expertise to the table in the transition process. I look forward to conducting an expeditious, open and inclusive transition process working with our nominees for Governor and US Senate in a coordinated effort that focuses first on victory this fall, while balancing the longer-term interest of building our party,” Saidel said.

Matkowski Wins 65th GOP Ward Tom Matkowski became

BLOCK CAPTAINS got a chance to learn about recycling and other benefits to their communities at 3rd annual Block Captain Seminar hosted by Councilman Curtis Jones, seen here with gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato and State Sen. Vincent Hughes. the new leader of the GOP's Pennsylvania General Assem65th Ward as a result of a re- bly. To mark this occasion, election scheduled by the Democratic candidate for RCC’s contest committee last State Representative in the night. He beat Phil In- 172nd Dist. Kevin Boyle is namorato. This is Phil’s sec- pledging never to vote in ond loss. The other was in the favor of a legislative pay raise State Committee race. This is should he win the seat in Noseen as a victory for GOP vember.

City Chairman Vito Canuso.

“The actions of the PennTom got 18, Phil 10 in the re- sylvania State legislature five count. years ago were underhanded, selfish, and wrong. Public Kevin Boyle Won’t service is a noble profession Vote Pay Raises Jul. 7 marks the fifth an- that demands transparency, (Cont. Page 6) niversary of the infamous 2 a.m. pay raise enacted by the

State Rep.

William Keller 184th District

Constituent Service Office

1610 S. Broad St. Phila., PA 19146 (215) 952-3378

1531 S. 2nd Street

215-271-9190

Larry Farnese First Senate District Tel. 215-952-3121 1802 S. Broad St.• Phila. PA 19145

www.phillyrecord.com

www.SenatorFarnese.com

Senator Tina

Shirley M. Kitchen 3rd Sen. District 1701 W. Lehigh Ave.Ste 104 • Philadelphia, PA 19132 215-227-6161 • www.senatorkitchen.com

Tartaglione 2nd Dist.

127 W. Susquehanna Ave. 1063 Bridge St. Philadelphia, PA 19122 Philadelphia, PA 19124

215-291-4653

(USPS PP 109) Weekly Publication Published by:

The Phila. Public Record The South Phila Public Record

State Senator

State Sen.

The Public Record

215-533-0440

REP. BRENDAN F. BOYLE 7215 B. Rising Sun Ave. Phila. PA 19111 • P (215)-342-1700

14230 Bustleton Ave. Phila.PA 19116 • P (215) 676-0300

1323 S. Broad Street Phila., PA 19147 ISSN 1938-8551 (Application to Mail At Periodicals Postage Rates Is Pending At Philadelphia PA and Bellmawr NJ) Postmaster: send address change to: The Public Record 1323 S. Broad Street Phila. PA 19147 215-755-2000 Fax: 215-689-4099 Editor@phillyrecord.com Subscription Rate: $ 30.00/Year EDITORIAL STAFF Editor & Publisher: James Tayoun Sr. Managing Editor: Anthony West Associate Editor: Rory G. McGlasson Medical Editor: Paul Tayoun M.D. CitiLife Editor: Ruth R. Russell Editorial Staff: Joe Sbaraglia Out & About Editor: Denise Clay Contributing Editor: Bonnie Squires Correspondent: Nathaniel Lee Creative Director & Editorial Cartoonist: Ron Taylor Photographers: Donald Terry Harry Leech Steven Philips Production Manager: William J. Hanna Bookkeeping: Haifa Hanna Webmaster: Sana Muaddi-Dows Advert. Director: John David Controller: John David Circulation: Steve Marsico The Public Record welcomes news and photographs about your accomplishments and achievements which should be shared with the rest of the community.

Contact us by phone, fax, e-mail or by dropping us a note in the mail. If you mail a news item, please include your name, address and daytime telephone number so we can verify the information you provided us, if necessary. The Public Record reserves the right to edit all news items and letters for grammar, clarity and brevity.

(C) 1999-2010 by the Philadelphia Public Record. No reproduction or use of the material herein may be made without the permission of the publisher. The Philadelphia Public Record will assume no obligation (other than the cancellation of charges for the actual space occupied) for accidental errors in advertisements, but we will be glad to furnish a signed letter to the buying public.

tions can be relatively safe, all fireworks are hazardous and can cause injury. Fireworks are classified as hazardous substances under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Some fireworks, such as illegal firecracker type devices (M-80’s, quarter sticks) and professional display fireworks, should never be used or handled by consumers due to serious injuries and deaths that can and do occur.

The following are examples of injuries from legal and illegal fireworks: • A 32-year-old man was launching aerial fireworks from a platform on a driveway. The first round of the 10-shot device went into the air, but then the device tipped over pointing the remaining fireworks at the people who were watching the display. The remaining fireworks were launched

LDC Charity Fund To Honor Staten, Sr.

The Laborers' District Council Of The Philadelphia Metropolitan Area & Vicinity’s Charity Fund will honor longtime labor leader Samuel Staten, Sr. in recognition of his retirement on Jul. 24, 2010 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. A cocktail reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. and a dinner reception will follow at 7:00 p.m.

“A Tribute to Samuel Staten, Sr.” will recognize this leader’s vision, leadership and humanitarianism. Funds

raised at this event will be designated by Staten, Sr. to various charities and all donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Sponsorship and participation opportunities are as follows: Friend of Sam $5,000 Includes 1 table of 10 tickets with VIP Cocktail Reception, Gold Page Ad, Banner and Corporate Listing; Corporate Sponsor $2,500 - Includes 4 tickets to dinner and VIP Cocktail Reception, Gold Page Ad; Gold Page Ad, $800 White

Page Ad, $600; Half Page Ad, $500. Single Ticket, $175.

Checks should be made out to “A Tribute to Samuel Staten, Sr.” and mailed c/o Laborers’ District Council Charity Fund, PMB 132, 13 Summit Square Center, Langhorne, PA 190471098. Please email ad to DanaBradyPR@aol.com or send a photo ready copy by mail.

For more information or to receive an official commitment form, contact Dana Brady at DanaBradyPR@aol.com or (267) 757-0726.

into the crowd. There were six people burned ranging in age from 4 to 32 years old.

• A 15-year-old male lit an M-80 inside his house and it exploded in his hand.

The tips of two of his fingers were blown off.

• A 31-year-old man and his 32-year-old brother were involved in an explosion in an apartment complex. The victims were illegally manufacturing fireworks when the explosion occurred.

The victims were reported to have purchased pyrotechnic components over the internet. One victim died six days after being admitted to the hospital and the other brother died two weeks after the incident.

To help prevent incidents like these, the Federal government, under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, prohibits the sale of the most dangerous types of fireworks to consumers. These banned fireworks include large reloadable mortar shells, cherry bombs, aerial bombs, M-80

salutes and larger firecrackers containing more than two grains of powder. Also banned are mail-order kits designed to build these fireworks.

CPSC estimates that in 2007, about 9,800 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. More than half the injuries were burns and

most of the injuries involved the hands, eyes, and legs. Children 10 to 14 years old had the highest per capita injury rate among all age groups. Fireworks should be used only with extreme caution. Older children should be closely supervised, and younger children should not be allowed to play with fireworks, including sparklers.

Naval Ship To Hold Open House On 4th The USS BULKELEY, an Arleigh Burke destroyer and the first ship ever named after Vice Admiral John Duncan Bulkeley, will take on visitors at Penn's Landing Jul. 3, 4 and 5.

Visitor tours start at 3 p.m.

Friday, and begin at noon on the 4th and 5th. The ship leaves on the 6th. She was christened on Jun. 24, 2000 at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss.

