Pr 908 p

PHILAPORT SPECIAL SECTION BEGINS P. 2

Vol. XIII No. 26

Issue 908

June 22, 2017

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

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BOOM PORT THE PORT OF PHILADELPHIA HAS ARRIVED AT AN HISTORIC TURNING POINT IN GLOBAL TRADE – AND IS PREPARED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

CITY VS. BAR GAMING SEE P. 15

TIME TO REFORM REGS? SEE P. 2

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COUNCIL, BUSINESS LEADERS WORK ON REGS

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ouncilman Derek S. Green (at Large), Commerce Director Harold T. Epps, and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia President & CEO Rob Wonderling – the three co-chairs of the Special Committee on Regulatory Review & Reform – last week named the business and policy leaders who also will offer their service in an effort to streamline the city’s regulatory environment and enhance Philadelphia’s economy.

At an announcement in City Hall, Council President Darrell L. Clarke thanked the Special Committee members for volunteering their time and expertise toward City Council’s mission of creating a fair and clear business environment for businesses and workers alike, which ultimately will benefit taxpayers.

“When this initiative was announced earlier this year,

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I invited Philadelphia businesses to partner with us to clean up The Philadelphia Code. The team that we have assembled is exactly what we need to do this work in service to achieving our shared goals of more family-sustaining jobs and strong local economies in each and every neighborhood,” Clarke said. “I thank the Special Committee members for stepping up to make Philadelphia an even more attractive place to work and grow businesses.”

Green commented, “As a former small-business owner myself, I appreciate the contribution of time, energy, and experience being made by these volunteers to help improve our city.

Poverty is the No. 1 issue facing Philadelphia, and the best way to reduce it is by gaining jobs and growing businesses here in the city.

With these members of the Special Committee, we can

begin the work of reforming regulations that might unintentionally be limiting the growth of businesses in Philadelphia.”

Epps added, “As someone who spent most of his career in the private sector, I am familiar with both the frustrations of businesses when it comes to regulations, and the necessary role that good regulation has in our community. We need to support business owners – large and small. I look forward to working with my fellow Special Committee members to examine Philadelphia’s current regulations and identify meaningful solutions.”

“The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia is looking forward to working with Councilman Green, Commerce Director Epps, members of City Council, and business leaders across Philadelphia on this Committee to examine

burdensome and outdated regulations,” Wonderling said. “While we might have some differences of opinion, we are all committed to working in a collaborative and respectful way toward sensible regulatory reforms that will move our city forward.”

Three other legislators will join Councilman Green in service on the Special Committee: Councilwoman Maria Quiñones Sánchez (D-7th), Councilman Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd), and Councilman Al Taubenberger (Rat Large), who previously served as the president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

They will be joined by Saleem Chapman, policy and advocacy manager for the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

The Special Committee is rounded out by the following Philadelphia business leaders who will serve as co-chairs of six subcommit-

tees: Saba Tedla, owner, Booker’s Restaurant: Food & Hospitality Subcommittee co-chair; Luz Cardenas, partner, Cardenas-Grant Communications: Professional Services Subcommittee co-chair; Marcus Iannozzi, principal, Message Agency: Professional Services Subcommittee cochair; Laurie Actman, COO, Penn Center for Innovation: Start-up Subcommittee cochair; Chet Riddick, president & CEO, Alpha Enterprise Group: Manufacturing Subcommittee co-chair; Anuj Gupta, general manager, Reading Terminal Market: Small Business Subcommittee co-chair; and Michael Brown, CEO, Environmental Construction Services: Real Estate Subcommittee co-chair.

The Special Committee on Regulatory Review & Reform will commence its work over the summer.

BIG-MONEY APPLICANTS LOSE OUT IN PA MARIJUANA LICENSING

INDY SNIDER was probably the best known of the applicants for Pennsylvania’s tiny pool of medical marijuana grow licenses. She had name recognition – as daughter of late Flyers owner Ed Snider – not to mention a team that included lobbyists and a PR firm. She even had a commitment for a sprawling industrial site in Northeast Philadelphia.

But she, along with a number of other deep-pocketed applicants vying for an edge in the state licensing process, wound up on the wrong side of the scrum that culminated with today’s announcement of license winners.

Ultimately, two grow licenses allocated to southeastern PA went to obscure

firms – albeit one of which had a tie to former DEP Secretary John Hanger – and both were for sites in Berks County.

“We are disappointed by the Department of Health’s decision not to award a license to Snider Health in this round,” said Snider spokesperson Kevin Feeley, in a prepared statement. “We will continue to pursue a license for a Philadelphia grower/ processor facility.”

Some applicants told City&State in private that they had spent more than a million dollars on application efforts Other aspirants went as far as preemptively pulling zoning permits.

But to PA Sen. Daylin Leach, who helped craft the state’s medical marijua-

na legislation, the system worked.

“Any objective observer would say the process was fair,” he said. “The wealthiest people did not get all the licenses...Even letters from state legislators were thrown away.”

Leach said state officials were “agnostic” about applicants’ identity, relying only on a complex scoring mechanism. The scorecards have already been made public online, showing how many of the top 12 licensees had narrowly edged out their competition.

Leach encouraged miffed applicants to reapply for the next batch of grow licenses.

“Many of the top-tier applicants were close.

But there will be a second round,” he said. “The sec-

ond round hasn’t been announced yet, but it could happen in the next six months.”

Additionally, a separate announcement for 27 dispensary licenses is due next week.

Not everyone was quite as pleased as Leach.

“I’m disappointed,” said Philadelphia Councilman Derek Green. “The fact that Berks received two grow licenses was very surprising.

No other county received two licenses.”

Green, who spoke to City&State PA in April about his concerns that the city would be shut out of the application process, said a grow facility could have been a boon for low-income neighborhoods.

“We have the highest

level of poverty of any big city in the nation. This was an economic development opportunity for the city of Philadelphia,” he said.

Philadelphia state Rep. Jordan Harris, who chairs the PA Legislative Black Caucus, also spoke with City&State PA in April. But he was mostly pleased with the outcome of the application process.

“I would like to see a grower/processor in Philadelphia County,” he said. “But I’ve been talking for awhile about ensuring people of color are included in this process and I was very pleased to see there are at least three firms that have a majority or very high percentage of people of color in their business who were selected.”

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GOV. TOM WOLF SALUTES PHILAPORT

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N DECEMBER, I joined Sen. Bob Casey, elected officials and stakeholders to celebrate a comprehensive Capital Investment Program at the Port of Philadelphia announced in November that will create thousands of jobs by investing more than $300 million in the port’s infrastructure, warehousing, and equipment. This initiative will double container capacity, position the Port for future growth, improve efficiency, and increase tax revenues when it begins next year and continues through

2020.

In the months that followed, I’ve visited the Port and monitored the progress. This is an incredible opportunity to advance my No. 1 priority: to continue to strengthen Pennsylvania’s economy to support the middle class. This capital investment program will give the Port of Philadelphia the tools it needs to improve its competitive position and create thousands of family-sustaining jobs while increasing state revenues. With its major economic impacts throughout the state, my administration under-

GOV. TOM WOLF

stands the value of Pennsylvania’s port asset in Philadelphia to the entire

state economy.

The program, ranking among the largest in-

vestments by a state on the East Coast, will boost three of the busiest sectors of the Port of Philadelphia, including the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, the Port’s automobile-handling operation and the Tioga Marine Terminal.

These improvements will result in doubling container capacity at the Port, provide increased breakbulk (non-containerized) cargo capacity, and bring a substantial increase in automobile-handling capacity. A total direct job increase of 70% is projected from the current level of 3,124

to a projected 5,378 direct jobs. Total employment at the Port will also increase, from 10,341 to 17,020, and state and local tax revenues generated will increase from the current $69.6 million to $108.4 million annually.

This is not just an investment for one region – expanding the Port’s capacity will bring more jobs and economic activity across the commonwealth. I am proud of the work being done by administrators, operators and workers at PhilaPort and look forward to continuing to see such incredible progress.

