Ron Panepinto Jewelers
Jim Stevenson
700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
9371 ROOSEVELT BLVD. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19114 215-698-7000 JStevenson@ChapmanAutoGroup.com
Vol. XI. No. 29 (Issue 494)
“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”
Fishy Business by Jude Isabella Special From Blue Ridge Press When is red snapper not red snapper? Nearly every time you order it in a restauran. There is a fraud in which consumers across North America are being ripped off – fed lowcost tilapia and other common fish while being charged for higher-priced fish such as red snapper. Chronic fish mislabeling does more than
THIS IS RED SNAPPER?
take a chunk out of your wallet. It also masks the magnitude of the decline of ocean fisheries. It’s time for a boat-to-table certification system, which would insure the fish you order from the menu is the fish you eat. When you order red snapper in a restaurant, how do you know you’re eating red snapper?
What’s Up Guv?
Knox Opportunity If the Democratic Gubernatorial primary attracts no new volunteers, Tom Knox could wind up in a strong position. That’s because ever since Lehigh Co. Executive Don Cunningham dropped out of the race, the Philadelphia businessman is the only Easterner to have committed. Southwestern Pennsylvania, which
ordinarily plays politics like the Steelers defensive line, is split now. Allegheny Co. Executive Dan Onorato is seeking the Governor’s office, as is Auditor Gen. Jack Wagner who is also from that county. If Western power-brokers remain divided, Knox can tap other assets besides his own formidable wealth. He enjoys many connections, both business and political, in the prosperous and populous Eastern part of the state. In addition, he has early staked (Cont. Page 4)
www.PanepintoJewelers.com We Buy Gold & Diamonds
Serving Citywide Political, Labor, Legal and School Communities of Philadelphia
Four More Red Light Cameras
The more red-light cameras that go up in the city, the odds are the fewer motorists will be running through busy intersections. That fact has been underlined at the half dozen or more intersections which have had the traffic sentinel in operation. The response has been favorable, especially from pedestrians who cross those busy intersections. This has led to the Philadelphia Parking Authority bringing red-light cameras to four (Cont. Page 23)
City’s Top Political Baby We’re Starting Early (See Details P. 2)
Value 50¢
July 16, 2009
What Fish Dish You Order May Not Be What You Get
You don’t. In fact, about three-quarters of all “red snappers” sold in the United States are mislabeled – it’s probably the most mislabeled fish in the country. And mislabeling fish, any fish, is bad for two reasons – your wallet and the ocean environment. Let’s first talk about the hit to your wallet. In one 2008 study on market substitution in
North American seafood, scientists decoded the DNA of nine red snappers (Lutjanus campechanus) bought in New York City, and they found just two of the samples were labeled correctly. The seven mislabeled fish were five different marine species. Two were “Acadian redfish” (Sebastes fasciatus). At the time of the study, the Acadian redfish went for $0.72 per pound, while red snapper sold for (Cont. Page 2)
You Gotta Have Friends! Politicians Are Opening Facebook
by Tony West In 2009, Facebook is debuting as an important instrument of politics in Philadelphia. Only five years old, this online social network began as a private club for Ivy League undergraduates. Its clarity and simplicity rapidly overtook older online networking tools. It was steadily opened, first to all colleges and then to all college gradu-
Local 98 Top Pol Contributor It pays to have the support of organized labor, especially here in the city of Philadelphia. The top 10 spenders among Pennsylvania Political Action Committees in the 2007-08 election cycle were Local 98 IBEW, $6.7 million; Laborers District Council, $3.6 million; PSEA-PACE, $2.1 million; Pennsylvania Future Fund (Republican National Committeeman Bob Asher), $2 million; LAWPAC (statewide trial lawyers), $1.8 million; Committee for a Better Tomorrow (Philadelphia trial lawyers), $1.8 million; Carpenters PAC of Philadelphia, $1.7 million; Western Pennsylvania Laborers (Cont. Page 23)
ates. By 2006, the w h o l e world was welcomed in. Today, public leadSTATE Rep. ers around Mark B. Cohen … the world, thousands of friends i n c l u d i n g
