Philadelphia Public Record

Vol. XV No. 2

Issue 989

January 10, 2019

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

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Philly State Reps Return to Harrisburg

The Philadelphia Public Record (PR-01) (ISSN 1938-856X) (USPS 1450) Published Weekly Requested Publication ($20 per year Optional Subscription) The South Philadelphia Public Record 21 S. 11th Street, Suite 205 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Periodical Postage Paid at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing office POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: The Public Record 21 S. 11th Street, Suite 205 Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 755-2000 Fax: (215) 525-2818 editor@phillyrecord.com EDITORIAL STAFF

STATE REPS. Brian Sims, L, and Stephen Kinsey shared a moment in House chambers at their swearing-in ceremony on New Year’s Day. Photo by Bonnie Squires

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STATE REP. Martina White was sworn in on the floor of the House of Representatives last week.

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CONGRESSMAN Dwight Evans, L, a former state representative, joined State Rep. Donna Bullock, House Speaker Mike Turzai and State Rep. Jake Wheatley in Harrisburg.

Photo by Bonnie Squires

GOV. TOM WOLF & 1st Lady Frances had ringside seats at the ceremony.

Photo by Bonnie Squires

STATE REPS. Pam DeLissio and Jim Roebuck work together for the city of Philadelphia in the State House of Representatives.

Photo by Bonnie Squires

In Memoriam:James Tayoun, Sr. Editor/Publisher: Greg Salisbury Managing Editor: Anthony West Editorial Staff: Joe Sbaraglia Everyday People Editor: Denise Clay Contributing Editor: Bonnie Squires Editor: Eldon Graham Photographers: Leona Dixon

Wendell Douglas

Harry Leech Director of Operations:Allison Murphy Production Manager: Sana Muaddi-Dows Sales Director: Melissa Barrett Circulation: Yousef Maaddi 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.

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No reproduction or use of the material herein may be made without the permission of the publisher. City & State 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.

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Teamsters 628

STATE REPS. Jim Roebuck, R, and Jason Dawkins took the oath of office together. Photo

by Bonnie Squires

Workers Decry Shutdown Need help getting on the Primary Ballot?

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A MASSIVE demonstration by federal employees and their supporters rallied at Independence Hall. L-R were American Federation of Government Employees rep David Fitzpatrick, Congressman Dwight Evans, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon and National Treasury Employees Union spokesman Alex Jay Berman and State Sen. Vincent Hughes. Photos by Wendell Douglas

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CREWS, MOSELEY & ASSOCIATES

267-551-1776

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L-R WERE Mike Barnes of IATSE, State Sen. Vincent Hughes, Congressman Brendan Boyle and Don Little of IATSE.

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for a free consult

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Philadelphians Rise in Harrisburg Ranks

POLS on the STREET

BY JOE SHAHEELI HE DUST FROM the 2018 general election having settled, we now know where the Philadelphia delegation stands in the current General Assembly leadership.

After the loss of retired State Rep. John Taylor, Philadelphians still have one member of the majority party with a hand on the levers of power. That’s State Rep. Tom Murt (R-Northeast), a Montgomery County veteran whose 152nd Legislative District includes a few divisions in Bustleton, was selected to chair the Ag-

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ing & Older Adult Services Committee.

Murt, along with his colleague Martina White (R-Northeast), will be the only voices with the power to lobby for any significant legislation on behalf of the city of Philadelphia in the new session of the General Assembly – including matters far removed from aging and older-adult services.

Although Democrats’ numbers have been strengthened in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, still all they can do is propose; the Republican majority will dispose.

Expect Murt to develop a quiet side practice of consulting with Philadelphia’s top political leaders to advance a variety of city concerns in the next two years.

On the minority side, Philadelphians are better represented.

In the House, committee chairs went to State Rep. James Roebuck (D-W. Phila.), who retains his long-held education post, and to State Rep. Angel Cruz, who leads

Always Hard At Work for You! P H IL LY R E CO R D.C O M - 215 -755 -20 0 0

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”

the Dems on Human Services.

A huge pickup for the city was State Rep. Kevin Boyle’s (D-Northeast) rise to lead the Democratic team on the State Government Committee.

Boyle said, “I look forward to establishing more bipartisan cooperation in this session with the new Republican committee chairman, State Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming).”

This vital committee addresses issues such as voting rights, discrimination, government reform and redistricting. It is also responsible for lobbying disclosure, state agency procurement and labor agreements, campaign finance, and election laws.

This committee controls a ton of money. And with the 2020 census on the horizon, Boyle is positioned to play a major role in the legislature’s most consequential task in the next session.

Boyle’s acsension to leadership is significant because the longstanding Republican chair of that committee, State

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), arguably the most-conservative member of the House of Representatives as well as the most pugnacious, has been reassigned to lead the Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, where he will oversee matters pertaining to shale gas. So a new day is dawning in State Government and much rides on Boyle’s ability to forge a working relationship with Everett.

Boyle represents the 172nd Legislative District, which includes part of Montgomery County and part of Philadelphia County.

In the State Senate, all the Philadelphia Delegation’s seasoned veterans are assigned as minority leaders for key committees.

The key Appropriations chair remains in the hands of State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-W. Phila.) Banking & Insurance becomes the purview of State Sen. Sharif Street (D-N. Phila.). State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-S. Phila.) will chair Community, (Cont. Next Page) State Rep.

Councilwoman

Kevin J.

Jannie L. Blackwell

Boyle

District 3 City Hall, Room 408 Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 686-3418, (215) 686-3419 FAX: (215) 686-1933

172nd Dist.