Celebrating and Commending The Work and Achievement of The Men and Women Who Manage, Run and Work At The

Philadelphia Ports

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Your Efforts Help Improve Our Region

Robert Brady Congressman 1st District Paid for by Committee to Elect Bob Brady

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2016 CARGO FIGURES SHOW STEADY GROWTH

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healthy 18.4%, with 921,338 tons handled in 2016 compared to the 778,271 tons handled in 2015.

Cocoa beans, with 123,356 tons arriving at PhilaPort in 2016 compared to 2015’s 101,166 tons, experienced a 21.9 percent gain. This gain, in conjunction with terminal operator Dependable Distribution Services consolidating its regional cocoa cargoes at PhilaPort’s Pier 84 facility, shows why Philadelphia is ranked as the No. 1 cocoa bean-handling port in the nation, according to The Journal of Commerce’s PIERS data service. When considering all cocoa products, PhilaPort ranks second in the nation.

(Cont. Page 8)

7 Things You Must Know Before Putting Your Philly Home Up for Sale

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Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home.

This report is courtesy of Larry Levin, Coldwell Banker Preferred. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2014

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TEU tonnage represented under 2 million tons. Likewise, when the containers are measured in TEUs, the 459,701 TEUs handled in 2016 represents an impressive 7.5% increase over last year.

Breakbulk cargoes (goods not shipped inside containers) were up nearly 1% overall. The largest gains were made by wood pulp, lumber, cocoa beans and miscellaneous cargoes.

Forest products, which include high-quality coated paper from Scandinavia used to print magazines and catalogs, and wood pulp from South America used in the manufacture of household items like diapers, bathroom tissue and paper towels, were up a

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OR THE SEVENTH consecutive year, cargo has grown at the Port of Philadelphia, with total cargo tonnage surpassing 6 million tons.

A total of 6,245,291 metric tons of cargo was handled at PhilaPort facilities in 2016, compared to the 6,095,575 tons handled in 2015. Over a seven-year period, cargo tonnage increased at a 9.5% growth rate.

Container growth is at an all-time high and accounts for half of the metric tonnage handled.

Surpassing the 3-million tonnage mark for 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) is a significant milestone for the port and reflects a consistent period of growth since 2010 when

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CONTAINERS SET RECROD (Cont. From Page 7) Steel, with 294,219 tons, and fruit, with 240,504 tons handled in 2016, were moderate compared to previous port years.

Liquid-bulk cargo activity performed at about 2015 levels again resulting in a cargo at 1,286,489 tons – about an 11.3 percent growth within the last 7 years.

Roll-On/Roll-Off (RO/ RO) cargoes primarily consist of new Hyundai and Kia automobiles that regularly arrive at PhilaPort’s Packer Avenue Marine Terminal from South Korea. Since 2010, their vehicle import business has

shown 1% growth over the last seven years. Shown as units, automobiles were down 10.8%, with 138,872 automobiles arriving at PhilaPort in 2016 compared to the 155,745 that arrived in 2015. The decrease was due to a recent labor strike the automaker had last year, causing US inventory levels to fall.

Across the board, Korean imports dropped by 23%, making it the costliest strike in the history of the automakers.

All tonnage figures are metric tons. Cargo gains in 2016 occurred during a busy and dynamic era for PhilaPort, with the newly

announced $300 million Port Development Plan and a deeper 45-foot channel by December 2017.

This major capital investment affecting PhilaPort will bring about more cargo to Philadelphia and the region.

Record volumes have already been chalked up in 2017. In January, container volumes hit a record of 50,152 TEUs, a 34% growth over January 2016.

The port also saw a tremendous surge in autos by 38%, forest products by 10%, cocoa by 58% and liquid bulk by 17%, for a net growth of 20% over the same period last year.

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LOOKING FORWARD

highway maintenance. “Nature shoals; man dredges,” Voigt noted. But enlarging a channel is a different matter. The river that could easily accommodate bustling maritime commerce in 1776 needed to be expanded as ships grew bigger. By World War II, it had grown to a 40-foot depth – all the U.S. Navy needed for its greatest ships at the time.

Today, the Panama Canal has been expanded to a 50-foot depth. Many cargo vessels are now behemoths.

They carry the future of global trade. If the Delaware River ports had remained stuck at 40 feet, they would have faded into insignificance, beat out by deeper nearby rivals.

It took consolidated, sustained, bipartisan action both to obtain the necessary federal funding each year and to work through the (Cont. Page 10)

DREDGING the new 45-foot channel was completed through the heart of Philadelphia a few years ago. The last sections of the channel will be open by next spring.

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progressed in stages, each one fueled by new rounds of federal and state funding. None of these dollars were guaranteed; PhilaPort was always in competition with other hungry mouths competing for scarce public investment dollars. Last year, the channel-deepening was predicted to finish at a total cost of $364.3 million – two-thirds from the US government and one-third from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Ed Voigt has served in the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District since 1995, today as chief of public and legislative affairs. This spring, he sat down with the Public Record to review the project’s history and chart its final course.

Maintenance dredging is a permanent activity at every port, the equivalent of sweeping and clearing for

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BY TONY WEST T WILL HAVE taken 35 years to move five feet in the Delaware River – but they are five big feet. Five feet deeper.

By this time next year, the channel-deepening project will have been completed.

From an initial study by the Delaware River Port Authority in 1983, this project has consumed the attention of congressmen in Washington, the US Army Corps of Engineers, three state governments and numerous public, industry and labor collaborators. Soon, a new 45-foot channel stretching from Philadelphia and Camden to the mouth of the Delaware Bay will be funneling new business into our area.

Work began on the actual dredging in 2010, sponsored by Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (now PhilaPort). It has

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PHILLY SEA COMMERCE ENTERS NEW ERA

(Cont. From Page 9) process that culminated in a project partnership agreement with PhilaPort as the project’s non-federal sponsor.

The Army Corps of Engineers is relied on to make

The Corps did its calculations and the Delaware River channel won. Projects need a benefit-cost ratio of more than 1.00 (which would break-even) to move forward; this channel-deepening came in at 1.65.

ARMY Corps of Engineers spokesperson Ed Voigt: “Nature shoals,

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man dredges.”

cost-benefit analyses on which these budget battles turn. However, Voigt said, as a nationally funded public body, USACE cannot base its calculations on what would boost the local economy; Philadelphia’s gain might be New York’s loss, after all.

It needed to calculate what advantage to the overall national economy deepening the Delaware would deliver.

And it is required to be conservative in its estimates: It cannot include secondary benefits or forecast trade growth in its reckoning.

“A key factor,” said Voigt, “was that increasing channel depth increases cargo efficiency. If the same tanker makes the same trip to the same refinery, but can bring in 20% more oil, the nation as a whole benefits.”

By this time next year, PhilaPort will enjoy a 45foot deep channel. Port businesses are already scouring the planet for new action. Their work will impact the hundreds of private and public entities that are involved in a complex web of economic interactions.

The Corps is not allowed to factor in long-term business macrodevelopments because, well, who knows what the future may bring?

In its early days, when Sunoco ruled the waves of the Delaware, the outlook was for 80% of the economic benefits to come from expanded oil shipments and 20% from expanded container and bulk cargo. Today, post-Panamax, those numbers have been turned on their heads: now it’s closer to 80% from containers and bulk cargo and 20% from oil.

Ten different contracts comprise the actual deepening work. Seven were complete as of last year.

The eighth contract was scheduled to be finished by the winter of 2016-17 but will have to be finished next winter as, for environmental reasons, it can only be conducted between December and March. It deals with a stretch between Chester, Pa., and Claymont, Del., where rock-blasting was required and where the amount to be blasted has

turned out to be more than the best initial estimates, Voigt said.

The ninth contract will cover a stretch in the Delaware Bay called “Upper Reach E.” It has been awarded, with work to start this summer. Hopper dredging will be used

to vacuum sand from the channel bottom and transport it to an upstream disposal site.

The tenth contract, for “Upper Reach B” between Chester and Wilmington, has just been advertised.

A contractor should be in place and ready to start

this fall. A combination of pipeline and bucket dredging is called for here.

Once the channel deepening is done, the Corps can go back to business as usual, routinely sweeping the underwater highway that places Philadelphia at the center of the world.