Pennsylvania, are exploring different ways to apply this new tool. About half of the city’s politicians now have some Facebook presence. Michael Nutter, who is bearwrestling over a titanic budget deficit, earlier this week had 1,887 “supporters” on his “politician” Facebook page. Legendary glad-hander Gov. Ed Rendell topped him easily with (Cont. Page 2)
Acme, Union In Talks
The first indication peace and harmony may return to the World of Acme Markets, its employees and its customers came early this week when Acme officials indicated they would enter into negotiations with officials of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1776. The 4,000 workers in ACME’s 40 stores in Greater Philadelphia have been working without a contract since February 2008. Young said talks between the by Joe Shaheeli union and the company began when Vincent Fumo will forever be the terms of the contract expired. The contract had been extended by the among Philadelphia’s most controparties until Acme’s unilateral deci- versial figures….with fans and foes sion to terminate it as expressed in its trailing him all his life. Jun. 9 communication with the union. His surprise sentencing proved to Acme’s workers have remained on be a big pay day for some South the job under the extension. Philly bookies who were taking “6 to “We bargained patiently for 18 5” action on what his sentence would (Cont. Page 23) (Cont. Page 23)
Fumo Has A Future
www.phillyrecord.com
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
page 2
Beware When Ordering Fish! Who’s Cutest Baby Of All? You Decide! The Philadelphia Public Record newspapers are looking for the cutest babies in the city! It could well be the one baby you decide on may well become a future Mayor, or a top union leader, or a major community advocate, and possibly a super educator. We want to let you decide! The Public Record newspapers will kick off the first Citywide “Philadelphia Baby Future Leader Contest”… the search for the future generation of leaders in this city”. It begins with our next week’s edition and ends with our Halloween edition, Thursday, Oct. 29. We will publish all submitted photographs online and a selection in the Philadelphia Public Record and South Philadelphia Public Record, and ask you, our readers and web users, to vote for the cutest. Your baby could carry off the title of the Philadelphia Public Record Newspapers’ Cutest Baby-Future Leader of 2009. Go on! You've got nothing to lose! Public Record Newspapers, Inc. has teamed up with PNC Bank and many local businesses in the area to give you the chance to win prizes in this great competition. All you have to do is send us your photos which will then be voted for by our readers. There are two categories, a baby girl and baby boy, up to a year old. Each winner will each receive $500 prize, and a photo shoot with a professional photographer. Ten runners up will also receive prizes. It's easy to send us your photos: Email your picture to editor@phillyrecord.com; or drop it in to the Public Record Newspapers offices at 1323 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia PA. 19148. By entering this contest, you will automatically become a subscriber of the Philadelphia Public Record newspaper and the South Philadelphia Public Record newspaper. To opt out of becoming a subscriber, or to find out more information about subscriptions, please call (215) 755-2000. If emailing, please send us the biggest file sizes you can so that your pictures display clearly here and, if you win, can be easily reproduced in the newspaper. There will be two categories: Cutest Boy and Cutest Girl. The ones with the highest number of votes will receive the top prizes. The two winners will be presented with their prize at PNC Bank branch at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Ten runners-up will also win various prizes. By submitting a photograph in this competition you agree to its appearance on our participating website, and in the local press. Any photo deemed to be offensive or inappropriate will not be allowed. Please ensure you get the permission of any persons featured in your photograph. This competition is running in the Philadelphia Public Record and the South Philadelphia Public Record and on their websites at www.phillyrecord.com . Employees of the Public Record newspapers or their families are not eligible to enter. The winner agrees that their baby photo and any other relevant details, including address, may be used for promotional and editorial purposes.