7420 Frankford Ave. Phila., PA 19136

215-331-2600

State Rep. Jason

State Senator

Dawkins District Office:

Sharif

Street

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

F.: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

1621 W. Jefferson Street Philadelphia, PA 19121

215-227-6161 Paid for with PA Tax Dollars

State Rep.

Phila PA 19148

P: 215-849-6426

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

Rep.Maria P.

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

PAYING their respects were, L-R, AFL-CIO political expert Ken Washington, State Sen. Sharif Street and State Rep., Brian Sims.

Representative

Angel Cruz

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

1st District City Hall Room 332

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

310 W. Chelten Ave.

Councilman Wm.

Squilla

191st Leg. Dist.

6027 Ludlow St. Unit A Phila., PA 19139

198th District

A GOOD crowd turned out for the occasion.

Mark

McClinton

Youngblood

STATE REP. Malcolm Kenyatta held a second swearing-in, this time in his district, at the John Street Center.

Doing the honors was Judge Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, with Lillian English-Hentz holding Bible. Photos by Wendell Douglas

Councilman

Joanna E.

Rep. Rosita

Kenyatta Swears Again, at Home

215-686-3458/59 State Rep.

Donna

Bullock 195th Leg. Dist.

2835 W. Girard Ave Phila, PA 19130

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

Councilman At-Large

DEREK 5. GREEN City Hall, Room 594 Philadelphia, PA 19107

215-686-3450 www.phlcouncil.com

City Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker 9th District

District Office 1538 E. Wadsworth Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19150 Phone: 215-686-3454 Fax: 215-685-9271. www.phlcouncil.com/CherelleParker

Facebook: CouncilwomanCherelleLParker Twitter: @CherelleParker9

Special Election Called for the 190th

Mar. 12 will be the date of a special election to fill the 190th Legislative District seat vacated by Vanessa Lowery Brown, who was convicted of a crime and denied seating in the House after she won re-election in November.

This district, mostly based in West Philadelphia north of Market Street with a few divisions across the Schuylkill in Tioga, harbors few Republicans. Victory for the Democratic candidate is all but assured.

Seven Democratic ward leaders have pieces of the 190th. They will meet on Jan. 26 at Democratic City Committee to hear all prospective candidates for the party’s nomination. At this time, it does not appear that any of these ward leaders will seek the nomination. The meeting will be chaired by 52nd Ward Leader Steve Jones.

“We are planning a process that is fair and transparent,” said 8th Ward Leader Pete Wilson.

Jeff Brown’s closure of his Overbrook ShopRite store after the Sweetened Drinks Tax caused sales to plummet there sent shock waves through the political community as well as the neighborhood … not to mention the Wall Street Journal, which gave this news national coverage.

What drew the WSJ’s attention was the use of Philadelphia as a model for other jurisdictions that are contemplating a soda tax. The beverage industry is not keen on this tax and will spend big money to oppose it elsewhere and dismantle it here.

Critics charge that it is hurting businesses, costing jobs and burdening consumers in low-income neighborhoods. While these claims are disputed by the measure’s defenders, groceries are a concern easily felt by everyday voters who aren’t policy wonks.

Therefore, the soda tax makes a natural issue for the May primary campaign. As Mayor Jim Kenney’s signature initiative, the soda tax is an inviting cause for anyone inclined to challenge Kenney this year: It offers a plank that both resonates on the street and opens a door to major funding.

Meanwhile, Overbrook reels. State Rep. Morgan Cephas (D-W. Phila.) reacted with the following statement: “It is disappointing to see the ShopRite store along Haverford Avenue closing its doors. Not only is it a hit to the local economy and a loss of jobs in the immediate area, it will add to the already overwhelming amount of food deserts in our ‘middle neighborhoods.’

“The lack of access to fresh foods and produce in the community where this ShopRite exists could become a burden for those who may be unable to get to those stores. I will work with area stakeholders and residents

the ZIP code. By fairly distributing sufficient appropriations for education and recreation centers, municipalities and cities, including Philadelphia, would not need to create alternative means of funding, such as a soda tax, which could ultimately have a devastating impact on businesses and our neighborhoods.”

Don’t Pay Us, Say Scanlon, Evans Two Philadelphia members of Congress, Mary Gay Scanlon and Dwight Evans, are among four from the region who have vowed not to accept their pay during the government shutdown, even though the shutdown does not formally include the congressional budget.

After meeting with a local 5 air traffic controller about losing her income during the shutdown, Evans tweeted a copy of the letter he submitted to the Chief Administrative Office. In the letter, he asks that his salary is withheld until an appropriations agreement goes into effect.

(Cont. Page 6)

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Fuels Primary Talk

to bring a grocery store to the soon-to-be-vacant site in an effort to benefit the community’s overall needs.

“With a new legislative session underway in Harrisburg, the General Assembly must work together to provide adequate funding for our schools and infrastructure needs across the commonwealth, no matter

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(Cont. From Prev. Page) Economic, & Recreational Development. Health & Human Services falls to State Sen. Art Haywood (D-Northwest). State Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Kensington) will continue her passionate service on Labor & Industry. Transportation will be the realm of State Sen. John Sabatina, Jr. (D-Northeast).

The Senate State Government Committee will be headed by State Sen. Anthony Williams (D-W. Phila.). This committee will be the Senate counterpart to Boyle’s House committee in redistricting work after the 2020 election and census; should Williams remain in office in the following term, he will be one of the most-important Democrats in Harrisburg.

Store Closure

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POLS on the STREET

Not Blowing Smoke

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OPINION

W

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HEN THE éminence grise of Philadelphia politics himself talks about plans to spark up once recreational marijuana is legalized, you know some kind of tipping point has been reached.

That is exactly what happened when now-retired Congressman Bob Brady gave an exit interview to the Philadelphia Inquirer in which he said: “I want the smell, I want to pass the joint, I want the laughing bag. I want all that s–.