HOLT FORESEES BOOM FROM INVESTMENTS

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OLT LOGISTICS has much to celebrate, thanks to the recent $300 million investment from Gov. Tom Wolf awarded to the Port of Philadelphia. This investment will strengthen and improve the port’s infrastructure, warehouses, and equipment in order to lay a foundation for sustainable growth along the Delaware River. Construction is scheduled to begin this year and continue through 2020.

The investments by Gov. Wolf and PhilaPort are expected to boost three of the

busiest sectors in the Port of Philadelphia. Of the three sectors, Packer Avenue Marine Terminal is the largest and will receive $188 million to upgrade and densify the terminal. Holt Logistics is contributing an additional $100 million in equipment and other infrastructure upgrades, bringing the total investment in PAMT to nearly $300 million.

Major improvements to PAMT include installing four of the world’s largest “post-Panamax” container cranes as well as improving the terminal’s entire berth infrastructure. Additional land purchases will facilitate the demolishing of current warehouses on the docks and building of new warehouses nearby in order to increase acreage for containerized cargo and automobile-handling capacities.

According to the governor, “This investment will provide the Port of Philadelphia with the tools to become a strong competitor … and create thousands of family-oriented, middle-class jobs while increasing state revenue.”

The first two of four huge cranes are expected to arrive in October and will give the port the tools needed to compete against cities such as New York, Baltimore and Norfolk. PAMT currently uses outdated cranes that were designed to reach only

17 containers across. The new cranes will have the capacity to reach 23 containers wide.

The need for larger cranes at PAMT is already evident with the docking of last summer of the first “Post-Panamax” ship, the MSC Sophia Celeste, an 8,800 TEU (20-foot Equivalent Unit) vessel. Larger ships are coming along with new and expanded service lines including the Sealand North Atlantic Express, carrying Fyffes bananas and pines from Colombia and Costa Rica, and THE Alliance’s Northern European AL1 (Atlantic Loop) service, providing improved shipping times to/from Northern Europe.

These improvements will give the port the ability to establish Philadelphia as an aggressive, cost-competitive port and form a long-term commitment to grow jobs and revenues in the commonwealth. As a result of the future additions to the PAMT and other port projects, 2,000 waterfront jobs and a total of 7,000 indirect jobs for truckers, rail workers, suppliers and port-related businesses are expected to be created. Once all improvements are made to each sector in PhilaPort, total employment at the port is expected to increase from 10,341 to 17,020 jobs.

Frankford Arsenal, is a former army ammunition plant on the National Register of Historic Places.

At a visit to the middle school, Poznek introduced teacher Keith Herman, whom Poznek proclaims as the maritime expert.

Herman went to a fouryear maritime school and immediately took to sea.

“I first started as a cadet,” Herman said. “I was on one tanker that carried molten sulfur, so imagine what that smelled like.”

Herman houses a massive amount of knowledge of the maritime industry, from history, time zones and navigation to the precise charting of longitude and latitude. In one course, “everyone that was studying speed, time and distance had a 50-foot walked line outside and we timed them, had them count their paces.

We had the course outside, they were given directions (Cont. Page 22)

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all of these opportunities, these employee posts and secondary employment opportunities, to our students,” said Poznek The Maritime schools’ board chairman, Eugene Mattioni, has set up a monthly speaker series. Speakers talk about their specialties to give an in-depth idea of what a maritime career can look like. Homeland Security agents, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration employees, experts on petroleum and metal coating, and Philly Shipyard representatives are among the speakers.

The academy gives an overview of the entire industry, which includes shipside and shoreside career positions. On board, there are two career paths: “deck” and “engineering.” A deck job can lead to becoming the captain of a ship; the alternative tracks one to becoming a ship’s engineer.

The middle-school campus, which is located at the

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BY ELDON GRAHAM OME PEOPLE are called to the sea.

When that happens at a young age, education comes into play and there is no better place to learn sea life than the Maritime Academy Charter Schools.

Two schools comprise the MACHS. One, at 2275 Bridge Street, is considered the middle school; it instructs kindergartners through 8th-graders. The high school, at 2700 E. Huntingdon Street, instructs 9th through 12th graders. Although they are both maritime schools, they provide a well-rounded, quality education.

CEO Edward J. Poznek, a former naval officer, keeps it all going. Poznek describes the ins and outs of the schools: “It’s a standard Pennsylvania curriculum.

We teach algebra, history and English, but we marinate the curriculum with maritime themes. For example, the 2nd-grade class, instead of reading Jack and the Beanstalk, will be assigned something with ships.”

The maritime industry is a significant part of the Delaware River and Bay. It ferries many products to and from the United States: cocoa beans, paper products, and cars from South Korea.

MACHS, a public school, is the largest maritime school in the country with 820 students. Every student goes through the same course: Introduction to Maritime Studies.

The schools encourage students to become involved in nautical pursuits at their leisure as they see fit. Sailing, transportation and international knowledge are all part of the maritime industry; they can lead to a successful career.

“Our goal is to introduce

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ELEPHANT CORNER

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ECENT REPORTS from the City of Philadelphia indicate soda-tax revenues are lower than expected, suggesting that sales and probably consumption are down. The city estimated that revenues for the first 12 months after the implication of the tax would be $92 million.

The problem: To reach that number, they need to net $7.7 million per month. The proceeds in April were $6.5 million short of their projections of $7.0 for that month and well short of the $7.7

EVERYDAY PEOPLE

BY DENISE CLAY HILE I WAS hanging out in Norristown last week hearing entirely too much about what comedian Bill Cosby did for fun, I was also trying to prepare for more courtroom shenanigans.

But at least these shenanigans, the ones at play in the corruption trial of Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams, are shenanigans I understand…or, at the very least, don’t have a per-

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million. The city’s response to the bad news not was to think about how they might have to find another way to fund Pre-K education, but rather to suspend making monthly projections of soda tax.

One academic suggested the weather in April might have affected sales. Maybe it is because the $0.015 tax/ ounce almost doubled the cost of soda in many outlets and people just bought less in the city. Some of the decrease, I am sure, is because people are consuming less.

Anecdotally, I can assure you there are many people who buy soda out of the city. My household’s consumption of soda has not decreased since the beginning of the year, but I have not bought a soda in the city except in restaurants to accompany meals. I have a car and thus can purchase refrigerator sleeves and cases in the suburbs and New Jersey. If I buy soda in the

suburbs, I also do my other grocery shopping while there. So the city is not just losing the soda tax, but also the revenues on taxable items sold in grocery stores.

I am sure the decreased consumption made the liberals in Center City, University City and Chestnut Hill happy. They are too smart to drink soda, except for seltzer water. How pedestrian of me! I should specify San Pellegrino or Perrier….

They wanted the tax to adjust the beverage choices of the great unwashed. I know they would never refer to those less fortunate as “unwashed,” but they do believe they know what is best for everyone. The term I would use for that way of thinking is “condescension.”

Proceeds from the tax were to benefit poor children by funding pre-K education. Earlier this year, it was announced some of the funds were going to parks, (Cont. Page 23)

sonal stake in.

Williams is on trial on multiple counts of mail fraud, theft by taking (a charge that cracks me up because what is theft if not taking), and bribery, in addition to plain old, simple fraud.

Opening arguments were held on Tuesday in Judge Paul Diamond’s courtroom at the Federal Courthouse at Seventh and Market streets.

From the way Diamond put the attorneys in check, and the way he handled the jury, this trial is going to move relatively smoothly.

That’s because he made both sides be succinct. Assistant US Attorney Veneet Gauri began the day by telling the jury of 10 women and two men that the reason we’re all here is because Williams had Champagne tastes on a tapwater budget.

Because of this, he traded his office for a few pieces of silver. “Seth Williams was constantly on the take,”

Gauri said.

Thomas Burke, Williams’ attorney, disputed that by giving a different reason for this case to be in court.

This case is the result of a fishing expedition that put the squeeze on Williams’s friends – businessman Muhammad Ali and Woody’s owner Michael Weiss – and made them turn gifts and vacations into something more salacious.