The USS Bulkeley is 519 ft. long and has a crew of 357.

Several crew members are from the Philadelphia area, including

The Public Record • July 1, 2010

The American traditions of parades, cookouts, and fireworks help us celebrate the summer season, especially our nation’s birthday on the Fourth of July. However, fireworks can turn a joyful celebration into a painful memory when children and adults are injured while using fireworks.

Although legal consumer fireworks that comply with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission regula-

Page 5

Remember To Play Safe On This July 4th

the commanding officer. No one under 42 inches will be permitted on board. They will do pierside tours for families with children this small.

Vice Admiral John Bulkeley fought under severe conditions in Southeast Asia during the early stages of WWII. As a Commanding Officer in WWII, or Commanding Officer of the base at Guantanamo Bay, Admiral Bulkeley was about high standards. His knowledge of his people, his boats, and tactics were instrumental in enabling many to survive that war.

Proud to be of service to this great city and its residents.

Have a Nice Fourth of July Congressman 1st District Paid for by Committee to Elect Bob Brady

www.phillyrecord.com

Robert Brady

Page 6 The Public Record • July 1, 2010

Onorato Keep Eye On City Legislative Roundup (Cont. From Page 4) honor and selflessness. Unfortunately, that vote demonstrated many elected officials had lost touch. I pledge to never vote for a legislative pay raise,” Boyle insisted. He is challenging incumbent John Perzel.

Onorato Keeps Eye On Philly True to his pragmatic

knowledge of politics as a local commodity, Pittsburgh’s Dan Onorato is spending enough time campaigning in this city to make it necessary for him soon to rent an apartment.

That’s happened in the past to other serious statewide candidates. All have realized the need to pump up the Philadelphia vote.

Fresh from a Saturday gig with Councilman Curtis Thomas, Onorato spoke to a host of people Tuesday just before noon at the University City Science Center. He is pitching his plan to bring jobs back to the Commonwealth.

He’s picking up a slew of scheduled events from Democrat City Committee.

With exactly 18 weeks to

State Senator

Christine M. Tartaglione Proudly Serving the 2nd Senatorial District

Wishes everyone a Happy and Safe 4th of July Holiday 127 W. Susquehanna Ave. Phila., PA 19122

1063 Bridge St. Phila., PA 19124

215-291-4653

215-533-0440

go in the race for the next Pennsylvania Governor, Democrat Dan Onorato is sprinting already.

“I have been campaigning for two years full-time, so 18 weeks feels like a sprint to me,” Onorato told reporters in University City.

Onorato took tour of the state-of-the art science center located at 3711 Market Street.

There he told a group of reporters, local residents and science-center employees of his plans to create jobs in Pennsylvania. He will not cut funding to life sciences at any of the 32 educational institutions in South east Pennsylvania, he told reporters.

The science center helps small businesses that innovate in the life sciences and other technologies start up and grow.

Steve Tang, CEO of the Life Science Center, said they welcomed Onorato to their facility, but stressed the visit and group meeting was in no way an endorsement of his candidacy.

Boyle Bill Cracks Down On Illegal Gun Buys State Rep. Brendan Boyle has introduced legislation (HB 2600) that would require a mandatory five-year sentence for anyone attempting to make multiple illegal gun purchases.

“Under current law, a second straw purchase is subject to a five-year mandatory sentence,” Boyle said. “However, recent court decisions have clarified that, in order for this statute to apply, the subsequent offense has to be committed after the defendant is convicted of the first offense.”

A straw purchase is any purchase whereby the purchaser is knowingly acquiring an item or service for someone who is, for whatever reason, unable to purchase the item or service himself. In regards to firearms, a straw purchase occurs when someone deliberately and intentionally purchases a firearm for someone who is disqualified from purchasing one.

Boyle said his bill would

State Representative

RONALD G. WATERS 191st Leg. District 6027 Ludlow Street, Unit A

215-748-6712

Catering and Entertainment Wishing Everyone A Happy And Safe 4th of July And Remember Galdo’s

www.phillyrecord.com

24-hour line: 215-852-4822 Office: 215-271-9083 Fax: 215-271-5153 20th Street & Moyamensing Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19145

House Committee OKs Thomas Bill

The House State Government Committee on Monday approved a bill introduced by State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas that would create opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses in Pennsylvania.

The legislation (HB 2142) would establish the criteria and structure for a statewide bondsurety program. The program would enable small, disadvantaged businesses to build capacity and to competitively bid on State and other public contracts.

“Minority- and womenowned businesses are among the fastest-growing businesses in the state,” Thomas said.

“These businesses are economic engines with the potential to create hundreds of jobs and stimulate local economies.”

Thomas said his bill would eliminate barriers for disadvantaged businesses and provide them with technical support and greater access to capital.

HB 2142 is part of a legislative package developed based on findings from the House Select Committee on Minority, Women & Disadvantaged Owned Business Enterprises.

STATE REP. JOHN

SABATINA JR. 174th District 8100 Castor Ave Phila, PA 19152 T: 215-342-6204

The perfect place for private and corporate functions!

Weddings • Engagements • Showers Off Site Catering • Christenings • Birthdays Communions • Fundraisers • Funerals Holiday Parties • Worships • Seminars • Meetings

close a loophole in current State law.

HB 2600 currently awaits consideration by the House Judiciary Committee.

State Rep. Cherelle

STATE SENATOR

Parker

LEANNA M. WASHINGTON

200th Legislative District 1536 E. Wadsworth Ave. Phone: (215) 242-7300 Fax: (215) 242-7303 www.pahouse.com/Parker

DISTRICT OFFICE

1555-D Wadsworth Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 (215) 242-0472 Fax: (215) 753-4538 WEB SITE www.senatorwashington.com

State Rep.

Frank Oliver 195th District 2839 W. Girard Ave. Phila. PA 19130

215-684-3738

Tynes Steers Them Right

West Oak Lane Jazz Fest Biggest

STATE REP. Ronald G. Waters’ annual senior luncheon and pinochle tournament at Turner MS drew over 500 seniors who were treated to food, dancing to a big band, prizes and gifts for everyone. Waters is seen here with Bravo Health representatives from Kathy Robinson, Elba Torres-Null, State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, Michelle Wallace and Michael Collins.

Photo by Martin Regusters, Leaping Lion Photography

The Public Record • July 1, 2010

EVERYWHERE they are needed are members of Laborers Local 57, headed by Business Mgr. Walt Higgins. Photos show they engaged in supporting AFL-CIO Rally For Jobs, helping Salvation Army raise Million Meals For Haiti and supporting March Of Dimes in its March For Babies.

Page 7

Local 57 In Forefront of Community Causes Waters Draws Seniors

Sheriff Green’s Important Steps to Saving Your Home Step 1: Assemble your current financial information, and call your lender.

Step 2: Visit www.phillysheriff.com to learn more about borrowers’ rights, loss mitigation and abusive servicing practices. Contact the Sheriff’s Office at 215-686-3525 for more information

Step 3: PRESIDENT JUDGE Thomasine Tynes of Traffic Court, standing left, hosted in-court training session for driving instructors. Guests joining her to welcome instructors to luncheon included Judge Sullivan, John MaKara, Judges Lowry and Tobin, and attorney Richie Hoy.

Ringside With The Shadowboxer

New Arena Boxing Boon

round decision over Miami’s Eromosele Albert and is also ranked No. 12 by the IBF. North Philly’s Rosado, 24, made a big name for himself after he beat Uganda’s Kassim Ouma. Ouma was the former

If you feel uncomfortable handling mortgage negotiations, consult a professional housing Counselor

Step 4: Take time to carefully investigate the offers you receive to avoid becoming a fraud victim Sheriff John D. Green Philadelphia

IBF world champion, and most boxing experts didn’t give Rosado a chance.