I don’t need a godd–n strawberry,” referring to his disdain for edibles.

For an ever-growing number of Pennsylvanians – including decision-makers like Gov. Tom Wolf, who has already gone on record as calling for a serious feasibility study of legalizing recreational cannabis use – Brady was voicing thoughts about the foreseeable future, not wishful thinking.

As the list of states allowing recreational marijuana use continues to grow – and to enjoy the bulging coffers from taxes on sales to prove it – it becomes harder and harder to justify its illegality.

If New Jersey politicians follow through on their vows to legalize, expect the drumbeat for the Keystone State to grow even louder.

And there is another, more urgent reason to legalize, as was explained by an investigative report in Billy Penn this week. Despite the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office continuing to adhere to its decision to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana possession, people – especially African Americans – are still being arrested for it. During the first 11 months of 2018, fully 85% of all people arrested for marijuana possession in the city were African American.

Some of the most powerful people in the Commonwealth are on board with it, it would create a revenue stream that would make the soda tax look like a slow leak, and it would eliminate a source of racial injustice.

So what are we waiting for?

Bold House Proposals POLS on the STREET

(Cont. From Page 5) Evans also tweeted, “It’s Day 11 of the #TrumpShutdown + 800K hard-working federal workers are working w/o pay or staying home b/c Trump is using them as a bargaining chip to open the gov’t.

“I met a PHL mother who works on air traffic control she wants to go back to work & provide for her family!

“B/c of workers like her, I’m asking the House to withhold my salary until federal workers receive their hard-earned [money]!”

In addition to Evans and Scanlon, Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) have also refused their pay during the shutdown.

Freshman Rep Calls For Transparency “Seen but not heard” is the traditional stance for first-term members of the

State House of Representatives. But that may not be good enough for some of the incoming Democrats who rode last November’s blue wave to Harrisburg.

State Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montgomery) introduced two proposals among a package of House rule improvements sponsored by Democrats.

Webster proposes a rule change that would guarantee a debate and an up-or-down committee vote for any bill with 20 co-sponsors from each party. Under his second plan, committees would share proportional representation with the House. For example, proportional representation would create an 11-9 majority in a 20-member committee.

“The people believe that their government is broken and think the special interests matter more than regular citizens, and we wanted to change that,” Webster said. “The Republican majority made it clear – they wanted the status quo, and

if we refused to go along, they were prepared to make it even harder for the will of the people to ever become the law of the state.”

Other rules House Democrats are pushing for include: preventing committee chairs from blocking votes on popular bills; requiring bills with wide bipartisan support, including measures sponsored by more than 102 House members, to get an up-or-down vote by the full House. giving members the chance to have a priority bill debated in committee; allowing committee members to vote to choose a chairperson on merit, instead of awarding positions by seniority alone; and ending “middle-of-thenight” votes, giving citizens a full 24 hours to learn about changes to bills.

These proposals will be cold-shouldered by the Republican House majority (and make a few old Democratic hands uncomfortable as well). But they could make excellent campaign positions for Democrats in 2020.

The News in Black & White

CLIMBING the legislative stairs on Capitol Hill: Philadelphia House Delegation Chairman Jason Dawkins, C, welcomes State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta as the new vice chair and State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler as the new treasurer/secretary of the delegation. From Philly Dems Twitter page

MARK your CALENDAR Jan. 13- City Commission candidate Omar Sabir hosts Eagles Playoff Fundraiser at Haute Lounge, 1420 Locust St., 4 p.m. Drink specials.

Suggested donations: $20, $50, $100 but no charge for admission with a cash bar. $10 Validated parking at the Symphony Ho. parking garage. For info: omarsabir80@yahoo.com.

Jan. 18- State Rep. Angel Cruz hosts Information Session on Medicare Benefits Changes at 3503 N. B St., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For info: (215) 291-5643.

Jan. 19- 2nd Generation, United Voices for Phila.

Leadership & Jane Guo host Fundraiser Meet&-Greet for judicial candidate Kay Kyungsun Yu at Dim Sum Ho., 3939 Chestnut St. 2nd fl., 3-4:30 p.m. Contribution Levels: Friends $30, Supporters $60, Partners $125, Hosts $250. RSVP

by Jan. 17: Cole Dougherty (215) 251-0585, cole@rittenhousepolitical.com or visit bit.ly/ k4j119.

Jan. 26- State Rep. Pam DeLissio hosts Town Ha. Mtg. at Cathedral Village, 600 E. Cathedral Rd., 10 a.m. Focus on changing State House rules. For info: (215) 482-8726.

Jan. 29- Mayoral candidate Daphne Goggins hosts Birthday Party at Nix & Nix Event Venue, 1525 W. Dauphin St., 7-9 p.m.

Refreshments. Free. For info: gogginsdaphne@ gmail.com.

Feb. 4- State Rep. Angel Cruz hosts Information

Session on Medicare Benefits Changes at 3503 N. B St., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For info: (215) 291-5643.

Feb. 23- 13th Ward Democratic Committee hosts Candidates Petition Signing and Re-Registration Chat & Chew at Treasures, 5549 Germantown Ave., 2-6 p.m. Free to all residents & community groups. Candidates & Sponsors: $200. Payable to: 13th Ward Democratic Executive Committee. P.O. Box 25563, Phila., PA 19140. For info: Cynthia Parker (215) 704-4461 or Virnelda Haines (215) 704-1815.

READ THE PAPER LEADERS READ: - THE PUBLIC RECORD

HAUTE Lounge in Center City hosted what turned out to be a victory for the Eagles Sunday night, where City Commission candidate Omar Sabir hosted a watch party. L-R were judicial hopeful Greg Weyer, David Krain, Ward Leader Bernard Lopez, judicial aspirant Carmella Jacquinto, Sabir, consultant Rasheen Crews, Ron Waters and Jocelyn Mims.