(Cont. from Page 1) $2.93 per pound. Ouch! Google “mislabeled fish” and you’ll come up with scores of similar examples. If you eat fish, chances are you’re getting dinged. And in terms of the future of fish stocks, your kids and grandkids are getting dinged. As recently as a month ago, the Toronto Star newspaper in Ontario, Canada collected sushi samples from city restaurants and genetically tested them. Ten of 12 samples labeled red snapper were actually tilapia. Red snapper is five times the price of tilapia. The two species are unrelated. Tilapia is a common actor in the fish substitution game because it is plentiful and currently easy to come by – 73% of the tilapia consumed by humans is farmed. In fact, it’s an old aquaculture standard; the Egyptians cultured it more
than 3,000 years ago. Tilapia is so versatile, it’s poised to take over from Alaskan pollock, the preferred fish in fish sticks and other fast food. What’s wrong with that? We’re creating an illusion of fish abundance. For example, Alaskan pollock populations – generally a well-managed fishery – have declined recently (although that could be a cyclical event). Still, no one wants pollock to go the way of the Atlantic cod, once the most popular fish in the Western world and a fishery that has collapsed from decades of overfishing. While substituting tilapia for Alaskan pollock might give pollock some breathing space, the problem with mislabeling – not calling a tilapia a tilapia, a pollock a pollock – is that it paints the wrong picture of what’s happening to the oceans, and gives people
a false sense of security about how many fish are left for us to catch and eat. Mislabeling masks the magnitude of the decline of ocean fisheries. Red snapper, for example, is so overfished, we could be the last generation to eat it. But there is no way you or I could know that – or act to save the species – if we regularly see red snapper on the menu. Mislabeling fish means you’re getting ripped off and we’re ripping off future generations. To protect your wallet and the diet of our children every government needs the same kind of ambitious plan unveiled in the Netherlands in 2006. By 2011, all wild-caught fish and seafood at every food retail chain in the Netherlands will come from sustainable fisheries, and be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a British-
based organization that tracks fish from boat to table. That means 4,500 outlets in the Netherlands will offer their 16 million consumers the possibility of an ethical and informed choice. There is just no way to know whether the fish we are eating is what we think we are eating, unless every fishery is certified in a regulated MSClike process. Anything can be mislabeled on purpose and there’s no indication this will stop. When the Toronto restaurateurs were confronted with the genetic findings, their reply? “Everyone does it.” And of course, everyone will continue to do it, until the public becomes better informed about – and outraged. Jude Isabella is a science writer and managing editor of YES Mag. Blue Ridge Press is a syndicated commentary service reporting on the environment.
Philly Pols Discover Facebook (Cont. from Page 1) 5,551 supporters. Sen. Arlen Specter is navigating a tricky transition from Republican to Democrat with the aid of 4,788 supporters. On the other hand, 34 Facebook groups opposed to the Senior Senator have also been formed, many of whose names are unprintable – “Arlen Specter Needs A Spanking” is one of the milder ones. (In fairness, note there is also a “Persons In Awe Of Arlen Specter” group.) Political pages allow politicians to send a stream of statements to their supporters. Facebook groups use the internet more imaginatively, since they permit interactive discussion between people sharing the same interest in a politician. At the heart of Facebook, though, lies a person’s individual page or “profile”. The other people who link themselves to it are called one’s “friends”. The stream of interaction between the person and those friends – pictures, short comments, links and various computer games – is mostly written on a semi-public “wall” that all one’s
friends can read – but no one else can in Facebook or anywhere else on the worldwide web. In turn, the person sees all the posts that friends’ make on their pages. This flow of conversation allows a politician to engage with a hand-tailored network of willing individuals, pretty much any way he wants to. It can be a far more-intimate experience than a handshake in a crowd, one shaped by personal style. And, in an age of escalating campaign costs – it’s blessedly free. All it takes is time. With 4,574 friends, State Rep. Mark B. Cohen is Philadelphia’s undisputed Facebook champion. “In fact,” he notes, “once I reach 5,000, I’ll max out what is allowed for a person’s page. I would be allowed to start a second page, but the friends on one couldn’t see the friends on another.” Although Cohen is a University of Pennsylvania alumnus, he did graduate somewhat before the birth of Facebook. But the Representative has long experience in online communities and adapted rapidly to Facebook when it went public.