Scheduled 12-round championship fight tops a sevenbout card will feature Dennis Hasson from Kensington.

The deadline to apply for Property Tax/Rent rebates has been extended to Dec. 31.

The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 and older, people with disabilities 18 and older, and widows and widowers 50 and older. To obtain Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000), related information, and to check the status of filed claims go online to www.PaPropertyTaxRelief.com or call 1-888-222-9190.

Parkwood Shopping Center 12361 Academy Road, Phila., PA 19154, 215-281-2539 8016 Bustleton Avenue Philadelphia PA 19152 215-695-1020 Open Mon. - Fri. 9:00 AM - 5 PM

Sen.Mike Stack SERVING THE 5TH DISTRICT

www.phillyrecord.com

It’s been a long time since such an attractive all-Philly bout was staged in the City of Brotherly Love. Those were the Spectrum days of yore, when Philly contenders faced each other right here. The neighborhood rivalries were intense.

Not that Philly still doesn’t have some of the best fighters in the world, but recently Philly fight fans have had to get excited about a local guy traveling halfway around the world to get a title shot.

On Jul. 30, Derek Ennis will defend his USBA Jr. Middleweight title against “King” Gabriel Rosado right here in South Philly at the Arena (7 W. Ritner Street – formerly New Alhambra), in what can only be described as an oldfashioned All-Philly war.

Local fights made Philly the boxing capital of the world for a long, long time.

“Philadelphia’s boxing history has been punctuated by some of the fiercest neighborhood brawls,” said Hall-of-Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz.

Germantown’s Ennis, 29, won the USBA title last October when he scored a 12-

FESTIVAL-GOERS enjoyed some real ‘Soul’ food to go along with the jazz in the sun ALL JAZZED UP! 7th anat West Oak Lane Jazz festi- nual West Oak Lane Jazz val the weekend before last. and Arts Festival was biggest ever, according to organizers.

Page 8 The Public Record • July 1, 2010 www.phillyrecord.com

Sheriff Cuts Overtime, With Court Schedules

The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office has put all City judges on notice it has initiated a new overtime-reduction plan which has already saved $150,000 and is on pace to cut overtime cost by more than the 25% requested by the City administration.

The Judges were informed of the new plan in a letter from the Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Barbara Deeley, who said the longterm success of overtime reduction will require the support and cooperation of all the stakeholders in the criminal justice system; Judges, DAs, prison officials and police.

“The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office is committed to assisting the City in this time of financial crisis,” Deeley said. “We need ongoing communications with this office, from everyone involved in the criminal-justice process, to make sure our deputies are deployed efficiently while not sacrificing security or public safety for our courtrooms, prisoner transports as well as our sworn personnel.”

The new plan includes reducing the number of deputies assigned to Family Court, starting a second shift for Traffic Court and staggered starting times for deputies to accommodate varying courtroom schedules. Deputies will also be

rotated on an as-needed basis to prisoner transportation to allow for the expedited return of detainees to various prisons.

Deeley said each of these changes will help reduce overtime costs, though she noted the new plan discontinues many of the staffing policies put in place two years ago in response to overcrowding in Philadelphia’s prisons.

“Many of our overtime hours had been accumulated in response to the crisis to relieve prison overcrowding,” Deeley wrote. “We were required to transport large number of defendants and man more courtrooms.”

On a weekly basis, the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office transports more than 1,500 prisoners and is responsible for the safety of approximately 116 courtrooms and 144 Judges.

The office is charged with enforcing the orders of the courts, including garnishments, attachments, levies, injunctions, protection from abuse orders, warrants and writs of possession; the sale of real and personal property; transportation of prisoners; and courtroom and building security at the Criminal Justice Center, Traffic Court, 1801 Vine Family Court, 34 South 11th Street

Domestic Relations Court, Community Court and Administrative Adjudication Office.

The Sheriff’s Office will continue its efforts to reduce overtime costs.

Tartaglione's Bill On Guv Desk State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione continues her campaign to ease the chronic shortage of nurses and health-care providers, as legislation she wrote was passed by the House and Senate, and now sits on the Governor’s desk for approval.

The bill will create “The Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers” within the State’s Dept. of Labor & Industry. The center will focus on increasing the capacity of nursing education, retaining health-care workers, increasing diversity and training new critical-care workers.

“We need to produce the next generation of health-care workers because we have a historically large next generation of seniors,” Tartaglione said. “Understaffing and overworking health care workers affects more than just their quality of life. It affects patient safety and outcomes as well.

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Page 10 The Public Record • July 1, 2010

Our Opinion ...

On The 4th

If you want to pop your own firecrackers, do so in a safe way. We give you safe tips on Page 5 of this issue. Better you should enjoy the City’s fireworks, though. They are usually magnificent.

Other than that, we hope you will all enjoy this very important national holiday. We, as a people, have made it a family weekend, although we commemorate it as our declaration of independence from tyranny.

Yet, today, after two and a half centuries, many of us feel we are “trading one tyrant for hundreds of tyrants”, having to swallow legislation we do not want or need. Recession has taken a toll of the ability of our unions to hang on to hardfought decent living standards for their rank and file. Small and big businesses are finding themselves saddled with more bureaucratic rules and regulations, literally forcing many out of business. At the same time, we are wondering, as a nation’s people, will our voices ever be heard?

The answer to that question is mundane, but true. Make sure you vote in the primaries, particularly, and in the General Election when you have a chance to support a candidate from another party.

We owe every freedom we still share (which has not been taken away by Big-Brother government) to our Founding Fathers. That’s the kernel about why we mark the 4th. Let’s try to remember their courage when they signed that important document. Each knew he would be marked for hanging by the British King if the revolution were to fail. Say a prayer for them and then thank God for making this weekend a celebration for all.

ANOTHER OPINION

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Senate May Target Illegal Workers

by State Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks In an interview with a Pittsburgh radio station last week, I was asked the following questions: “How did a Democrat, in only his second term, convince his leadership to address illegal immigration, arguably the most divisive policy issue in the last decade; go against the Governor, his administration, and the most powerful union (SEIU) in the country, which gives huge amounts of campaign cash to the Democrat Party; then create an alliance with Republicans, and convince them to go against the most powerful pro-business lobby, which gives huge amounts of cash to

the Republican Party?”

I answered in one word: Jobs. I have worked on this issue for almost four years and, for me, it’s always been about jobs. For the past decade or more, the Federal government has ignored the pleas of honest employers and American workers who have sought relief from the growing tide of companies that ignore the law and hire illegal workers.

I believe Pennsylvania must take immediate action to protect honest companies and American workers. And there is no better place to start than in Pennsylvania’s construction industry.

There are up to 35,000 illegal construction workers in

Pennsylvania alone. The unemployment rate among Pennsylvania construction workers has hit 37%.

HBs 1502 and 1503 target contractors who cheat, who use and abuse a cheap illegal, workforce for profit. This has had a devastating effect on our economy.

We are losing millions of dollars in an underground economy. Contractors who don’t pay taxes, and employees who don’t pay taxes, put a tremendous strain on our education system, judicial system and our health-care system.

These contractors are guilty of a litany of humanrights violations, safety violations and tax violations.

They’re providing substandard working conditions and substandard pay.

I am pleased to say this legislation recently passed the Pennsylvania House with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now the legislation is in the State Senate, and I am grateful to Sen. Chuck McIlhinney Jr. for taking the lead there. However, it will still be opposed by the same strange coalition that fought against it in the House.