Photos by Wendell Douglas

ROOTING for Omar Sabir were, L-R, Rob Logan, State Rep. Jordan Harris, Sabir, Marci Walton and Bibbi Stokes.

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Sabir Wins with Eagles Fundraiser

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IN FASHION with the Eagles were Katara King and boxing great Simon “One Punch� Carr.

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L-R WERE John Adrian, Vlad Mikhailowski, Brielle Estepp and Ethan Demshick.

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ELEPHANT CORNER

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OPENED A national business newspaper Saturday and the word “Philly” jumped off the page. Yes, the closure of the ShopRite on Haverford Avenue in West Philadelphia is national news. As usual when I see the city spotlighted in the national press, I cringe.

The issue at hand is not news to Philadelphians. The soda tax is problematic on a number of levels. First, the money for the tax was to go to pay for universal pre-K education. Since the implemen-

EVERYDAY PEOPLE

BY DENISE CLAY ight now, a whole bunch of folks who are used to getting their checks on the 15th and 30th of each month are trying to figure out what they’re going to do next.

As I write this, we’re on Day 18 of what they’re calling a “partial government shutdown.” I guess it’s only “partial” because of all the poor folks in airports, federal prisons and other places that have to come to work despite not getting a paycheck.

This whole thing centers

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tation of the tax, only a quarter of the funds have gone to pre-K. The Mayor’s Office claimed that the money went into the City’s general fund and would not be disbursed until the court challenges to the tax wended through the courts. The Mayor’s Office also represented that 100% of the funds would be channeled to pre-K within five years. I do not know why it will take five years to do that, since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the legality of the tax.

The tax is supposed to help poor families obtain pre-K. However, a regressive tax such as a 1.5-cent tax per ounce on sugary drinks disproportionately hits lower-income people. Maybe that is what City Hall wanted to do. They wanted to tell the poor that they were getting an extra service, but conveniently left out that they would bear a higher burden than the more affluent. Poor people who do

not have cars cannot drive to Montgomery County or New Jersey as I do to buy soda.

I am sure well-heeled liberals will point out that these people should not drink sugary drinks. Yes, this tax is not on their unsweetened flavor waters or fresh-squeezed juices. Did anyone who supports this tax ever take an economics class? As I mentioned above, a sales tax is, by definition, regressive. Do the proponents of the tax realize the intent of the tax to both raise funds for pre-K and reduce consumption will over time reduce tax proceeds for pre-K? This is one of the problems with funding schools with a vice tax.

The negative impact on poor Philadelphians is not just limited to higher grocery costs, but reduction of available unskilled jobs that are usually filled by the poor and working class. The closing (Cont. Page 15)

around the $5 billion that President Donald Trump, or, as I like to call him, the Scammer-in-Chief, wants to build a wall along the southern border that he hopes will keep out all those nasty people of color who can’t find jobs in their own countries due to a combination of America’s foreign policy and American drug-control policy.

Our head of all things scammalicious got in front of a live microphone on Tuesday night to lie to the American public by telling them that if he doesn’t get this wall, a wall that he still keeps saying Mexico will pay for (except now he says it’s an indirect pay that he’s gotten through his world-class negotiation skills), famine, pestilence and mass murder and drug overdoses will soon follow.

He also said that if this wall isn’t built, it’ll be the Democrats’ fault. Granted, they control exactly one branch of government, but it’s their

fault. Besides, they’re just mad because he wants a brick wall and they don’t.

You know, you’ve gotta wonder (a) where he comes up with this stuff and (b) just how much of the green of the Garden State we owe to all of the bullcrap that comes out the Scammer-inChief’s mouth.

But let’s face it: Scamming is what this White House does best.

No one embodied the Year of the Scammer quite like this White House occupant.

For sheer scammalishousness, Trump & Co. had few equals in 2018.

As a real-estate mogul in New York, his willingness to use other people’s money to do whatever he could to enrich himself and his family was legendary. He’s kicked it up a notch as president, and the offices of Special Counsel Robert Muller and the Justice Department’s Southern District of New York have the receipts.

(Cont. Page 15)

WALKING the BEAT

BY JOE SHAY STIVALA HE SODA TAX, was celebrated by Mayor KENNEY on its second anniversary. PRE-K kids in class in a city where poor kids need early learning. Revenues from the tax are LESS than projected, but then tax promoters could have overestimated to sell the tax. The tax was to go totally to pre-K, libraries, parks and recreation centers. But then the City said that some of it would go to other municipal services.

Teamsters and others lost

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CITY HALL SAM

B

OB BRADY was perhaps the best congressman Philadelphia ever had. And that’s saying a lot.

Philly at one time had eight Congress people from Philadelphia when our population was much higher. Among them was CONGRESSMAN BILL GREEN, SR., known as Old Man Green, who could really get things done for the city. South Philly legend BILL BARRETT would come home from Washington every night to handle constituent issues in his office. At one time, BILL GRAY was in line

jobs delivering soda and other sweet drinks – 100 drivers reportedly lost at Coca-Cola alone. It is now time to HEAL WOUNDS created from the tax battle.

How? BY REDUCING the soda tax rate annually, just as we did with the WAGE TAX success. Mayor Jim Kenney is up for re-election; this would be a smart move!

Commentary by a journalist stated that soda tax foe and ShopRite owner Jeff BROWN put profit over people when he closed the Haverford Avenue ShopRite after losing millions. I always tell writers to do the research. Brown’s community services are too vast to print. What motivated that writer to take keyboard in hand?... CONGRATS to Jeff BROWN on the 30th Anniversary of his ISLAND AVENUE ShopRite!