“I systematically studied existing Facebook networks, person by person, looking for individuals I thought I might want to communicate with, and sent them invitations,” Cohen explains. At the same time, other individuals were reaching out to Cohen, most of them using the search engine that automatically suggests new friends to users, based on “friends of friends” mathematical logic. Cohen’s posts provide insightful six-sentence commentary on national and state political developments. They often trigger strings of intelligent discussion. As Seth Williams pursues the Philadelphia DA’s seat on the Democratic ticket this fall, he will do so in part by keeping up a steady stream of Facebooking with his 2,781 friends. Williams’ posts tend to be snappier and more personal than Cohen’s – he’ll update you on his travels, his moods and his private moments – complete with snapshots; they are a lot like postcards from the beach. Williams is a veteran of the Barack Obama campaign,
which pioneered the use of online communities. It’s an idea that is here to stay, he says. “It is essential in today’s politics to utilize as many different media as possible,” he says. “Politicians need to be able to connect personally with citizens wherever citizens gather, and that includes online.” Williams estimates he posts 80% of his material himself. He does, however, ask staffers to handle the posting of pictures, links and other pre-existing material. Other local Facebook jocks include Council Members Blondell Reynolds Brown (2,161 friends), Curtis Jones, Jr. (1,449 friends) and Wilson Goode, Jr. (1,076 friends). In the city’s Harrisburg delegation, State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson, with 1,783 friends, and State Sen. Larry Farnese, with 965 friends, are the runners-up to Cohen. Attorney and former City Council candidate David Oh is the City Republican Party’s Facebook leader, with 1,287 friends. Common Pleas Judge Dan Anders, who is seeking his first election win on the November ballot, enters the campaign with 2,927 friends
PARALEGAL graduates of Eastern University applaud their valedictorian Keith Ellis as he acknowledges their triumphant rise from legal incarceration to legal education. visibly aware of the remarkable Defender’s Office, also spoke turnaround in their lives testi- at the graduation ceremony in fied to by their diplomas. City Hall’s Conversation Hall. Moore hoped this program Some of the graduates will will blaze a trail for other ef- intern at the Public Deforts to provide ex-offenders fender’s Office. Others will with meaningful opportunities serve at the National Center to go straight. for Fatherhood Initiative, the “We’re turning students Vocational Specialist Office into taxpayers, as opposed to and the Register of Wills. tax-takers,” Judge Moore The graduates are Bernadette said. “It’s more than a second Brandie, Faith C. Burrell, Ellen chance; it’s about educating B. Crawford, Keith D. Ellis, an unpopular population of in- Yvette K. Kamimura, Tammy dividuals so they’re produc- J. Keitt, April L. Kelly, Mertive members of society.” cedes A. Powers, Ronald E. Deputy Mayor for Public Rivers, Phaedra Saunders, Irma Safety Everett Gillison, whose C. Smith, Robert M. Smith, career is rooted in the Public Kimberly A. Truitt and Tameka
Union Labor...
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
They had begun their legal training with hands-on experience – on the wrong side of the law. Now they were finishing it in style. Fourteen ex-offenders became the first graduating class of the Paralegal Diploma Program of Eastern University Philadelphia, in partnership with Mayor’s Office of ReEntry. They were the survivors of 20 who commenced the grueling 12-month weekend intensive program, which is designed to “prepare future paralegal professionals with both theoretical understanding and practical skills to work in the 21st-century world of law.” Municipal Court Judge Jimmie Moore was in charge of the program, whose goal was that 75% of those who started would complete the program and find permanent employment as paralegals or continue towards an undergraduate degree. “You have to be the best of the best,” Judge Moore admonished the graduates, who were
Page 3
From Prisoners To Paralegals
Building it right for a better and stronger community!
www.phillyrecord.com
page 4 The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Sharks Circling 2nd Democratic Ward (Cont. from Page 1) out a forceful position on electric-rate increases, which are scheduled to start kicking in during the election year of 2010 and may well be striking sparks with voters by then. Knox, who was one of then-Mayor Ed Rendell’s counselors, took a serious shot at Philadelphia’s Mayoralty himself in 2007 and came in second in an unprecedented five-way race. He learned politics fast and has stayed in the game ever since.
Sharks Circling 2nd Democratic Ward Since 2002 Tony Palmiere has been fighting to retain his leadership of the 2nd Ward Democratic Executive Committee. The opposition came from diehard loyalists of the late State Sen. Henry “Buddy” Cianfrani, who held that ward’s reins on and off for three decades. They never could see Tony’s feet as fitting the big boots left behind by the famous “Bald Eagle.”