“If you’re looking for a ‘backroom deals’ kind of case, this isn’t it,” Burke said.

Among the things Williams is charged with is defrauding his mother’s nursing home, the St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation Hospital in Darby. As the day wrapped up on Tuesday, the director of accounts payable for Catholic Health Services, Kathleen DeFriece, was testifying about that alleged fraud.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

WALKING the BEAT

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OOKS LIKE THE RUSSIANS did in fact hack into our election system in 39 states. But they were unable to change election outcomes – which could have been their goal.

The Economist earlier had discovered that two separate Russian government agencies did hacking – each UNAWARE the other was doing it. Their probe got lazy and they left clues. But it would be a herculean task to hack America’s SEVEN THOUSAND city, county or

CITY HALL SAM

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ORMER FOES in the race for mayor of Philadelphia may clash again. Although MAYOR JIM KENNEY defeated STATE SEN. TONY WILLIAMS in a landslide, Williams appears to be back again. This time he is challenging the soda tax.

The controversial soda tax, which was designed to fund pre-K students, has not met its revenue estimates. In fact, it has fallen way below. Williams is going to have hearings in Philadelphia about the possibili-

state election bureaus.

Yesterday was the DAY OF THE ROPE. In 1877, several Molly Maguires were hanged upstate after KANGAROO TRIALS when they tried to organize a union. This event was the DAWN OF UNIONISM in America. It is marked each year with a dinner and awards event of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, hosted by Brian COLEMAN with Judge Pat DUGAN as emcee. Thanks to the AOH! Speaking of TRIALS, a Montgomery County trial is the subject of a 73-page appeal of the Kathleen KANE conviction. The Special Prosecutor was given too much power to investigate by the court, it asserts. The judge was said to refer to Kane as “Citizen Kane.”

WHAT! Firstly, that trial SHOULD NEVER HAVE been held in MontCo. LOOKS LIKE the list of PORN-GATE email senders will NEVER be released.

Maybe it would SHAKE THE FOUNDATIONS of the commonwealth?

With the primary election past, pols are gearing up for the BRADY BUNCH Party in Wildwood! Congressmen EVANS and BOYLE joined with Rep. BRADY to vote for Immediate Health Care for infants with no checking of legal status. The Republicans defeated the measure – maybe to alert potential illegals NOT to come to the USA. The effect is to hurt those who are in the USA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Command Sgt. Maj. Clarence MARTIN. It was a pleasure and honor to serve with him. Rev. Martin ushered in a GOLDEN AGE of soldering ... BORN DAYS also to Col. Tim WILLIAMS, who serves as Director of the Vets Multi-Service Center on 4th & Race, and of Millville, N.J. Mayor Jim KENNEY spoke on a radio fundraiser for the Vet Center...

(Cont. Page 17)

ty of doing away with it.

An unlikely partner in this venture is Republican STATE SEN. SCOTT WAGNER, who is a declared candidate for governor. How does this play in the world of GOV. TOM WOLF’S politics? Wagner very well could be facing Wolf in the 2018 general election and he is working with a Philadelphia Democrat. The goal for any Republican statewide candidate is to find a way to get some Philadelphia votes.

Successful Republican candidates have been able to accomplish this. Most recently, PAT TOOMEY was able to win certain areas and also not get killed in others in Philadelphia.

ARLEN SPECTER made a cottage industry out of winning enough votes from Philadelphia to get elected to the United States Senate numerous times. And will the other Democratic senators from Philadelphia join Williams on his

quest to do away with the soda tax? Let’s watch to see what SENS. STREET, FARNESE, TARTAGLIONE and HUGHES do. There are hearings scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia and for whatever reason, the media love the issue of the soda tax.

Teamsters carried out their most-recent protest of the soda tax in Harrisburg.

They were out in full force in Teamster T-shirts and made a positive impact at the Capitol. Among the Teamsters on hand was Local 830’s DAN GRACE. In other matters, highly regarded business agent for the Plumbers Union JOHN KANE was monitoring a plumbing-license bill in the House. He also joined the rally.

Republicans in Harrisburg were trying to raise $100 million for the state budget by expanding electronic gaming and other (Cont. Page 23)

BY JOE SHAHEELI s Pennsylvania’s government slides closer to the traditional (although often breached) annual budget deadline of June 30, a crucial piece of sausage-making is starting to smell even before it emerges from the grinder.

That’s the preliminary report on a measure put forth by the

A

Representative

Vanessa Lowery Brown 190th Legislative District

State Rep.

William Keller 184th District 1531 S. 2nd Street

1435 N. 52nd St. Phila. PA 19131 (215) 879-6615

215-271-9190

Always Hard At Work for You!

State Senator

Anthony Hardy Williams 8th Senatorial District

2901 ISLAND AVE. STE 100 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19153 (215) 492-2980 FAX: (215) 492-2990 ---419 CHURCH LANE YEADON, PA 19050 (610) 284-7335 FAX: (610) 284-5955 6630 LINDBERGH BLVD.

2103 SNYDER AVENUE PHILADELPHIA, PA 19145 (215) 755-9185 FAX: (215) 952-3375 ---SENATE BOX 203008 HARRISBURG, PA 17120 ROOM: 11 EAST WING (717) 787-5970 FAX: (717) 772-0574

“Paid for with Pennsylvanian taxpayer dollars”

PASTORS CONDEMN GAMING REV. WAYNE WEATHERS of Vision of Hope Baptist Church joined his colleagues in Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity in denouncing the General Assembly proposal to allow poker and slots for 13,500 liquor licensees.

Photo by Wendell Douglas

kins (D-Kensington) voted against this legislation.

Speaking for many of his city colleagues, he said the expansion would not only saturate the gambling market at the expense of the Pennsylvania Lottery and the senior-citizens’ programs it supports, it would further threaten the safety and quality of life of residents in the neighborhoods he serves and throughout Philadelphia.

HB 271 includes authorizing up to 30,000 locations for video-gaming terminals at licensed liquor retailers

State Rep. Jason

and establishments by the end of 2018 and 40,000 by 2020, as well as gambling tablets or “iGaming” at Pennsylvania’s six international airports, including Philadelphia.

Dawkins added the “stopand-go” liquor businesses plaguing Philadelphia would be eligible and that there is no distribution formula for ensuring that Philadelphia neighborhoods are not saddled with the majority of machines.

“My concern is about the stop-and-go locations. It is a fact that 75% of gamblers City Commissioner

Dawkins

Lisa M.

District Office: 4667 Paul St. Philadelphia, PA 19124 (215) 744-7901 M. – Th.: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

F.: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Room 132 City Hall

Deeley Philadelphia PA 19107

215-686-3460

State Rep.

Councilman

Mark

Joanna E.

Squilla

McClinton 191st Leg. Dist.

6027 Ludlow St. Unit A Phila., PA 19139

1st District City Hall Room 332

T: (215) 748-6712 F: (215) 748-1687

215-686-3458/59

Room 506 City Hall P. 215-686-3446/7 F. 215-686-1927

Represintative

Angel Cruz

District Office 3503 ‘B’ St. 215-291-5643 Ready to Serve you

Boyle

198th District

310 W. Chelten Ave.

172nd Dist.

7420 Frankford Ave. Phila., PA 19136

Phila PA 19148

P: 215-849-6426

215-331-2600 State Rep.

John

Donna

(R) 177th Dist.

4725 Richmond St. Phila., PA 19137

195th Leg. Dist.

2835 W. Girard Ave Phila, PA 19130

215-744-2600

D-185th District 2901 S. 19th St. Phila PA 19145 P: 215-468-1515 F: 215-952-1164

Greenlee

Kevin J.

Youngblood

Taylor

Donatucci

Councilman Wm.

State Rep.

Rep. Rosita

State Rep.

Rep.Maria P.

have a drinking disorder.

We have a saturation of stop-and-gos in Philadelphia and this constitutes another challenge for us,” Dawkins said.

Gaming expansion is not a pure partisan win for the GOP. Many midstate Pennsylvanians frown on gambling and many of their elected Republicans are queasy about it. So this measure may need support from fun-loving urban Democrats to pass.