The CITY COUNCIL AUDIT on how REAL ESTATE TAX market values are determined is out. The contents

match with what has been written here for a while. A mayor’s spokesperson says it is based on “faulty data.”

BLARNEY! There are only so many data points to look at. Council President Darrell CLARKE is to be commended for the effort to ease the fiscal pain of many citizens.

But Council must stay on this issue like A DOG ON A BONE! The Office of Property Assessment needs implosion for its data-gathering methods. Forget it as a REVENUE-GATHERING method.

An editorial called for fair assessments. Weird. The same medium called for reform years ago of the OPA – which was then known as the BRT. At that time, the BRT was INDEPENDENT OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE – as it should be.

Media pressure changed that. Now a mayor can raise money to budget programs by raising taxes.

(Cont. Page 14)

to be speaker of the house.

Even with these legends and their accomplishments, Brady stands on Olympus among the other gods of Congress. His committee chairmanship made him essentially the mayor of Congress. And he was able to parlay that into tons of money for the Philadelphia Navy Yard, ports, transportation and railways.

He got re-elected time and again in a majority African American district while serving as chairman of the largest Democratic organization in America. He helped bring the NFL draft, numerous all-star games, the Democratic National Convention and countless other national events to the city. He helped settle strikes between unions and management, particularly SEPTA on numerous occasions.

If City Hall Sam was president of the United States, he would ask Bob Brady to be secretary of state. Brady would be able to meet with

heads of state and find common ground to get things done. Brady had and still has the common man’s touch with a sophistication that comes from being a master politician. In this world, politicians love other politicians.

Heads of state would easily be able to tell that Brady always knows what’s what. If he’s been able to keep the peace in the Democratic Party of Philadelphia for decades, he could probably bring peace to the Middle East.

We will miss Congressman Brady, but we are grateful that we will have Chairman Brady to continue to lead in Philadelphia.

And in fact, if he has more time to devote to the dayto-day groveling and minor conflicts of the city party, Washington, D.C.’s loss is Philadelphia‘s gain.

Netflix should do a series called “Philly Justice.” Think about the different characters that have played so well here. At one time, GOV. (Cont. Page 14)

L-R AT THE informational picket line outside Hahnemann were Mayor Jim Kenney, PASNAP Political Consultant Patty Eakin, State Rep. Brian Sims, State Sen. Tina Tartaglione, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding and Councilman Mark Squilla.

STATE REP. Brian Sims, L, joined Realtor Mike Doyle to side with 1,400 nurses.

STATE SEN. Tina Tartaglione addressed the demonstrators as her colleague Larry Farnese and Hahnemann Nurses United President Sue Bowes listened.

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MEMBERS OF PASNAP, a major union representing nurses in Philadelphia, picketed outside Hahnemann Hospital last week. Earlier in the day, they had demonstrated outside St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Juniata Park. The cause at both facilities: a protest against violations of what nurses allege are unsafe staffing levels. They are seeking new contracts to rectify this problem. Photos by Wendell Douglas

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Nurses Picket Hospitals for Safe Staffing

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Council Presses Reform for Property Assessments

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ITY COUNCIL last week made recommendations for the reform of the Office of Property Assessment, which is tasked with assessing the value of residential and commercial properties for fair and efficient property tax collection.

The recommendations, which include a complete overhaul of leadership, were made following an independent audit of OPA commissioned by City Council, as required by the City Code.

“Just as many members of Council and the constituents we represent feared, too many property assessments on which City property taxes are based are unacceptably inaccurate and inconsistent. More than five years after implementing the Actual Value Initiative, this is a wake-up call about the non-negotiable urgency of collecting and scrubbing City data regularly so that taxation and policy-making are as factually based as possible,” Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) said.

Following the most recent round of property assessments, City Council in April 2018 issued a Request for Proposals for qualified independent auditors to evaluate OPA’s methodologies and operations. J.F. Ryan Associates, a nationally recognized property-appraisal and management-consulting firm based in Massachusetts, was selected to conduct the audit in June, and auditors made their first requests for information from OPA staff on June 22.

Following a draft finalization process, which included opportunities required by the Philadelphia Code for OPA and the Kenney

Administration to review findings and provide missing detail, the independent audit of OPA was reviewed by the offices of all 17 members of Council before being released to the public on Thursday.

Council recommends the following actions be taken as quickly as possible: • Recruit new leadership for OPA, including Chief Assessment Officer and at least three Deputy Assessors, with the assistance of a nationally recognized executive search firm • Contract with a mass appraisal firm or firms to assist with increasing the accuracy of annual assessments, as well as staff training • Contract with a broad appraisal industry experience firm to assist with procuring mass appraisal services and monitoring the performance of the successful bidder or bidders • Aggressively identify and correct potential assessment outliers between now and the March 31, 2019, certification of values for next year.

Candidates for the position of Chief Assessment Officer should meet the following requirements: • Three years or more as Chief Assessment Officer or Chief Deputy in a metropolitan jurisdiction (more than 100,000 properties) that includes multiple large commercial parcels (more than $100 million in value) • Management experience in at least two separate municipalities, and experience outside of Philadelphia • Experience using a nationally recognized Computer Assisted Mass Ap-

praisal (CAMA) system • Experience with market modeling using multivariate statistical analysis • At least five years membership in the International Association of Assessing Officers In addition, the Chief Assessment Officer should recruit at least three new Deputy Assessors, all of whom must have CAMA experience and experience outside of Philadelphia: • Deputy Assessor for Residential Assessments • Deputy Assessor for Commercial Assessments • Deputy Assessor for Valuation Analysis City Council’s recommendations are based on findings of the J.F. Ryan Associates audit, which include the following: • Property assessments are not uniform, resulting in inaccurate and unfair property tax bills • Property assessments on one-to-four-family homes and commercial and industrial parcels do not meet industry standards • The only category of assessments that do meet industry standards is condominiums • OPA is failing to meet 11 of its 18 responsibilities, as determined by the City Code, including failing to explain via OPA’s website how the City calculated individual assessments • Properties valued under $100,000 are overassessed, meaning those property owners are paying more than their fair share in property taxes • As of mid-September 2018, OPA had completed action on just 36% of First Level Review requests filed by property owners seeking clarification or correction of their assessments in May of

2018 – an unacceptably deficient pace.