I am amazed at the number of organizations who will stop at nothing to block or water down legislation addressing the illegal-worker problem.

Their willingness to protect contractors who cheat and break the law at the expense of honest companies is unAmerican and unforgivable.

We must also ensure the billions of Federal and State dollars being spent to create jobs go to creating jobs for Americans, not illegal workers.

This has been a long, hard fight. I have had the benefit of some of the most brilliant immigration minds in the country, who helped me write the bills. They taught me the key to defeating the powerful special interests, and their supporters, was to cut through the rhetoric that is splattered across our television screens.

Most importantly, I needed to understand the myriad of existing immigration laws that have sprung up across this country and to know the difference between what is successful in court and what is not.

To do this, I had to teach myself immigration law. And

I had some of the best teachers in the world. Last year alone I spent months in Harrisburg, preparing for what we all knew was coming. And when it came down to the floor debate last week, there were over 30 amendments offered to defeat or water down these bills.

We defeated every one.

How did all this happen?

How is Pennsylvania so close to doing something few other states have done, and offer a serious solution to a serious problem? A problem the Federal government seems paralyzed to act? How were we able to convince Republicans and Democrats to work together and go against the most powerful of special interests at a time when this country is more divided than ever? Especially on this, the most divisive issue in our country?

The answer is simple: Jobs. We need to get our people back to work and we need to do it now.

Please contact your State Senator and Gov. Ed Rendell and ask them to support HB 1502 and H.B. 1503. It’s time to take matters into our own hands.

Jul. 17- Lucretia Minitti announces 79th anniversary of Da Vinci Art Alliance, 704 Catherine St., 6-9 p.m. Tickets $25 ($50 at door). For info and reservations (215) 829-0466.

Jul. 21- Memorial Plaque Dedication for Firefighters Robert Malley and John Welsh at 12th & Washington Ave., site of the Levy Ink Explosion, 11 a.m.

Jul. 24- Tribute to Samuel Staten, Sr. at Convention Ctr., 12th & Arch Sts., reception 5:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m. For info DanabradyPR@AOL.com.

Jul. 24- Brady Bunch at Keenan’s Irish Pub in Angelsea, N. Wildwood, N.J., 5 p.m.???. Tickets available at door or Democratic City Committee.

Aug. 2- Vaird Foundation, a Police Dept. initiative, hosts fundraising golf outing and banquet at Spring Mill C.C. For info DanaBradyPR@aol. com or call (267) 757-0726.

Aug. 7- Sister Clara Muhammad School’s 1st annual Community Festival at Muhammad Park, 46th & Wyalusing Ave., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. For info Wayne Rahman (267) 252-5547.

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1st Prize $ 1,000.00

2nd Prize $ 500.00 • 3rd Prize $ 250.00

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Page 12 The Public Record • July 1, 2010 www.phillyrecord.com

They say quality means more than quantity. (We urban Elephants like to believe that.) In Philly GOP news, there was one big story last week. The young ward leader from the 65th Ward in the Northeast, PHIL INNAMORATO, was ousted by City Committee. But an election already occurred and Innamorato already won by one vote, you say? Well yes, but because three committee people opposing Innamorato arrived late, they were not allowed to vote. This is in keeping with past precedent. The City Committee-endorsed candidate, Phil’s opponent TOM MATKOWSKI, lost that election and City Committee apparently did not like that. CHAIRMAN VITO CANUSO appointed a committee of KEVIN PASQUAY, WALT VOGLER and BILL IVERS to determine if an irregularity could be found. Based on “confusion” surrounding the election, they ordered a new vote.

According to several witnesses at the Contest Committee, Innamorato stated he would be vacationing in Italy for three weeks and requested the election be held after his return. Rumor has it City Committee Executive Director JIMMY DINTINO gave Innamorato his word they would “work around (Innamorato’s) schedule.” That was one of just many rumors from this amateur hour, which included snide comments from both sides and even physical threats. The election was held several days after Innamorato left Philadelphia. Matkowski won by a vote of 18-10.

This “new guys vs. old guys” biz has gotten so out of hand that neither side can come together for a civil conversation.

Whenever we wonder why we do not have a chance at fixing this city, look in house. Unless our party can get over this petty feud, we will never be in control. It’s that simple. Trunk Man likes his stampedes better when we’re all running in the same direction, over the top of some Donkeys.

Yo! Here we go again with this question: Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the Battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged Gen. George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

(Cont. Page 18)

Last week, the Senate failed to pass a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to folks who have been unemployed for at least a year.

The reason some Republicans refused to vote in favor of this extension was they didn’t want to see the deficit get any higher. Granted, the impact this would have had on the deficit is actually minimal, but they wanted to take a stand. (Forget the fact this stand was on the backs of people who are already hurting....)

Before they did this, I had planned to blow off Saturday’s “America Speaks: Our Budget, Our Economy Town Meeting”, which was held at 1st District Plaza. But after watching the Congressional nonsense, I felt I had to go, if for no other reason but I wanted to see what regular folks thought about our budget and what suggestions they had to make.

Philadelphia was one of 20 cities that was selected to take part in this meeting. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, president of America Speaks, said to have the people weigh in on the Federal budget is more important than ever.

“The country is still in recovery mode from the recession,” she said. “Even the experts aren’t in agreement about how to recover from it. How do we come at an understanding of what the government should be doing and where should it be long-term; after the recovery?”

Hundreds of people crowded around tables, discussing budgetary priorities, who should be picking up the tab for the deficit, and what is more important: helping folks in the present or making sure things are okay in the future.

Each discussion table had a moderator whose job it was to (Cont. Page 21)

SNOOPER’S NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: (KENSINGTON) – HON. JOHN TAYLOR, our popular STATE REPRESENTATIVE, honored TWO wonderful CROSSING GUARDS. “These two ladies, BETH COOK and RITA SAVAGE, both recently RETIRED. These two have serviced the children of KENSINGTON for many years, and it’s for these reasons I honor them today,” said JOHN TAYLOR. He further stated, “It is important to recognize, honor and give SPECIAL THANKS to these CROSSING GUARDS for the hard work they do, and do it on a daily basis. I want to thank all these dedicated servants for the SAFETY of ALL our children in KENSINGTON.” SNOOPER’S “UPDATE”: Unless you have ‘blinders’ on, you probably noticed our CRIME RATE is going up ands up every day. People are being MURDERED for no reason, especially those involving DOMESTIC DISPUTES. Yes, they’re still killing INNOCENT CHILDREN, and it seems there is no end to all this madness. THE POLICE are doing whatever they can to stop it, but they NEED ALL OF YOU. Special Alert: FELTONVILLE beware. Criminals have invaded your area, especially if you live near The Boulevard.

Car thefts and break-ins are on the rise here.

SNOOPER’S “SPECIAL NOTICE”: This one came to me via PENNSYLVANIA TREASURY DEPT. and I’m told this one is very important to all of you. They have MILLIONS and MILLIONS of DOLLARS that are UNCLAIMED. They are talking about ABANDONED BANK ACCOUNTS, FORGOTTEN STOCKS, UNCASHED CHECKS, LIFE-INSURANCE POLICIES, SAFE-DEPOSIT BOXES and also (Cont. Page 18)

Who’s the ‘Lucky Loser’ this week? By all accounts it’s MIKE ELLIS, who narrowly lost to State Rep. JOHN MYERS in May’s primary election. Now the story is out: Mike has cut a deal! Mike’s narrow loss made folks pay attention and now he is the heir apparent. This deal has cut out STEVE KINSEY, Myers’ current Chief of Staff, who was being groomed for the spot. All sides will deny (of course), but watch for strange pairings as Mike prepares for 2012.