That support is not in the offing today.

(Cont. Page 19)

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

Philadelphia & Vicinity expressed strong opposition to this legislation that will massively expand access to gaming into urban communities and neighborhoods.

Mt. Pisgah AME Church in Strawberry Mansion hosted their presser.

One of the concerns of the Black Clergy is that this newly passed legislation will increase the availability of video-gaming terminals in every establishment with a liquor license, opening the door to the creation of a new neighborhood nuisance, and reducing the quality of life in already economically depressed neighborhoods.

BCPV President Rev. Jay Broadnax commented, “While we recognize the need to identify revenue sources to balance the state’s budget, we want to prevent efforts that attempt to do so on the backs of those who can least afford it, and that will actually further diminish the quality of life for the vast majority of our community residents.”

State Rep. Jason Daw-

Bullock T: (215) 684-3738 F: (215) 235-4629

City Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker 9th District City Hall, Room 577, Philadelphia, PA 19107

215-686-3454 or 3455

www.phlcouncil.com/CherelleParker

Facebook: CouncilwomanCherelleLParker Twitter: @CherelleParker9

P H IL LY R E CO R D.C O M - 215 -755 -20 0 0

POLS on the STREET

Republican General Assembly caucuses to paper over part of the projected structural deficit of $3 billion. It hopes to alleviate this gap in part by turning every bar in Pennsylvania into a casino.

The bill now being pressed by the GOP would create some winners – foremost, the 13,500 liquor licensees in Pennsylvania.

They could prove to be crucial allies not just in this fight, but in many races around the state in 2018.

Barkeeps are voices in their communities.

But casinos would be hard-hit – as would downstream beneficiaries of their revenue, which include homeowners in most of the state and the School District of Philadelphia.

The initial reaction in Philadelphia has been negative. The Black Clergy of

JU N E 2 2 , 2017

MORE GAMING A LOSER, CITY POLS SAY

15

A RISING TIDE

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

16

OPINION

M

JU N E 2 2 , 2017

ONEY grows by traveling. That’s why Philadelphia stands on the verge of a new era of prosperity as the decades-long effort to deepen its port reaches its conclusion in the year to come.

Regardless of the economy’s ups and downs, and despite the rhetoric of politicians, two facts are clear: International trade is good for us, and it is sure to increase. While there are many ways to move goods and people around the

LETTER to the EDITOR WORKERS WOULD LOSE

T

HERE’S BEEN a lot of misinformation about HB 18 and I’d like to set the record straight.

This measure has nothing to do with healing injured workers. It has everything to do with giving insurance companies control of the medical process at the expense of injured workers. Doctors would no longer have the prevailing say in treating the unique needs of individuals who

world, most of this traffic is waterborne – the cheapest way to go.

Philadelphia was founded as a port city and, for centuries, it flourished as a port. Other industries sprang up based on its access to the sea. But as the city entered the “post-industrial” era, its port also began to be eclipsed by rivals. It may have reached its nadir with the closure of the historic Navy Yard in 1995.

Pennsylvania wisely fought back to retool its port for the 21st century. Its new 45-foot channel is predicted to generate all the jobs lost when the Navy Yard closed.

These are good, family-sustaining jobs.

Furthermore, the business opportunities that come with new international trade are the sort that will benefit the rest of the city,

the region and the state.

Philadelphia is becoming a travel mecca in other ways. Its educational and medical complex have a global reach that draws talent and investment from everywhere. In addition, its touristic reputation is soaring – witness its recent designation as a World Heritage City. But we can’t grow business beyond a certain point without freight. The port will bring that.

The long work of expanding the port has been accomplished by a great deal of patient, bipartisan political hard work. We commend the leaders of both parties for their efforts to advance the common good.

Maybe they will take lessons learned from our port and apply them to other public needs.

suffered workplace injuries.

While State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie claims this bill will help combat Pennsylvania’s opioid epidemic, nothing could be further from the truth. A simple reading of the bill’s text exposes that it looks to take control of medical decisions from doctors and give it to insurance companies.

Using a tragic situation as cover for a giveaway to the insurance industry is cynical at best and reprehensible at worst.

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO remains steadfast in its opposition to HB 18.

Pat Eiding, President

of the role veterinarians play in protecting the food supply.

Penn Vet, the only school of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania, has received funding from Pennsylvania until the most recent state budget proposal. The funding Penn Vet receives is critical to protecting both public health and Pennsylvania’s food supply.

Penn Vet has both the personnel and facilities to fight re-emerging threats such as rabies. There is no other facility in the state with the diagnostics capable of a timely rabies assessment, as well as the ability to pursue other diagnostics in the event of a negative result.

Penn Vet’s Swine Center collects data on where swine viruses occur, helping farmers and truckers see where disease is present to prevent its spread. The program maintains a map covering 1.29 million hogs in the state and has resulted (Cont. Page 21)

SAVE VET SCHOOL FUNDS

Many Pennsylvanians trust their beloved pets to the care of their veterinarian because they know veterinarians provide compassionate care for companion animals. However, few Pennsylvanians are aware

MARK your CALENDAR Jun. 22- Tribute to Commissioner Lisa Deeley is held at Field House, 1150 Filbert St., 5:307:30 p.m. Tickets $250 up. RSVP deeleyforphilly. com.

Jul. 8- Congressman Bob Brady hosts Brady Bunch

at Flip Flops, 106 W. Spruce Ave., N. Wildwood, N.J., 3-7 p.m. $35. For info: (215) 241-7804.

Jul. 9- Councilman Derek Green hosts an Evening of Jazz at the Trolley Car Café, 3269 S. Ferry Rd, 5-7 p.m. Tickets $50, Friends $100, Supporters $250. Donations online at www.dereksgreen.com/ contribute or payable to “The Green Fund,” P.O. Box 4984, Phila., PA 19119. RSVP: Kelly Bauer kbauerr1122@gmail. com.

Jul. 10- Jobs with Justice hosts Solidarity Awards Dinner at NUHHCE Dist.

1199C, 1319 Locust St., 5:30 p.m. Honorees: Congressman Brendan Boyle,

Chris Woods, Nijmie Dzurinko, Laura Wentz and Pa. ACLU. Open bar. For info: (2315) 670-5855.

Jul. 31- Town Watch Integrated Services hosts Nat’l Night Out S. Phila. Kickoff Rally at Marconi Pk., 1300 Oregon Ave., 4-8 p.m.

Aug. 11- C o u n c i l m a n Mark Squilla hosts Summer Soirée at Keenan’s Pub,113 Olde New Jersey Ave., N. Wildwood, N.J., 7-10 p.m. Yachts $5,000, Sailboats $2,500, Paddleboats $1,00,General Admission $250. Payable to “Squilla for Council,” P.O. Boox 37332, Phila., PA 19148. RSVP: Brittany@lperrygroup.conm or (215) 893-4281.

PARTICAPATE IN OUR LABOR DAY SALUTE! AUG. 29TH CALL MELISSA BARRET (215) 755-2000

REV. LEWIS NASH, R, inaugurated the “Women of Excellence” award at MAP CDC, honoring seven women in lower North Central Philadelphia for community service. Photo by Wendell Douglas

17 T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE

JU N E 2 2 , 2017

(Cont. From Page 14) LOVELIES Harriett LESSEY (PR Giant) and Maureen Murphy ABBOUD, herself, had birthdays.

We read about a man who spent 24 years in prison for murder, and was set free when evidence showed he was in the old Youth Study Center during the crime.

The retired prosecutor spoke out saying the crime victim was shot down like a dog. True, BUT do we incarcerate someone who did not shoot – as a message? In lesser crimes, The Economist noted electronic-tagged offenders are less likely to reoffend; and the tags are CHEAP. So, lst Judicial District, BUDGET for more.

A person I correspond with felt that sending people to prison satisfies the Justice Department and makes work. She worried that judges and jurors might get a distorted view of a defendant with pre-trial media coverage.

A columnist gave LT.

residents, as well as 42 million visitors last year.

Sure, we have poverty (as in all cities) and we are the FIFTH-poorest big city (they say we are the first).