The City of Philadelphia reformed its property assessment system in 2013 by moving to the Actual Value Initiative. This reform was meant to ensure that all taxable properties would be assessed regularly to ensure consistent tax fairness in a growing city. But as many property owners have complained – and the independent audit validates – far too many properties are being either unfairly overassessed or underassessed, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods.

Council President Clarke added: “Council has been sounding alarms about

OPA and the City’s inability to collect and maintain accurate data for several consecutive budget cycles – starting back in 2013, when we lowered a property-tax rate proposed by the administration based on inaccurate data, to more recently when we stopped an administrative attempt to sell off property-tax liens, which could have had catastrophic consequences in low-income communities of color.”

Clarke concluded: “Among the positive findings of this audit is that the First Level Review process for property owners appealing their assessments works well, albeit too slowly.

The programs that were in place when we first moved to AVI – First Level Review, homestead relief, senior property tax freeze, and gentrification relief (also known as LOOP) – are still here to provide property tax relief. I look forward to working with my colleagues on Council and with the Kenney Administration to ensure that OPA becomes the efficient and effective office we know it can be.

Taxpayers deserve no less than accountable, accessible, and competent government.”

The J.F. Ryan Associates audit report is available on City Council’s website, PHLCouncil.com.

DePasquale: Pa. Workers Suffer from Shutdown

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S THE FEDERAL government shutdown dragged on, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale blasted the Trump administration for needlessly inflicting hardship on federal employees across Pennsylvania and jeopardizing the nation’s economy.

“This pointless shutdown is hurting tens of thousands of workers and their family members,” DePasquale said. “While many people had the luxury of ignoring this problem during the holiday season, a harsh reality is now hitting home for those who will miss a paycheck this week.

“I’m particularly concerned for those workers who have no financial reserves. This is more than an inconvenience for them; it’s quickly becoming a fullblown crisis that affects their ability to put food on their table and keep a roof

over their heads.”

DePasquale again called on Washington elites to stop playing games with the lives of hardworking public servants, warning that the ongoing shutdown may cause ripples across the economy.

“Consumer confidence and job creation will suffer, which could drain billions of dollars from the nation’s gross domestic product,” DePasquale added. “Right now, employers are trying to decide whether they will hire this year and they’re not getting important federal data that helps them make those critical decisions.”

DePasquale said that while it may take time for all impacts to be felt, many Americans are already concerned about the direction in which the economy is headed – making a bad situation even worse.

“The Dow Jones and the S&P 500 indexes reported

their worst December since 1931 as well as their worst annual performance since the financial crisis of a decade ago. This administration is repeating the exact same mistakes that led to the Bush recession. It took years to pull the nation out of that hole, but Trump seems intent on digging a new hole and pushing us all into it.

“The U.S. House has offered a proposal to get the government back in business. I urge the House and Senate to quickly act on this plan, and then get to work on passing comprehensive immigration reform.

“Like so many other terrible decisions coming out of the White House, holding federal employees hostage in order to fund a ridiculous and divisive vanity project simply defies logic,” DePasquale said. “It’s time for the president to stop Tweeting long enough to do some actual work.”

Please contact Melissa Barrett for more information: 215-755-2000 Ext. 5 Email: mbarrett@phillyrecord.com

JA N UA RY 10, 2019

The May 2019 Primary Election Campaign Has Begun!

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Reach key influential labor and political leaders in Philadelphia with our newspaper

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the WAFFLE MAN

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JA N UA RY 10, 2019

O! HERE WE go again with this story of two elderly people living in a mobile-home park in Florida.

He was a widower and she was a widow. They had known one another for a number of years.

One evening there was

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a community supper in the Club House, and the widower and widow made a foursome with two other singles. They had a wonderful evening and spirits were high. The widower sent a few admiring glances across the table, and the widow smiled coyly back at him. Finally, he plucked up his courage to ask her, “Will you marry me?”

After about six seconds of careful consideration, she answered, “Yes. Yes, I will.” The meal ended with a few more pleasant exchanges and they went to their respective homes.

The next morning, the widower was troubled. Did she say “Yes” or did she say “No”? He couldn’t re-

member. Try as he would, he just could not recall. He went over the conversation of the previous evening, but his mind was blank.

He remembered asking the question, but for the life of him he could not recall her response. With fear and trepidation, he picked up the phone and called her.

First, he explained that he didn’t remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the lovely evening past. As he gained a little more courage he then inquired of her, “When I asked if you would marry me, did you say ‘Yes’ or did you say ‘No’?”

“Why, you silly man, I said, ‘Yes. Yes I will.’ And I meant it with all my heart.”

The widower was delighted. He felt his heart skip a beat. Then she continued, “And I am so glad you called, because I couldn’t remember who asked me.”

Could this situation happen to you? Could you forget something important and, try as you may, not remember it? Think not? Just wait till you get older. Remember (if you could) – I warned you.

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Special Issue

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

JA N UA RY 10, 2019

The Philadelphia Public Record will commemorate

Please join us to honor his legacy.