Then, there were the African American committeemen and -women who thought for sure their numbers warranted at least someone from their ranks, several of whom several easily qualified to pick up the baton and run with the ward leadership effectively. Finally, into the equation were a growing number of “independent” committee persons, recently moved into the ward, reflecting much of the same type of educated yuppies who had discovered the benefits of relocating along 2nd Street and the 9th Street market. United, Tony’s foes would have made him an easy one-termer. But they were at odds or not communicating well with each other. So Tony became the easy alternative. Last time around, Councilman Frank DiCicco made a strong effort but, in the old fashion of the 2nd Ward, discovered promises made to his face faded when his back was turned. On the opposite side of that tussle, buttressing
Palmiere in the leadership, was the leadership of Local 98 Business Mgr. John J. Dougherty, Jr. Now the sharks are circling again, this time in the middle of the night. An unsigned letter has been shoved into the mailslots and under the doors of those living in the 2nd Ward. The subject is Tony Palmiere. It’s unsigned, was dated Jul. 3, and deplores Tony as a ward leader. Obviously, it is written by someone who understands ward politics, which limits it to one or more of Tony’s committee persons. It charges Palmiere with skimming money he received to dole out for candidates on Election Day to his committee persons. They claim he’s kept it for his own private use. Now, because of some grammatical errors in the letter, it is easy to rule out one of the conflicting groups of interest in the ward … the yuppies, who continue to grow in strength and could possibly decide to take the ward for one of their own.
State Rep.
Dennis O’Brien 169th District 9811 Academy Rd Phila. PA 19114
215-632-5150 State Rep.
William Keller 184th District 1531 S. 2nd Street
215-271-9190 State Rep.
ROBERT C. DONATUCCI 185th District 1809 Oregon Ave, Phila., PA 19145
www.phillyrecord.com
215-468-1515
State Rep. Constituent Service Office
1610 S. Broad St. Phila., PA 19146 (215) 952-3378
Frank Oliver 195th District 2839 W. Girard Ave. Phila. PA 19130
215-684-3738
Rumor has circulated Tony is planning to give up his seat and not run when ward leadership time comes up. Attempts to reach him have not been successful up to press time.
Keeping Democrats Away From Arlen Congressman Joe Sestak is using tactics he learned in the military to aid him in his campaign to win the Democratic nomination for US Senate. He’s propagandizing his campaign fundraiser to scare away other Democratic nominees, while at the same time hoping to woo from Arlen some of the Democratic moneybags who have contributed to the incumbent. Sestak now has over $4 million in his campaign chest. Specter’s next report is expected to close near $10 million.
But Sestak feels what he’s gotten shows he is the strongest among the Democrats who have indicated an interest to challenge Specter for the Democratic nomination, bragging he got his cash without the institutional support of the Democratic establishment. Specter has the support of Democratic leaders President Barack Obama, Gov. Ed Rendell and Mayor Michael Nutter, as well as other major Democratic leaders around the state. As of now, Sestak strategy could be paying off, since the only announced Democrat interested in the race is State Rep. Bill Kurz, from Allegheny Co., who was the earliest announced contender, and, from the way it looks, will nowhere be able to raise the big bucks needed to properly fuel his race.
State Rep. Cherelle
Parker 200th Legislative District 1536 E. Wadsworth Ave. Phone: (215) 242-7300 Fax: (215) 242-7303 www.pahouse.com/Parker
Daryl La Fountain Candidate In 2010 For District 175
JOHN SABATINA JR. 174th District State Representative 8100 Castor Ave Phila, PA 19152 Hours: 9am to 5pm Telephone: 215-342-6204
www.Darylfor175.com Paid for by the Friends of Daryl La Fountain.