And why not Mike? He’s got the profile. He’s young and eager. He’s not a loser in any sense of the word, and part of the next generation.

Congratulations to the affable ANITA LEWIS! One of Philly’s premier public-relations divas, Anita is scoring big time in the game of life. Everything is coming up roses!

Anita knows everyone. You don’t know her? You better ask somebody….

LARRY PLATT out as editor of Philadelphia Magazine…. That could be a good thing. Rumors of dissatisfaction with him from on high were circulating for a long time now.

This change could be a healthy one for the mag, which has seen sales significantly dip in recent years. It has also been criticized because of its slant towards the ’burbs; seems like it has disdain for the city bearing its name. Look for changes; it can only get better.

JOE GRACE is now with Ceasefire PA, and doing an outstanding job! Joe, any thoughts of running again? We could use ya’.

MANUTE BOL, what a class act you were. You will be missed for all of your contributions.

Over the last couple of years, changes have taken place in the structure of the Democratic City Committee which have resulted in the strengthening of the institution, increasing its ability to turn out the vote on Election Day. In all cases where the ward leader has retired and has entered upon emeritus status, the overall average age of a ward leader for the Democrats has been significantly lowered.

Being a ward leader makes physical demands which require good health and good work habits. Just the amount of additional time required of a ward leader makes it a plus if the leader is a young person.

Among the Democrats in the 1st Ward, JOE HOFFMAN has been replaced by the leader of the Electricians Union JOHN DOUGHERTY. In the 4th Ward, EDGAR (SONNY) CAMPBELL has replaced his sister CAROL. She had been confined to a wheelchair for a number of years. Although she will be missed by her brother, he is younger and more physically able. In the 5th Ward, MIKE BOYLE has replaced SAM RAPPAPORT. In the 8th, NORMAN BERSON, who managed to make it into his 80s and served faithfully and well for over 40 years, was replaced by STEPHANIE SINGER. In the 9th, JOHN O’CONNELL is fresh legs for the Hills of Chestnut Hill. In the 12th, GREGORY PAULMIER decided not to run again and has been replaced. In the 15th Ward, COUNCILMAN AT LARGE BILL GREENLEE has replaced DAVE COHEN, who was the 90-year-old Councilman from Logan before departing this life. In the 21st, LOU AGRE replaced JOE QUIGLEY, the incumbent. In the 30th Ward, TERRY (Cont. Page 21)

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students, we must still do a better job of helping every student graduate high school with the necessary skills for success,” said Roebuck, chairman of the House Education Committee.

“That effort must begin by improving our data-collection

system to determine exactly where, why and how many students are dropping out. It is only with those details that we can effectively focus dropoutprevention efforts where they’re needed most.”

Roebuck’s bill (HB 1618)

would require the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education to implement a high-quality, detailed data-collection and reporting system for dropout and graduation rates in all public school districts. Roebuck said the intent of his bill is to obtain

more accurate information on all students when calculating graduation and dropout rates.

Currently, the state’s school districts are required to notify DoE when a student drops out or transfers to another school. However, the

information does not have to include an explanation as to why the student dropped out, giving the State no way to identify and prevent common causes of dropping out.

The bill now goes to the State Senate for consideration.

The Public Record • July 1, 2010

The State House of Representatives passed a bill introduced by State Rep. James Roebuck aimed at preventing high-school dropouts.

“While Pennsylvania has made improvements to ensure a higher quality education to all

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House Passes Roebuck Dropout-Prevention Bill

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Snooper (Cont. From Page 12) recovered STOLEN PROPERTIES. They are looking for you, especially if you feel you might be a rightful owner to one of these categories. Call them at 1 (800) 222-2046 and ask for of their printed lists; they just might have your name on it. They are REQUIRED to publish these lists in order to find the rightful owners of these ABANDONED ITEMS on their lists.

They absolutely try to find the rightful owners of ALL these

abandoned properties, but they need your help to do it.

SNOOPER’S FAREWELL DEPT.: Hey Chief, in response to numerous EMAILS I have received concerning the closing of NORTH CATHOLIC, let me tell all of you I too went to North Catholic, along with JOE HAND, SR., local BOXING PROMOTER. We were part of history, inasmuch as we had over 4,000 students, and over 1,000 in our graduating class of 1954. “NORTH” was the high school everybody wanted to go to; after all, they were THE KINGS when it

came to scholastic sports.

“BRUTE WALSH” was one of the most popular students there at that time, because of his great FOOTBALL PROWESS, as was JERRY COLGAN, a sensational basketball player. Yes, NORTH would boast of many of their sports heroes; after all, they were CHAMPIONS. I also wanted to mention JEFF KILPATRICK, Art Teacher and well known ARTIST, considered to be THE BEST around. His work has been printed in many local newspapers, even yours! Yes Chief, even The Daily News used

one of his cartoons! So long!

SNOOPER SIGHTINGS: Took a stroll along FRANKFORD AVENUE. I was very curious about the crowd of people up ahead, as I headed towards ORTHODOX STREET. Sure enough, The Mayor himself was strolling down the Avenue. I was told by one of his aides he was just checking out the BUSINESS DISTRICT to see for himself how they were all doing. Ms. SANDI KING claims he was there to find out what kind of improvements have been made in this particular DISTRCT. This young lady is

UT O B A ASK ULL OUR F R A 30 YE TEE AN GUAR

LICE N INSU SED REGI RED STER FR ED ROO EE ESTIM FIN AT E RTIF S ICAT E

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CITY WIDE SERVICE ALL TYPES OF

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36ivtehrsary Ann

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• New Roofs • Repairs • Hot Asphalt • Rubber & Modified Systems • Shingles • Slate & Tile • Skylights • Siding • Gutters & Downspouts

Waffleman (Cont. From Page 12) Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.

For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It’s not much to ask for the price they paid. Remember: Freedom is never free!

Attorneys are both board certified by the American Bankruptcy Certification Board.

Chapters 7/13 & Stop foreclosures, creditors harassments, lawsuits, garnishments, and sheriff sales.

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215-735-1060 ccpc@ccpclaw.com

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this: the State Dog, who else but THE GREAT DANE? Hey Mayor Nutter, how about this one – our State beverage is none other than M-I-L-K! Here’s one that I found very baffling The ZION REFORMED CHURCH played a huge part in our history; after all, this is where they hid THE LIBERTY BELL from The British! Finally, our STATE FLAG with the BLUE background uses the same BLUE as in the United States Flag ”OLD GLORY”.

If you want more, let me know. I hope this will help a lot of you Pennsylvania historians. Thanks!

We are a debt-relief agency

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial ON ROOFIN NI

from the City’s Office of Business Services; she was there along with State Rep. HON. TONY PAYTON, who represents the 179th Dist. What’s next, gentlemen?

SNOOPER SCOOPER: The TACONY section of this City has a good reason to be proud of its Community and all its people. A young boy from TACONY was selected to receive a very prestigious honor from THE FRANKFORD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP. The young man selected was DANIEL TOBIN of Gillespie Street. DANNY is the young man who was the “EMCEE” for their big NORTHEAST PHILLY IDOL CONTEST. This young man really SAVED THE DAY! He really made it a huge success, and everyone loved his enthusiasm and charisma.

SNOOPER’S (Special) F-AX SERVICES DEPT.: Eat your heart out “BAG-ODONUTS”. Now I have both EMAIL and FAX SERVICES to help me with my columns too. Fax: Here is some very interesting PENNSYLVANIA information. Did you know The State Motto is VIRTUE, LIBERTY, and INDEPENDENCE? Over 8,000 acres, THE FAIRMOUNT PARK SYSTEM is the largest URBAN PARK in The United States. Our State Bird is known as RUFFED GROUSE – they’re not kidding. I love

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her concern with Irene DiLolle, the Republican 26th Ward leader. It is filled with trash. She doesn’t know who owns it. Can something be done?