Please contact Melissa Barrett for more information: 215-755-2000 Ext. 5 Email: mbarrett@phillyrecord.com

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in the January 17th, 2019 issue

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WALKING the BEAT (Cont. From Page 8) BOO HOO. Thanks to a court ruling, shale-gas producers will pay taxes to the Commonwealth. Praise God. A long free ride is

over! Will their opulent parties on PA. SOCIETY weekend end?

In a story on a BUILDING TRADES protest at a building site, the reporter seemed to lose focus and write on John DOUGHERTY’S return to activism (?). When did Dougherty’s

Court of Common Pleas Phila. County Civil Action – Law No. 180900329 Notice of Action in Mortgage Foreclosure Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc., Plaintiff vs. April Anderson, Solely in Her Capacity as Heir of Clifton Childs, Deceased, Susan E. Anderson, Individually and in her Capacity as Heir of Clifton Childs, Deceased, Teresa R. Childs-Evans, Solely in Her Capacity as Heir of Clifton Childs, Deceased & The Unknown Heirs of Clifton Childs, Deceased Mortgagor and Real Owner, Defendants To: Teresa R. Childs-Evans, Solely in Her Capacity as Heir of Clifton Childs, Deceased & The Unknown Heirs of Clifton Childs, Deceased, Mortgagor and Real Owner, Defendant(s), whose last known address is 356 East Montana Street Philadelphia, PA 19119. This firm is a debt collector and we are attempting to collect a debt owed to our client. Any information obtained from you will be used for the purpose of collecting the debt. You are hereby notified that Plaintiff, Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc., has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Phila.

County, PA, docketed to No. 180900329, wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 356 East Montana, Street Philadelphia, PA 19119, whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Phila. County. Notice: You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the following pages, you must take action within twenty (20) days after the Complaint and notice are served, by entering a written appearance personally or by attorney and filing in writing with the court your defenses or objections to the claims set forth against you. You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgment may be entered against you by the Court without further notice for any money claimed in the Complaint for any other claim or relief requested by the Plaintiff. You may lose money or property or other rights important to you. 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. This office can provide you with information about hiring a lawyer. If you cannot afford to hire a Lawyer, this office may be able to provide you with information about agencies that may offer legal services to eligible persons at a reduced fee or no fee. Community Legal Services, Inc., Law Center North Central, 1410 W. Erie Ave., Phila., PA 19140, 215.227.2400/215.981.3700.

Phila. Bar Assn., Lawyer Referral & Info. Service, One Reading Center, Phila., PA 19107, 215.238.1701. Michael T. McKeever, Atty. for Plaintiff, KML Law Group, P.C., Ste. 5000, Mellon Independence Center, 701 Market St., Phila., PA 19106, 215.627.1322.

activism stop?

A commentary noted that the media are too TIMID on impeachment. Does this mean that all media favor impeachment?

An editorial said that young lawmakers bring another perspective to governing. But the Bible notes that “Nothing is new under the sun.”

Congrats to Dan STEVENSON for three years at The Beer Peddlers! The shop is on Dilworth Street, which starts out as a twoway street, then changes to one way in the middle of the block! If Mayor Richardson DILWORTH could come back to Earth, he would say *&^%$#@ of that. (St. Peter would have to give him a pass for the expletives.)

Then Dilworth would phone Councilman Mark SQUILLA for an ordinance to change traffic flow.

Congrats to Kathryn BOOCKVAR on becoming the Pennsylvania Secretary of State! Doylestown lost, but the State gained.

I AM SO WEARY of New Year’s Parade ROUTE

understanding BANKRUPTCY

BY MICHAEL A. CIBIK AMERICAN BANKRUPTCY BOARD CERTIFIED uestion: What is the biggest tax-time mistake that can also cost you in bankruptcy?

There are a lot of mistakes you can make at tax time. One of the biggest – in fact, it is absolutely the biggest – is to fail to file your return on time. That particular mistake can also

Q

CITY HALL SAM

CHANGES and adjustments. Can we stop it and settle on a defined route with PUBLIC INPUT!...

Another commentary noted that Mummers cannot get over their racist history.

This was a blanket value judgment, and SLAP in the face to ordinary citizens who participate in the parade. And it is pure BS. A victim got no notice of the trial of a man who bit his ear off. This MISHAP can happen in a vast justice system like Philly’s. The good news is that a proper SENTENCE was meted out.

The review of the DA’s Office overall is a good one!!

A news feature on the revival of PASSYUNK Avenue discussed Pass-ayunk as an Indian word, but not the stories of the street, which is not part of the Philly street grid, as an Indian trail. (The same goes for MOYAMENSING Avenue.) The Passyunk RENAISSANCE actually began its present-day glory with the efforts and vision of former State Sen. Vincent FUMO.

(Cont. From Page 8) ED RENDELL was district attorney and was the toughest prosecutor in the world toward the MOVE activists.

These were the “urban terrorists” on Osage Avenue who frightened so many people.

Rendell made sure that several of the MOVE women were convicted of murder and got life without chance of parole. Those ladies are still behind bars. Essentially, their crime was being in the house when someone committed a crime.

Yet today, Rendell is supportive of progressive prosecutors like LARRY KRASNER. Before Krasner, SETH WILLIAMS was a dynamic African American crime-fighter who had a taste for the good life and bad judgment. He was still a friend of the police and was tough on crime. But according to articles in the Inquirer, Krasner is more an advocate for defendants than a law-enforcement officer.

Defendants really do need stronger advocates,

cost you if you are in bankruptcy, or if you need to file bankruptcy.

The temptation not to file a return may be great.

You may know that you owe taxes. You may be unsure that you have all the paperwork needed to file. You may purely hate to deal with numbers.