Parkwood Shopping Center 12361 Academy Road, Phila., PA 19154, 215-281-2539
State Senator
Larry Farnese First Senate District Tel. 215-952-3121 1802 S. Broad St.• Phila. PA 19145
www.SenatorFarnese.com
Open Mon. - Fri. 9:00 AM - 5 PM
Sen.Mike Stack SERVING THE 5TH DISTRICT
(USPS PP 109) Weekly Publication Published by:
The Phila. Public Record The South Phila Public Record 1323 S. Broad Street Phila., PA 19147 ISSN 1938-8551 (Application to Mail At Periodicals Postage Rates Is Pending At Philadelphia PA and Bellmawr NJ) Postmaster: send address change to: The Public Record 1323 S. Broad Street Phila. PA 19147 215-755-2000 Fax: 215-689-4099 Editor@phillyrecord.com Subscription Rate: $ 30.00/Year EDITORIAL STAFF Editor & Publisher: James Tayoun Sr. Managing Editor: Anthony West Associate Editor: Rory G. McGlasson Medical Editor: Paul Tayoun M.D. CitiLife Editor: Ruth R. Russell Editorial Staff: Joe Sbaraglia Out & About Editor: Denise Clay Contributing Editor: Bonnie Squires Creative Director & Editorial Cartoonist: R. William Taylor Photographers: Donald Terry Lee Buchanan Dawud Starling Production Manager: William J. Hanna Bookkeeping: Haifa Hanna Webmaster: Sana Muaddi-Dows Advert. director: John David Controller: John David Circulation: Steve Marsico The Public Record welcomes news and photographs about your accomplishments and achievements which should be shared with the rest of the community. Contact us by phone, fax, e-mail or by dropping us a note in the mail. If you mail a news item, please include your name, address and daytime telephone number so we can verify the information you provided us, if necessary. The Public Record reserves the right to edit all news items and letters for grammar, clarity and brevity. (C) 1999-2009 by the Philadelphia Public Record. No reproduction or use of the material herein may be made without the permission of the publisher. The Philadelphia Public Record will assume no obligation (other than the cancellation of charges for the actual space occupied) for accidental errors in advertisements, but we will be glad to furnish a signed letter to the buying public.
Eligible homeowners and renters now have until Dec. 31 to apply for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for seniors and residents with disabilities. Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms are available at my offices, or online at www.senatorstack.com. Individuals who already applied for Property Tax/Rent Rebates may check the status of their claim online at www.PaPropertyTaxRelief.com or by calling, toll-free, 1-888-PA-TAXES.
8016 Bustleton Avenue Philadelphia PA 19152 215-695-1020
The Public Record
Senator Tina
Tartaglione 2nd Dist. 127 W. Susquehanna Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19122
1063 Bridge St. Philadelphia, PA 19124
215-291-4653
215-533-0440
www.disabledatwork.com Philadelphia
www.phillyrecord.com
"Representing injured workers in Pa. for over 30 years.�
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
If you have been injured on the DOCKS, PIERS, or SHIPS doing loading or repairing work. You need our free advice....We fight for your right to benefits and we never ask you to pay a fee.... We have successfully helped get money for thousands of injured workers over the last 30 years.
Page 5
Injured At Work!
page 6 The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Tartaglione Bill Aids Small Businesses State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione is supporting a plan intended to create a fairer business-tax system in Pennsylvania, while helping to balance the budget. Based on Tartaglione’s legislation introduced earlier this year, the Democrats’
plan would close the infamous “Delaware Loophole,” which has contributed to the disappearance of small independent businesses in Northeast Philadelphia. “I remember hardware stores, toy stores, office supply stores and pharma-
Brady Letter Helps Reverse Swim Club In a letter to the president of the Valley Swim Club, Congressman Robert A. Brady asked the club to apologize to all involved and honor the Creative Steps Day Camp’s membership. Stating “We cannot tolerate this level of blatant bias”, the Congressman asked, “What example are we setting for our children? What damage has been done to the children who just wanted to go swimming?” Brady said it is hard to accept the rescinding of the camp’s membership was about space rather than race, because of the initial comments made by the club’s
president. In closing, Brady wrote, “I sincerely hope that the club will have the wisdom to view this situation through the eyes of the children involved, Black, white and Hispanic, and appreciate that America must move past racial intolerance for the good of the nation and its children.” The club has rescinded its earlier decision and this week announced it will accept the Day Camp youngsters. The matter is far from closed. A law suit has been filed and some parents are refusing to send their children back to the siwm club.