“We’ll look into it,” says DiLolle. One of her volunteers scours a database online. After a while, she picks up a phone and makes a report to a City official. The

case is opened.

Although this part of South Philadelphia does not elect a Republican government official, it is one of the bastions of the GOP in the

"From your next State Representative, have a safe and happy summer.

If you need help call me "Warren Fuzzy Bloom" 267-339-1444 and Vote Nov. 2nd."

city. The 26th Ward was the only ward that voted for John McCain in 2008. It boasts a strong Republican ward committee – and an office, thanks to its organizational dynamo Jimmy Dintino, who is DiLolle’s brother.

Although Dintino is the executive director of the City Republican Party, he is often found in this nondescript little office on Wolf Street. “I would rather be working in the neighborhood,” he says.

The office is staffed entirely by volunteers, some afternoons and most evenings. It functions as a clubhouse for Republicans from across South Philadelphia; 39th and 48th Ward activists drop in all the time. Dintino uses it to organize effective files and records, to plan campaign work, to rally his workers and to pass out pizza after a long day on the streets.

To a large extent, though, the office simply provides constituent service to all comers. Dintino says it’s important for Republicans to be practical problem-solvers for ordinary citizens.

Furthermore, Dintino notes, “We never ask if someone is a Republican or a Democrat. To us, they’re just a neighbor who needs some help. We’re all neighbors here, all looking after each other.”

The range of everyday problems the 26th Ward volunteers deal with is enormous. DiLolle says a lot of complaints stem from vacant lots. Drug activity is another widespread concern.

For Dintino, grass-roots political activism is about service first. “I would like to see more Republican offices like this in other neighborhoods around the city,” he says.

The Public Record • July 1, 2010

by Tony West This evening, the problem that walks in the door is a vacant lot.

A worried neighbor has come into the office to share

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One Urban GOP Office Thrives On Community Service

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Page 20 The Public Record • July 1, 2010 www.phillyrecord.com

The Land Value Tax:

by Steven Cord Any state or city can do what the headline above suggests.

They only need to tax land assessments more, and, as a result, what is produced (such as buildings) less. The studies listed here show when we replace economically harmful taxes with an economically beneficial one, what will happen: Most taxpayers will be taxed less because their land-assessment tax will be less.

All non-landowning renters (office as well as apartment renters) will pay less space rent. The building tax can be passed on to them, but it will be less, and the land tax can’t be passed on to them. New construction and renovation would become more profitable because they’d be taxed less. Perhaps they could be tax-exempted entirely for the first seven years (but not the tax on their land assessment, of

course).

Nothing in economics seems so well substantiated. Eight American winners of the Nobel Prize in economics have endorsed this tax.

We can tell you how to implement it. Suppose you own some vacant land and you read in the newspaper the tax on land will be gradually increased in the ensuing years; wouldn’t you develop that land or sell to someone who will? So isn’t this, then, a tax that creates development and jobs?

Here are some empirical summaries of the land-value tax in actual operation.

The contiguous cities of Allentown and Bethlehem in Eastern Pennsylvania are very comparable in size and economy. In 1997, Allentown started taxing buildings less than land; Bethlehem did not.

Allentown’s new private construction and renovation grew by 32% in dollar value in the three years after the shift to

land value, over what occurred in Bethlehem.

Washington and nearby Monessen (both in Southwestern Pennsylvania) are roughly comparable in size and economy. After Washington started shifting some of its tax off buildings onto land in 1985, its new private construction and renovation increased by 33% in the three years after its two-rate adoption, compared to the prior three years. During the same period, nearby Monessen, which kept its single rate, saw new private construction and renovation actually decrease by 26%.

Connellsville, Pa. saw its new private construction and renovation jump 3.46 times in the three years after it adopted a two-rate LVT property tax as compared to the prior three years. This jump over-shadowed the modest 1.07-time increase in new private construction and renovation of nearby one-rate Uniontown

Reduces Property Taxes, As It Pays Down Deficits during the same time period.

The two cities are quite comparable, although Uniontown is the county seat and is somewhat larger. In July 1993, the Aliquippa School District adopted a two-rate building-toland property tax. Its new private construction and renovation spurted like a geyser. In 1994-95, it was 2.3 times greater than for 1991-92.

In 1989, Clairton, Pa., an industrial suburb of Pittsburgh, was under direct State fiscal control, officially labeled “financially distressed.” It took the advice of the prestigious Pennsylvania Economy League and adopted two-rate LVT. Building assessments were taxed at 2.105% and land assessments at 10% (instead of both at 3.7%).

During the three-year period after the switch, its taxable building permits were 8.5% more than in the three years before (based on building-permit records in Clairton City Hall).

Compare this to the 5.8% decline in all US building permits issued during the same time.

Pittsburgh, Pa. increased its land-tax rate (but not its building-tax rate) in 1979 and 1980; its building-permit issuance then became 3.57 times higher than in the previous years of

1974-1978, despite a steady decline in its steel industry.

Compared to this increase, US office-building permits increased only 1.6 times. In 1984, Pittsburgh again increased its land tax but not its building tax. In the following two years, its new construction and renovation increased 6.2 times faster than US construction and renovation.

Pittsburgh’s 1985 building permits increased 2.29 times over 1984; in 1986, they were 2.38 times greater than in 1984.

A study by professors Wallace Oates and Robert Schwab, of the University of Maryland, reported 15 large Northeastern cities in the US averaged a decline of 15.5% in their annual value of building permits issued between 1960-1969 and 1980-1989, but two-rate LVT Pittsburgh recorded a 70.4% increase.

A Washington, D.C. Council-authorized study done in the 1970s concluded if only land was taxed (not building assessments), there would be these tax reductions: single family homes 18.1%, two-family homes 20.9%, row houses 14%, walkup apartments 8.9%, elevator apartments 22.5%.

The best study of all, perhaps, is a huge negative study, right here in Pennsylvania.

What happens when a jurisdiction switches from two-tiered taxation back to a single tax on real property?

Pittsburgh had been taxing land assessments more than building assessments ever since 1915, but in 2001, it reverted to taxing both types of assessments at the same rate.

Why did the City do that?

Well-to-do voters in Pittsburgh were suddenly aroused to fever pitch about their property tax because a county reassessment increased their land assessments by eight times overnight – a political no-no (most County Council members lost their next election).

These voters thought they would pay less if they got the land-tax rate brought down to the building-tax rate, so they pressured City Council to reduce the land-tax rate. They were completely unaware of the many Pittsburgh studies supporting land-value taxation, and of course the property tax of most homeowners in the city shot up.

After the two-rate rescission, Pittsburgh’s private new construction (now more taxed) declined 19.57% (inflation-adjusted) in the three years after rescission as compared to the three years before, while the value of construction nationwide increased 7.7% (also inflation-adjusted).

An examination of the Pittsburgh assessment roll found the rescission caused 54% of all property owners to pay more property tax. As for nonlandowning tenants (office tenants also), eventually they all paid more space-rent, because more building tax was passed on to them but the land value tax never can be. Since big cities generally have many tenants (both residential and business), they would particularly benefit from a building-to-land property-tax switch.

The only way to reduce taxes on production is to tax land instead. If you encounter doubters, be sure to ask them to present empirical evidence.

They can’t.

City Hall Sam

useful to the people in both of the committees, to hear what people think.”