To those critics who may have had spinal-column removal surgery, DRIVE AROUND town and see how VIBRANT Philly is becoming.

P H IL LY R E CO R D.C O M - 215 -755 -20 0 0

WALKING the BEAT

GOV. Mike STACK credit for proposed legislation allowing gubernatorial nominees to pick their running mate. It is not a bad idea.

But is this an extension of a STACK ATTACK long past its time (?). The article lost focus and drifted into “reform”-type subjects.

The WATERFRONT Master Plan revamp proposed by Councilman Mark SQUILLA has many merits.

The original plan, to open a connection to the river for citizens, seems more like CONDOS. Now the FESTIVAL Pier may go.

It once was touted as an open area, replacing others which would be developed.

When the Master Plan was presented, it had so many nodding in agreement, that I wondered if ordinary folks had gotten in (?).

Did Shakespeare have TRUMP in mind over flattery? The Economist quoted from Julius Caesar: “But when I tell (Caesar) he hates flatterers, he says he does, being then most flattered.”

Virulently ANTI-PHILLY critics who hide behind an avatar should know that US Census figures show a steady inflow of new

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

18

the WAFFLE MAN

JU N E 2 2 , 2017

Y

O! HERE we go again with this dementia quiz. Good luck with your answers.

First question: You are a participant in a race. You overtake the person in second place. What position are you in?

Answer: if you answered that you are first, you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are in second place! Try to do better next time.

Now answer the second

question, but don’t take as much time as you took for the first question, ok? Second question: If you overtake the last person, then you are.

Answer: if you answered that you are second to last, then you are – wrong again.

Tell me sunshine, how can you overtake the last person? You’re not very good at this, are you?

Third question: Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only. Do not use paper and pencil or a calculator. Take 1,000 and add 40 to it. Now add another1,000, now add 30.

Add another 1,000. Now add 20. Now add another 1,000. Now add 10. What is the total?

Did you get 5,000? The correct answer is actually 4,100. If you don’t believe it, check it with a calculator!

Today is definitely not your day, is it? Maybe you’ll get the last question right. –

maybe.

Fourth question: Mary’s father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4.

Nono, and??? What is the name of the fifth daughter?

Did you answer Nunu?

No! Of course it isn’t. Her name is Mary! Read the question again!

Okay, now the bonus round, i.e., a final chance to redeem yourself: A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth, he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does he indicate what he wants?

It’s really very simple; he opens his mouth and asks for it.

Does your employer actually pay you to think? If so, do not let them see your answers for this test! Pass this on to frustrate the smart people in your life! Have a nice day, one and all.

Salute The 4th

with Your Ad! Call Melissa 215-755-2000 In Re: Adoption of Baby Boy T, a minor male child (DOB: 12-28-2016), No. CP-51AP-0000612-2017 in the Family Court, Adoption Branch, Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, PA. To: Putative Father “Ahmed Wilder”: A Petition has been filed asking the Court to put an end to all rights you have to your child, a male child born 1228-2016 at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA. The Court has set a hearing to consider ending rights to your child. That hearing will be held in Courtroom No. 5E before The Hon. Margaret T. Murphy at Family Court, Adoption Branch, 1501 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA on July 12, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Your presence is required at the hearing.

You are warned that even if you fail to appear at the scheduled hearing, the hearing will go on without you and your rights to your child may be ended by the Court without your being present. You have a right to be represented at the hearing by a lawyer. You should take this paper to your lawyer at once. If you do not have a lawyer or cannot afford one, go to or telephone the office set forth below to find out where you can get legal help: Philadelphia Lawyer Information Service, 1101 Market Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215-238-6333). Law Offices of Deborah E. Spivack, Atty for Adoptions From The Heart, PO Box 56182, Philadelphia, PA 19130 (215-763-5550).

BY THE COURT: HON. MARGARET T. MURPHY, JUDGE

ED TO G.O.P.: NO RETURNS

House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana) and Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) drew a blunt rebuff from former Gov. Ed Rendell when they asked him to give the $2.1-million surplus in the Democratic National Convention Host Committee to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help it balance its budget.

The Republican leaders’ reasoning was based on the fact the commonwealth had issued a $10-million grant to the Host Committee. By their reasoning, this was taxpayers’ money. Rendell

NEW CAMPAIGN HEAD HIRED

The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Campaign Committee has picked a new executive director: David Marshall.

A Bucks County native, Marshall has helped elect Democrats up and down the ballot from coast to coast. After graduating from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, he began his career in politics as part of President Obama’s 2008 campaign. Since then he has worked in 12 states on races at the local, state and federal levels.

In addition to his electoral campaign experience, Marshall has worked in nonprofit fundraising and legislative advocacy.

Marshall returned home to Pennsylvania in 2016 to successfully manage Perry Warren’s campaign for State House. Most recently, he served as the campaign manager on a winning special election for clerk of the court in Prince William County, Va., where his candidate defeated a member of Republican State House leadership to become the first Democrat elected to that office in more than 20 years.

“David is ready to take on the challenge of re-establishing the SDCC as an organization that will help our

VÁZQUEZ RUNS SENIOR FAIR

PHILADELPHIAN TARGETS 7TH

Educator Paul Perry, 31, from Philadelphia, has announced his bid to run for U.S. Congress in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, which sprawls from the city’s eastern and northern suburbs into rural Lancaster and Berks Counties.

“I’ve seen – and felt myself – how easy it is to fall behind on low or no pay in our community when pharmaceutical companies exploit vulnerable seniors or students can’t pay back their debt,” said Perry. “The system isn’t fair. America needs a Congress that works for everyone.”

Perry has earned two master’s degrees – in education and public policy – and a doctorate in educational leadership from Harvard University. Adopted and raised by two gay men – both of whom served in the military and were small-business owners – Perry became a teacher and later a nonprofit director working towards youth empowerment.

Perry is running on a platform to build a robust clean-energy economy, make education debtfree, invest heavily in infrastructure projects and establish universal health care. He vows to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, work to end the school-to-prison pipeline, simplify the tax code and eliminate regulations to help small businesses thrive.

Perry has agreed to take zero corporate funding for his campaign, opting for small donations only.

19 T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

Senate candidates compete and win in districts across the commonwealth. We are actively recruiting top tier candidates in every district and are ready to get to work for the hard-working families of Pennsylvania,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny).

STATE REP. Emilio Vázquez held a senior fair at Rivera Rec Center to promote services in his Kensington district where he shared a moment with Ward Leader El Amor Brawne Ali. At the event, a barber threatened to trim his largely nonexistent hair. Photos by Wendell Douglas

HAYWOOD WORKS WITH YOUTH

JU N E 2 2 , 2017

(Cont. From Page 15) Statewide, Pennsylvanians for Responsible Government, an anti-gaming lobby, released a Harper poll showing most Pennsylvanians oppose balancing the budget by legalizing video gaming terminals.

The poll found a near-majority of likely voters oppose VGTs (38% favor/47% oppose), with nearly one-third of voters strongly opposing this proposal (31%) compared to 19% who strongly favor the proposal. Voters of all political parties oppose legalizing VGTs (Republicans: 48%, Democrats: 43%, Independents: 59%).

Self-identified Very Conservative voters strongly oppose legalizing VGTs (32%/63%). Seniors overwhelmingly oppose VGTs (ages 65-74: 55% oppose; ages 75+: 61% oppose).

fiercely resistant to the idea of taxing shale-gas revenue in this way.

In fairness, Rendell’s bonuses payouts disturbed some Democrats as well.

Gov. Tom Wolf said he was “disappointed” with Rendell’s decision. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale stated he would conduct an audit of DNC monies to verify they had been properly spent.

There were no complaints about the payouts from the Philadelphia Caucus on Capitol Hill, however.

STATE SEN. Art Haywood convened a summit with Northwest youth leaders at Somers Rec Center to stimulate a peer-driven plan for neighborhood peace this summer. Photos by Wendell Douglas

P H IL LY R E CO R D.C O M - 215 -755 -20 0 0

POLS on the STREET

had paid out the surplus in bonuses to committee workers instead, an act the lawmakers called “unaccountable handouts.”