None of those are good excuses, and here’s why: The IRS penalizes you ten times as much for not filing a return as they do for just not paying the taxes. Ten times. The penalty for failure to file a return is 5% of the amount you owe; if you file the return but can’t pay the tax, the penalty is 1/2 of 1%.

Now, that can impact a bankruptcy filing in several ways. If you are considering a bankruptcy filing (or “fixing to file” as they like to say in the South), your bank-

ruptcy attorney and your bankruptcy trustee will both want copies of your tax returns. Your bankruptcy case will not be permitted to proceed without those copies, so all your time and effort will go to waste if you haven’t filed your tax returns.

If you are already in bankruptcy, the same may be true. Many Chapter 13 trustees want to see a copy of your tax return every year you stay in Chapter 13, and that’s three to five years, depending on various factors.

Another way failure to file returns can impact a Chapter 13 is that the IRS (as well as other taxing authorities) will assess an estimated tax for every year that you fail to file a return. And trust me, they will estimate high. Not only can that blow your payment plan out of the water, many Chapter 13 trustees will, again, make filing the

but it’s not appropriate for the district attorney to be in that role. He is supposed to be the prosecutor of criminals and the advocate of the victims. The police do the hard work of street-level battle. Then they hand off cases to the DA’s Office to put the bad guys in prison.

The prosecutor should still be trying to put murderers behind bars and Krasner has passed up that duty at least once so far in his term.

The criminal-justice system has been unequal for many years but the key is sentencing reform. There needs to be complete reform of prosecutions that result in heavy jail sentences. And people need to be given second chances who have made mistakes, especially in cases of addiction.

It will be interesting to see in the new year if Krasner’s approach remains acceptable. He certainly is different and Philadelphia needs to go in a different direction; but should the City’s top prosecutor be the top advocate for those accused in the criminal-justice system? return a condition of continuing in bankruptcy.

So, no more excuses.

Like it or not, you need to file the returns, even if you hate math, hate paperwork, and don’t have the money to pay the taxes you know you are going to owe. Talk to your bankruptcy lawyer about how bankruptcy will affect your tax debt, or even help you resolve that obligation. You might be in for a nice surprise.

Next Week’s Question: Does a Chapter 13 debtor really have to get court permission to sell property?

Check Our News & Calendar Daily Updates @ www. phillyrecord.com

EVERYDAY PEOPLE

(Cont. From Page 8) Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn pled guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russian government and had several interview sessions with Muller. The former lieutenant general was scheduled to be sentenced

by U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, but when Sullivan read the redacted parts of Flynn’s testimony, he asked the government’s lawyers why a treason charge hadn’t been filed.

He also told Flynn that if he wanted to avoid jail time, he’d better tell Mueller a lot more stuff.

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, a man of wealth and taste, procured through a combination of tax evasion and a lot of work with, you guessed it, the Russians, took his chances in court and lost in Virginia. He decided that fighting the charges of tax evasion and other offenses in D.C. might not be the best course of action, so he decided to talk to Mueller.

When Mueller found out he was lying, he ripped up his deal. So things are going to get interesting for him, and not just because his gout will probably flare up more in a concrete room.

But the most interesting plea deal came from Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, who had one time promised to “take a bullet” for the President.

He decided instead that (a) he didn’t want those problems and (b) bullets hurt.

The man who paid off adult film actress Stormy Daniels, a woman who told us entirely too much about the president, decided to take a plea and to talk to Mueller about Trump’s Russia ties and the Trump Tower with the Putin Penthouse that the president had been less than honest about for a while now.

But here’s what’s scary about this. His base knows he’s lying, but they don’t care.

Or at least they didn’t.

Now that many of them will be among those not getting a check on the 15th, they’re crying foul.

Praying for Johnson At the Clef Club

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(Cont. From Page 8) of the ShopRite is a primary example. ShopRite CEO JEFF BROWN has noted that sales in his Philadelphia stores have been off by 15% since the inception of the tax, which led to a corresponding reduction in his workforce. With the closure of the Haverford Avenue location, he will be letting another 111 employees go.

What is even more tragic is the impact this might have on the roughly 600 workers with criminal records employed in ShopRite’s stores.

Many employers will not take a chance on these men and women.

What added insult to injury was the callousness of MAYOR JIM KENNEY, who called Brown a “cry baby”? He also questioned how Brown could run a market without soda sales.

Mr. Kenney, I used to go the Walmart on Columbus Avenue to buy soda and other products. Now I go to the Wal-Mart in King of Prussia or on Route 38 in New Jersey. I did not just take my

soda business there, but all of my Walmart purchases.

Speaking of Kenney, I was happy that the story was not about the “controversy” over an African American Mummer playing JAY-Z walking the mayor around on leash.

Our president of City Council, himself an African American, could not differentiate a Black man from a white person in blackface. I was embarrassed for DARRELL CLARKE even if he did not have the common sense to be so himself. What I found even more embarrassing was the number of local pundits that attacked the Mummer despite the knowledge that the alleged affront was just that – alleged. Do remember that the person on the leash was a white man.

Also, remember that liberal cartoonist SIGNE WILKINSON offered a similar image in a local paper earlier this year. I guess it was OK for Wilkinson to invent this image, but not a Mummer group that probably includes more-conservative people. The politics of “victimhood” are pursued even if the facts belie it in this case.

A PRE-ELECTION Faith Leaders Prayer Breakfast was sponsored by the staff of Councilman Kenyatta Johnson. It was held at the Clef Club, located at Broad & Fitzwater Streets. Local bishops, pastors, elders, ministers, reverends, evangelists, police chaplains, prayer warriors and other religious leaders attended. They individually spoke and prayed for Johnson. Photos by Leona Dixon

JA N UA RY 10, 2019

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