But hearing what ‘the people’ think isn’t high on Washington’s list of things to do, according to most people. In fact, when you talk with most Americans, the thing you hear most often is the government is so beholden to special interests and money that there’s really no place for ‘the people’.

Rivlin disputed that. She says her being at America Speaks should stand as proof to Americans that their voices will be heard this time around. I hope she’s right.

On The Social Scene

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE for Council David Oh has a lot of practice now kissing babies. His wife has presented him with number two, a boy, whom they are naming Joshua.

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(Cont. From Page 12) GILLEN, who is a young woman, was replaced by MARCIA WILKOF, also a young woman. This was necessitated when Terry was made a part of the Mayor’s City Hall inner sanctum; currently she chairs the Redevelopment Authority Board of Philadelphia. In Kensington in the 33rd Ward, DONNA AUMENT replaced CAMILLO SILVA. In the 43rd, TOM LOGAN, the incumbent, has been replaced by EMILIO VAZQUEZ. In the 55th (Mayfair), BOB DELLAVELLA replaced MIKE LOWRY when Mike was appointed to the Philadelphia Traffic Court. In the 57th, PAT PARKINSON has replaced FRNAK CONAWAY and in the 58th Ward, MIKE STACK has been replaced by his son STATE SEN. MIKE STACK. In the 63rd (Pine Valley), BERNICE HILL replaced CHRIS DRUMM. In the 64th Ward, LORRAINE BEDNAREK replaced her husband MARTY BEDNAREK. In the 66thA Ward, SHAWN DILLON has replaced his father FRANK DILLON. Incidentally, it was Frank Dillon who started all the rejuvenating of the Democratic organization in Philadelphia. All in all, 17

of the 69 wards have changed leadership lately.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Republicans are currently embroiled in a battle for the leadership of the party in Philadelphia. The MEEHAN family has for decades taken that responsibility and currently backs attorney VITO CANUSO to be reelected chairman. There are several ward fights going on still in the Republican Party. AL SCHMIDT claimed to have 21 new ward leaders at the reorganization meeting, which would have been enough to elect him chairman of the Party. The Republican State Committee has apparently gotten involved when its CHAIRMAN ROB GLEASON met with Canuso. The Democratic leaders in Philadelphia for the most part do not share the opinion of the State Committee leaders with regards to the ineffectiveness of the Philadelphia Republican Party. Democrats outnumber Republicans six to one, yet the Republicans are still able to man the polls on Election Day. More than one Democratic ward leader in Philadelphia has stated the registered Republicans who are involved in the election process have to be “true believers”, given the statewide total of over a million more Democrats then Republicans.

Congressional Budget Office, the former Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget and is a member of the President’s Commission on Fiscal Debt Reduction and the Biartisan Policy Center’s Debt Reduction Task Force.

In other words, she’s thought about this stuff a lot.

I talked to Rivlin (a Philadelphia native, by the way) about what she hoped to take back to the various committees she’s on.

“This is a good way to get a lot of opinions in one day from across the country,” she said. “This is going to be very

The Public Record • July 1, 2010

(Cont. From Page 12) type in the responses of those at the table. But the table participants were also able to weigh in with the help of the keypads they were handed when they came in.

I sat in on a discussion that centered on budgetary priorities. I listened as the folks at the table, a group comprised mostly of older women, discussed whether or not we should make taking care of the future a bigger budgetary priority than taking care of the present. This group believed the future was more important.

What struck me during Saturday’s meeting was just how far apart the nation’s budgetary priorities and the budget itself are. If you listened to the people in that meeting, they want less de-

fense spending, not more.

They want the taxes on those earning more than $1 million and corporations raised. They want affordable health care.

They want Social Security benefits preserved. They want an unemployment extension passed.

But when you look at the Federal budget itself, Congress has chosen to do the opposite of what was requested every time. Defense spending is increased. Don’t get me started on health care. Corporations and those making $1 million or more take no tax hit at all.

In other words, there’s this big hairy disconnect.

But I met a woman who really wants to bridge that disconnect. Her name is Alice Rivlin.

For those of you who don’t know who Ms. Rivlin is, she was the first director of the

Page 21

Out & About

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The Public Record • July 1, 2010

Page 22

‘Roof-to-Table’ a Noble dining innovation

by Len Lear We see the term “farm-totable” a lot these days from restaurant owners who want to emphasize the fact they are allegedly not using products that been sitting around on supermarket shelves for days, if not weeks.

Bruno Pouget and Todd Rodgers are going a step further, however, in their restaurant, Noble: An American Cookery, at 2025 Sansom Street, whose executive chef, Brinn Sinnott, has worked in top kitchens across the city including Lacroix, Supper and the Four Seasons Hotel. Sinnott took over the kitchen at Noble last December.

Chef Sinnott designed and planted a garden on Noble’s rooftop filled with herbs, edible flowers and vegetables, from which he has started

harvesting and incorporating into “roof-totable” elements in his dishes. Summer cocktails even feature ingredients from the garden. “We’ve found a way to grow our own produce, even if it is ‘upside down’ instead of from the ground up,” explained Sinnott.

Last Thursday, chef Sinnott hosted his first “Roof-toTable Dinner.” The menu, which incorporated produce and herbs from the rooftop garden into each dish, included a cherry tomato cocktail with assorted basils and mints; Barnegat Light sea scallops with faro and nasturtium pesto; slow-cooked king salmon with apricot, chanterelles and herbes de Provence; grilled beef sirloin with Vietnamese cilantro; and cherry clafoutis with lemonverbena ice cream. The price was $55 per person. “Roofto-Table Dinners” will con-

tinue on the last Thursday of each month.

Chef Sinnott’s rooftop garden features three separate beds, each situated at the edge of one of the restaurant’s three skylights that are visible to guests in the dining room below. The beds are herbes de Provence with garden chives, three varieties of sage including purple and tricolor, English thyme, several species of rosemary, French tarragon, Italian parsley and Greek oregano; edible flowers with Mexican marigolds (yellow, orange and red), calendula (classic creamy yellow petals), borage (iridescent blue with purple, pink and silver flowers), nasturtium (mix of jewel-like colors), heirloom pole beans (purple hyacinth and red pole beans) and pineapple sage (bright green leaves with lipstick red flowers); and the lemon bed, featuring lemon thyme, lemon verbena, lemongrass, lemon balm and Vietnamese cilantro.

A potted garden, also on

the roof, is home to heirloom tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, mint and unusual varieties of basil. Chef Sinnott worked with Grace Wicks of Graceful Gardens to design and coordinate plantings.

Noble’s décor features a rustic-yet-modern space complete with reclaimed wideplank hickory floors and modern furnishings. On the street level, their front window opens wide to create center city’s only “outside-in” sidewalk cafe, where patrons can sit inside the restaurant looking out or on the sidewalk facing in.

For more information, call (215) 568-7000, visit www.noblecookery.com or follow on Twitter @NobleCookery.

‘Kids’ Happy Hour’ Hundreds of restaurants in Philly have Happy Hour for adults, but every Monday through Friday, from 5 to 6 p.m., all six Marathon restaurants may be the first ones in the city to host a “Kids’ Happy Hour.” Timed to coin-

Len Lear cide with their daily Happy Hour for adults, the Kids Happy Hour features half off their children’s menu items.

“As a Center City parent myself, I know how challenging it can be to balance unwinding at the end of a long work day with feeding your family a healthful, affordable meal,” said owner Cary Borish.

Children’s menu items include: kids matzoh ball soup with chicken and veggies; the ‘big kid burger sliders’ with Vermont cheddar; and Eli-

jah’s mac and cheese. All kids’ items are served with a side of fruit salad. Happy Hour prices range from $1.75 for the peanut butter jelly on whole wheat bread to $4.25 for ‘Thanksgiving Dinner’ with turkey, mashed potatoes and turkey gravy.