Unfazed, Rendell shot back a letter to them that dismissed their charges as “misstatements and inaccuracies.”

A contract is a contract, Rendell insisted, and there was no language in the grant that required a surplus to be returned to the state.

“I assume this was done because, as is the case with the vast majority of our economic development grants, the commonwealth assumed that the benefits to it and its citizens would far exceed the amount of the grant. That is exactly what happened here,” Rendell retorted.

Although the committee’s executive director, Kevin Washo, received more than $300,000 of this money as a bonus, Rendell noted that a good part of it was paid out to a legion of volunteers who had worked for nothing.

Rendell threw the state’s looming $3 million deficit back at Turzai and Reed, tartly telling them their job was to close the gap by raising revenue.

“As to not having state funds to spend frivolously, I understand the commonwealth’s dilemma. A $3 billion deficit will only be bridged by making hard choices to both raise revenue and take money out of the budget as we did when I became governor and inherited a $2.4 billion deficit from the prior administration,” he wrote.

“I would suggest that it is time for Pennsylvania to join every other shale state in the Union and enact a severance tax. Estimates are that this could produce as much as $500 million which would certainly be helpful in dealing with your deficit,” he jabbed, knowing Republicans are

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

20

AFTER LONG DELAY, STREET’S PIC HANGS

MAYOR John Street – then and now.

FOUR present and former mayors came to speak at the unveiling of former Mayor John Street: L-R, Bill Green, Wilson Goode, Sr., Jim Kenney and Ed Rendell.

ROOM 201 in City Hall was thronged with well-wishers, among them, L-R, activist Jim Harrity, restaurateur Sid Booker, Police Commissioner Richard Ross and congressional aide Ducky Birts.

POLICE Commissioner Richard Ross, L, and Sheriff Jewell Williams, R, joined Rochelle Bilal and the Guardian Civic League.

COUNCILMAN Curtis Jones, Jr. was accompanied by the men of Omega Psi Phi.

JU N E 2 2 , 2017

JUNETEENTH PARADE SHOWS STYLE

MAYOR Jim Kenney addressed the crowd. He was joined by a star-studded lineup of leaders, among them State Sen. Sharif Street, the event’s organizers, Kenny & Faatimah Gamble, and Congressman Dwight Evans.

PHILADELPHIA’S first Juneteenth parade hit the streets on Center City with great splendor. Many troupes of marchers were adorned to evoke African heritage, like these icons of old Egyptian religion. Juneteenth, commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last slaves in America learned they had been emancipated. Photos by Wendell Douglas

MASJID NO.12 turned out en masse to parade through Old City.

LADIES turned out in high fashion.

S

TATE SEN. Vincent Hughes (D-W. Phila.), along with state and local advocates, unveiled legislation that would provide funding to upgrade school facilities and ensure education equity in public schools.

The news conference was held at Cassidy Academics Plus Elementary School in Overbrook to highlight state funding inequities in education.

Hughes’ first bill would address infrastructure needs by creating the Schools of the Future Repair, Rebuild & Revitalize Plan. The second measure is aimed at resolving education funding inequities by creating the Academic Success Program. The legislation would drive significant dollars through the Basic Education Funding Formula and provide additional support through the

LETTER to the EDITOR (Cont. From Page 16) in a 30% reduction in the number of pigs in the program with viruses.

During the last budget impasse, Penn Vet conducted 70,000 tests for avian influenza without payment during a time when the disease was causing billions in losses in the Midwest.

HOMELESSNESS COSTS MONEY

City Council voted unanimously in support of a bill sponsored by Council President Darrell L. Clarke (D-5th) and Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th) that compels the Office of Property Assessments to appropriately assess affordable, special needs, and senior housing in compliance with state law.

Bill No. 170564 requires the City of Philadelphia to consider rent restrictions and affordability requirements for properties that have received federal or state tax credits in order to offer affordable housing to people with limited incomes, such as seniors and the disabled.

O’Neill and Clarke introduced the ordinance on May 25 to address an alarming number of affordable rental properties that were reassessed at rates higher than their true market value, despite federal and state rent restrictions that require their owners to provide housing to vulnerable Philadelphians, often at substantially below-market rates.

“I represent several thousand low-income senior housing units whose owners are wondering why the city is sending them

A major problem is the increasing rate of homelessness in the city of Philadelphia and how it is affecting the city’s financial standing.

People are simply unaware of how devastating it is.

In 2010, a Project Home study concluded that permanent supportive housing saves the city $7,700 per person annually. How come this experiment has not come to

STREET CITES EID AL-FITR

The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved fruition throughout the city?

How come permanent solutions to homelessness have not been put into place yet?

City Council has swept homelessness under the rug for years. Also, the people of Philly are not standing up to correct this wrong due to the ignorance of the average citizen.

Together we can begin a movement strong enough to aid homelessness throughout the city and help the thousands of citizens suffering

a Senate resolution authored by state Sen. Sharif Street observing June 25, 2017 as “Eid al-Fitr Day” in Pennsylvania in recognition of the Muslim holiday.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal and marks the end of Ramadan, which is a holy month of fasting and prayer for Muslims.

Street, who is the first Muslim Pennsylvania state senator, said it was important to recognize the holiday in a commonwealth that has a rich history of religious acceptance.

“William Penn founded this great commonwealth as a ‘Holy Experiment,’ centered on acceptance of all and religious freedom.

Islam in America is a moral and religious system that encourages self-determination, self-development, moral discipline and community empowerment based on the virtues of freedom, justice and equality, which is in many ways similar to the ideology of William Penn. I’m honored to introduce this resolution as the first Muslim state senator on behalf of Pennsylvania’s 300,000 Muslims.”

JUNETEENTH RECOGNIZED

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution introduced

by State Reps. Stephen from this problem.

Sherell Slater Cobbs Creek

WHAT ABOUT HITE’S PAY?

The teachers union finally has a contract after losing money from the four-year stalemate while creating huge district surpluses.

Superintendent William Hite said he wanted an affordable contract.

Before the ink was dry on the SRC approval, he claimed

Kinsey (D-Northwest) and 21 Vanessa Brown, (D-W. Phila.) which recognizes the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Pennsylvania.

Juneteenth celebrates the heritage, family and community spirit of African culture. The celebrations originated in 1865, when 13,000 Black Union soldiers from Pennsylvania escorted Gen. Gordon Granger to Galveston, Tex., to read Order No. 3 and free the last slaves in the United States, kick-starting a 140-year-old “Juneteenth” tradition that today recognizes both the freedom of slaves and the endurance of African culture in North America.

Brown said, “This celebration represents a triumph of the human spirit over slavery. It’s a salute to the soldiers who carried the message to Galveston, to every last slave who was freed after the Civil War, and to the African culture that endured even the most stringent oppression.”

“Diversity and inclusion are critical components of our country’s development and success. If a group of people are not allowed to participate culturally, we fail to understand and appreciate our differences and similarities. We fail to develop socially, and ultimately we fail as a country,” Kinsey commented.

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Penn Vet’s role in developing an egg quality assurance program in Pennsylvania results in 99.99% of Pennsylvania eggs making it to market without salmonella.

Let’s take the steps to ensure Pennsylvania has a safe food supply by restoring funding for Penn Vet. Dr. Joan C. Hendricks, VMD, PhD; Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

BILL WOULD SAVE HOUSING

huge tax bills. Taking into consideration the service a property provides to the community, such as offering quality housing for senior citizens, is part of the deal we make with organizations that put people before profits,” O’Neill said.

Reassessments following implementation of the Actual Value Initiative in 2013 have led to dramatic tax increases for properties that were long under-assessed by the city. However, state law requires county assessment offices to take into consideration the impact of rent and income restrictions, usually associated with state or federal tax incentive programs, when establishing property values for tax purposes.

Clarke said, “Organizations like Project HOME are our partners in fighting homelessness and creating opportunities for disadvantaged people. I am calling on OPA to modernize their systems so that they know which properties provide a benefit to our city, such as affordable housing for young adults transitioning out of foster care or LGBTQ young people, and ensure they are taxed differently than for-profit operators.”

The bill awaits Mayor Kenney’s signature.

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HUGHES SEEKS FUNDING FIX

not preparing the next generation, then we’re not preparing this commonwealth to be competitive.”

the contract is not paid for and will increase a future huge deficit. He will not hire promised additional teachers to make a better classroom setting for our students.

According to his extended contract, he gets what the teachers get.

What happens to his salary if teachers are laid off due to this new contract?

No wonder people say, “Don’t believe the Hite!”

Mayer Krain N.E. Phila.

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PUBLIC SERVANTS at WORK

Intensive Academic Investment Block Grant Program. Both plans would be funded through a tax on Marcellus Shale drilling.

“There is an immediate and critical need to address education inequality in Pennsylvania. It’s not just a Philadelphia issue; it’s a statewide issue. Children are learning in buildings with rodents, contaminated drinking water and outdated textbooks. Meanwhile, students in other districts can access the latest technologies to bolster their educations. Our children deserve better,” Hughes said. “The legislation addresses the fundamental issues that impact education. It will ensure that all children have equal opportunities to succeed academically.

“The truth is, Marcellus shale drillers are taking our natural resources and profiting from them without contributing back to our state. They are not paying their fair share,” he said. “This is a common-sense approach that will enrich our most precious resource — our children.”

“I had the hardest conversation with the children at Cassidy this week, who were trying to understand this issue,” said State Rep. Morgan Cephas (D-W. Philadelphia). “It’s time to stop talking and start investing in the future of this commonwealth. If we’re

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SCHOOLS OPEN DOORS TO MARITIME JOBS

(Cont. From Page 11) and distances.” Herman saw it as a great way to put the students to the test of what they had learned in

a real-world context. “We taught them north, south, east and west; now let’s actually use it,” he said.

Herman takes pride in

ANCHORED in their positions at the Maritime Academy High School are, L-R, Eugene Mattioni, chairman of the board; and CEO Edward J. Poznek. Photos by Eldon Graham

teaching maritime studies to his students, being in the industry for over 20 years.

Both the middle school and the high school components of the Maritime Academy school feature aggressive learning and passionate teaching.

Discipline is intrinsic to maritime life and it begins in the classroom. Upon entering a 3rd-grade classroom, taught by Ms. Sylvia Wassel, the students were alerted to Poznek’s presence in the room, thanks to an “Attention, cadets” from Ms. Wassel – at which point, all of the students stood up with firm salutes and said, in unison, “Hello, Mr. Poznek.”

The academy participates in athletics such as volleyball, softball, baseball and basketball. It has a nationally ranked underwater robotics program known as

ADM. LINDA FAGIN of the US Coast Guard addressed the crowd of emotional graduates on what comes next in life – and how they can make it easier on themselves – during their graduation ceremony held at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19.

Sea Perch. The high school participated in the regional championships for robotics, which was held at Temple University. The team took home second prize regionally in the competition. The national competition took place in Atlanta. The Maritime Academy placed 27th out of 97 contestants.

Students participate in boatbuilding and a sailing

program at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tinicum Township. There, they take a “sea shanty” course, where they learn traditional sailors’ songs.

This past school year, 59 students graduated from the Maritime Academy High School. Some of the students will attend fouryear colleges, while others will attend a four-year maritime college. Two students, Jayson Bradfield and Zaire Caraway, will enter the armed services.

The speaker for the graduation was none other than Adm. Linda Fagin of the US Coast Guard. Adm. Fagan serves as deputy commandant for operations, policy & capabilities. Her responsibilities involve establishing and providing operational strategy, policy, capability and resources to meet national priorities for Coast Guard missions.

Adm. Fagin’s message to the graduates cited nine principles, all of which can be used in everyday life but hold special meaning for a person pursuing a maritime career. The short version: work hard; never quit; find

yourself; get out of your comfort zone; be polite; write thank-you notes; manage yourself; be humble; and call home at least once a week.

One school of choice for future mariners is the United States Merchant Marine Academy located on in Kings Point, N.Y., from which Mattioni, the chairman of the board of the Maritime Academy Charter School, is an alumnus.

There are seven maritime colleges within the United States, one federal academy and six state schools. “Our graduates have the opportunity to go to any one of them provided they meet the curriculum and standard requirements,” Mattioni said.

The level of dedication that arises not only from the students but from the teachers and instructors can’t be matched. “We walk into that 3rd-grade class and you can see how happy they are to be here, to get an education that we are providing,” said Poznek. “When you are inspired by the type of teachers that we have and type of students we have, there’s nothing better.”

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understanding BANKRUPTCY

BY MICHAEL A. CIBIK, AMERICAN BANKRUPTCY BOARD CERTIFIED uestion: How to recognize when and where you are exposed financially – Mistake No. 2.

Answer: Mistake 2 is not recog-

Q

nizing the total cost of a purchase. I see this a lot in my clients’ auto loans. The auto loan may be $325 per month, but the total cost of ownership may be $650 or more when you factor in fuel, insurance, tires, service, repairs and other associated costs. Furthermore, an unexpected accident may cause insurance costs to rise and may give rise to repair or rental-car expenses.

Real-estate purchases also result in extra expenses. If you have a mortgage, the monthly mortgage payment normally includes principal, interest, taxes and insurance (commonly called PITI. Property ownership always results in unexpected expenses, in addition to normal expenses that you would not see as being a tenant renter. When

NOTICE OF FILING AN APPLICATION - Notice is hereby given that on June 22, 2017, Charles B. Crawford, Jr. filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, pursuant to the provisions of Section 112 of the Banking Code of 1965, as amended, an application for approval to purchase or otherwise acquire voting control of shares that will result in control of 5% or more of the shares of common stock of Hyperion Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and thereby indirectly acquire 5% or more of the ownership or voting control of Hyperion Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. All interested persons may file comments regarding this application, in writing, with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, Corporate Applications Division, 17 North Second Street, Suite 1300, Harrisburg, PA 17101-2290. In order to be considered, comments regarding this application must be received by the Department of Banking and Securities no later than thirty (30) days after the date that notice of the filing of this application is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin may or may not appear contemporaneously with this notice. Please check the Pennsylvania Bulletin Web site at www.pabulletin.com to determine the due date for filing comments.

Notice is hereby given that Charles B. Crawford, Jr. has filed an Interagency Notice of Change in Control with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), with respect to the acquisition of shares of common stock of Hyperion Bank, 199 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Any person wishing to comment on this application may file his or her comments in writing with the regional director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, New York Regional Office, 350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10118-0110, not later than July 12, 2017, which is 20 days after publication of this notice. The non-confidential portions of the application are on file at the appropriate FDIC office and are available for public inspection during regular business hours. Photocopies of the nonconfidential portion of the application file will be made available upon request.

you budget for a home purchase, assume you need to budget several hundred dollars each month for repairs, maintenance, maybe utilities, and local realty-associat-

ed taxes, Next Week’s Question: How to recognize when and where you are exposed financially – Mistake No.3.

ELEPHANT CORNER

KATHLEEN KANE is still costing the commonwealth money. During the last year in power, she embarked on a series of witch-hunts in her office and other areas over which she had influence. She was looking for people who were not faithful to her and her agenda (to keep her job and stay out of jail). Many of these individuals have sought compensation for her unjust actions. It is reported that to date the commonwealth has paid $710,000 to her victims. I would not be surprised if there will be more to come.

(Cont. From Page 14) recreation centers and other similar entities. Now rumor has it some of the money may go to plugging a deficit in the overall city budget.

If the proceeds fall far short of projections, I lay money (and I am not a betting person) the children will be the losers. That will be OK at City Hall as the contributors to Democratic candidates and causes in the wealthier parts of town will still be happy.

CITY HALL SAM (Cont. From Page 14) kinds of gambling in Pennsylvania. Instead of finding more creative ways to raise revenue, the old fallback seems to be to expand the degeneration of society even further. The

state cannot be successful if the brightest idea is to give even more people even more needless opportunities to lose their money to gambling expansion.

But the Republican leadership is so emphatic that this is the right way to go that they have told the governor any budget agreement is a no-go without expanding gaming.

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SMALL ADS BIG DEALS

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