In addition, during the citywide benefit for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer running through Friday, Jul. 2, Marathon is hosting a series of special events and promotions to raise funds for the foundation dedicated to finding a cure for kids with cancer.

Marathon owns and operates six locations: 10th & Walnut (215-733-0311); 1339 Chestnut (215-561-4460); 16th & Sansom (215-569-3278); 1818 Market (215-561-1818); Marathon on the Square, 19th & Spruce (215-731-0800); and 40th & Walnut (215-2220100) with adjacent MarBar (215-222-0800). For more information, please visit website www.eatmarathon.com.

Record Seen Daily On Web!

Fattah Secures Mortgage Relief For Unemployed Congressman Chaka Fattah is thanking his colleagues for their diligence in working to ensure the nation’s unemployed are able to remain in their homes. A provision in the Financial Reform legislation, expected to be signed by the President within the week, offers a remedy to the millions of homeowners who are facing foreclosure.

The plan, which provides $1 billion to unemployed homeowners, is patterned after a highly successful program introduced by Congressman Fattah when he was a Pennsylvania state legislator. Pennsylvania's Homeowner’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program has a proven track record, and has provided $236 million to tens of thousands of unemployed workers to stave off the foreclosure process.

Under the program, qualified homeowners will be able to borrow up to $50,000 to assist them with their mortgage payments, provided that they have a reasonable prospect of resuming mortgage payments within 24 months.

Fattah introduced HEMA in the House, knowing that as the unemployment rate continues to rise, millions of families nationwide would be in jeopardy of losing their homes. “Americans need help; 8% of all mortgage holders are currently at risk of losing their homes and that is unacceptable,” Fattah said.

“I’m encouraged that my colleagues supported the mortgage-relief provision in conference to ensure that families won’t be faced with the double blow of being unemployed and homeless.”

“They started it, I'll finish it,” vowed State Rep. Angel Cruz, Monday at a press conference where he and his attorney, Deborah Cianfrani, announced the filing of a suit to ask a Judge to reject a subpoena filed by the City Commissioners summoning Election Judges in the 7th Ward to a hearing.

Cruz, who defeated Jonathan Ramos by 124 votes in the May Primary Election, is the ward leader there.

Ramos accuses Cruz of trying to intimidate and remove some Judges of Elections at polling places during the May 18 primary and of taking home election materials that should have been submitted to the Commission on Election

Night.

Cruz told reporters Commission Chairwoman Marge Tartaglione and her daughters, Renee, a deputy commissioner at City Hall, and Tina, a State Senator, supported Ramos in the Primary, claiming they were using that office to unseat him.

Cianfrani said the City Commissioners’ Office is supposed to certify election returns, and any petition, within seven days.

Cruz said, “If there are credible allegations, then prove it in front of a Judge, asked Cruz. “They know there is nothing credible.”

The City Commissioners’ Office replied they were following the election code in issuing the subpoenas.

PROUDLY MANAGING PENNSYLVANIAʼS INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT SINCE 1990

Philadelphia Regional Port Authority A Promising Future

By Championing the Channel-Deepening Project And Substantial Port Expansion

Once Again, We Thank Gov. Ed Rendell For Giving Our Port A Great Opportunity And

John H. Estey, Esq. Chairman

James T. McDermott, Jr. Executive Director

Robert C. Blackburn

Senior Deputy Executive Director

John F. Dempsey

Deputy Executive Director Administrative Offices: 3460 N. Delaware Ave. 2nd Fl., Phila., PA 19134 (215) 426-2600 • Fax (215) 426-6800 www.philaport.com

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The Philadelphia Public Record, the snappy weekly which covers thoroughly the political, union, and organized communities of this city, is now a daily your computer can reach minutes after 12 noon Monday through Friday. We started last Friday, and targets news items the other dailies may miss.

According to Managing Editor Tony West, “This will be an daily edition in addition to our two weekly editions, which are published each Thursday.

“The reason we feel the time has come is we daily discover, receive, or investigate newsworthy subjects that are best served fresh ... and that is best done to our internet readers.

“By the time we report them in our two weekly print editions -- the citywide Philadelphia Public Record (50,000cc) and the South Philadelphia Public Record (20,000cc) -- they've been caught up to by the dailies,” he added.

“What prompted the daily edition is the huge spike on our website of readers every Thursday and Friday. We average 5,000 hits per week, with the busiest number logged in on those two days.”

The Philadelphia Daily Record will be a “bare-bones daily report of key stories compiled as we get them, after the staff verifies the facts with followup calls and rewrites,” West added.

mary for Philadelphia notes that it does not expect employment to recover to pre-recession levels until 2013. The tourism industry is not expected to return to pre-recession levels until 2012.

Along with a look at the City’s future forecast, the Controller’s report also notes that Philadelphia leads the state in hospitalization rates for three of four chronic conditions. It ranks as the highest county for diabetes, asthma and heart failure.

Hospitalization rates are calculated per 1,000 residents.

The City’s rates for diabetes (4.26) and heart failure (10.04) are double the state and national averages and asthma (5.40) rates are three times higher.

Based on the average Medicare payments for each condition, total Medicare payments for all hospitalizations for the four conditions in 2007 were estimated at $615 in Pennsylvania.

The Public Record • July 1, 2010

While financial recovery continues for many economies, Philadelphia’s current fiscal troubles will prevent it from realizing an energetic recovery, according to City Controller Alan Butkovitz’ monthly Economic Forecast and Snapshot.

Philadelphia has lagged the nation in recent recoveries and the City’s low tax collections and high unemployment put it in a position to follow the same trend. As highlighted in the Controller’s report, the Moody’s Analytics’ May sum-

Cruz Rejects City Commission Suit

Page 23

Controller Says City Slow With Recovery

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The Public Record • July 1, 2010

Page 24

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The Public Record • July 1, 2010

2400 E. Somerset Street Philadelphia, PA 19134

under increasing scrutiny from regulators?

Answer: Debt-settlement companies position themselves as alternatives to

sue. People think they’re settling their problems and getting some relief, and lo and behold, they get slammed with a lawsuit. Further, “the industry’s own figures show that clients typically fail to secure relief. In a survey of its members, the Association of Settlement Companies found that three years after enrolling, only 34% of customers had either completed programs or were still saving for settlements. According to one debt-settlement executive quoted by the New York Times, the entire industry is like a ‘Ponzi scheme’.”

Next week’s question: Bankruptcy fraud: What happens when you are caught?

Page 25

by Michael A. Cibik, Esq. American Bankruptcy Board Certified Question: Why are debtsettlement companies coming

bankruptcy, suggesting that they have insight into “secrets that the credit-card companies don’t want you to know.” In the typical arrangement, the companies direct consumers to set up special accounts and stock them with monthly deposits while skipping their creditcard payments. Once balances reach sufficient size, negotiators strike lump-sum settlements with credit-card companies that can cut debts in half. These programs generally last two to five years.

What they don’t tell their clients is when you stop sending the money, creditors get angry, and collection agents start to call. Sometimes they

Kitchen Honors Public Safety STATE SEN. Shirley M. Kitchen honored Philadelphia’s Finest (police officers and fire fighters) for their exemplary service to 3rd Senatorial Dist. at her recent Police Officers and Fire Fighters Appreciation Dinner. Pictured from left are Phila. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and Kitchen congratulating Phila. Fire Service Paramedic Gregory Flood and his wife with a Penna. Senate-issued citation for his service.

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