cies lining the streets, bustling with business on nights and weekends,” Tartaglione said. “Over the past 30 years, they have disappeared, taking jobs and civic stability with them. Is it a coincidence that large, corporate hardware stores, toy stores, office-supply stores and pharmacies all have Delaware tax shelters?” The Democratic plan would use the revenue recouped from closing the loophole to ease Pennsylvania’s current budget crisis and provide a 20% cut in the Corporate Net Income (CNI) tax rate over five years. The current 9.99% rate – the highest in the nation – would be slashed to 7.99% by 2013-2014, one of the lowest rates among Northeast states. Under the bill, Pennsylvania would become the 24th state to require “combined reporting” of income for corporations, ending the incentive to set up “passive investment companies” in Delaware, where income deState Representative
RONALD G. WATERS 191st Leg. District
rived from copyrights, trademarks, and other “intangible assets” is tax exempt. The corporations often pay their Delaware subsidiaries exorbitant rent or royalties for the right to use logos, patents and ideas, writing off those expenses from the profit they report in Pennsylvania. Combined reporting requires corporations with subsidiaries or affiliates to file a single tax return that lists all of the conglomerate’s business activity, rather than treating each subsidiary as a separate entity. Companies would no longer be able to shift money between subsidiaries to veil profits and avoid paying taxes in a particular state. This bill will not magically restore the neighborhoods of Philadelphia,” Tartaglione said. “But it will send a message to the small businesses in my District, and across Pennsylvania, that we mean business. We mean small business. We mean fair business.” STATE SENATOR
LEANNA M. WASHINGTON DISTRICT OFFICE
1555-D Wadsworth Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 (215) 242-0472 Fax: (215) 753-4538
6027 Ludlow Street, Unit A
WEB SITE www.senatorwashington.com
215-748-6712
Youths See Saw Works
HISTORICAL Society of Tacony arranged student tour of old Disston Saw Works. Here Joseph Dukes and Ring Lardner explain this storied 19th-century factory. Photo by Lou Iatarola
THIS PLACE MATTERS! Say the students after learning their city’s industrial history. Photo by Lou Iatarola
Councilman Wm.
Greenlee
Room 580 City Hall P. 215-686-3446/7 F. 215-686-1927
Sheriff Green’s Important Steps to Saving Your Home Step 1: www.phillyrecord.com
Assemble your current financial information, and call your lender.
Step 2: Visit www.phillysheriff.com to learn more about borrowers’ rights, loss mitigation and abusive servicing practices. Contact the Sheriff’s Office at 215-686-3525 for more information
Step 3: If you feel uncomfortable handling mortgage negotiations, consult a professional housing Counselor
Step 4: Take time to carefully investigate the offers you receive to avoid becoming a fraud victim Sheriff John D. Green Philadelphia
State Sen.
Shirley M. Kitchen 3rd Sen. District 1701 W. Lehigh Ave.Ste 104 • Philadelphia, PA 19132 215-227-6161 • www.senatorkitchen.com
Call John David To Participate in this special Supplement 215-755-2000
R EP. A NGEL C RUZ DISTRICT OFFICE 2749 N. 5th St. • 215-291-5643 Staffed by
Joe Evangelista Debbie Toro Ready to Serve you
Page 7
Our Opinion ...
Working The Online Street
Another Opinion
Teaching Success the high performers, provide assistance and support to those who struggle, and implement a system of ongoing opportunities for career and talent development. Last month, the New Teacher Project released a comprehensive research report on the “nation’s failure to assess teacher effectiveness, treating teachers as interchangeable parts.” The report illustrates a national “failure to acknowledge and act on differences in teacher effectiveness” and faults teacher evaluation systems that treat teachers as essentially interchangeable parts – allowing the excellence of some to go unrecognized, and the need for improvement in others
to go unaddressed. The authors noted less than 1% of 40,000 teachers in the study were ever rated “unsatisfactory.” The Philadelphia story is no different. Out of a teaching force of over 10,000 in the District, only 13 received “unsatisfactory” ratings and only five were removed from the classroom. We cannot hope to close the opportunity and achievement gap without the professional skills and personal influence of great teachers in places where students need them the most. To meet the needs of children and schools fairly, we need the freedom to be flexible in staffing schools and matching the talents of teachers with subject, site and area needs. Is it fair that one child is being taught “the key to success” is filling in the right bubble for the right multiple-choice answer to other people's questions, while another is learning success comes from finding your own voice, thinking critically, and discovering your rightful place in the world? The answer is a simple and categorical “No.”
Jul. 16- Young Democrats hold Meet & Greet Democratic General Election candidates at VFW Post, 24th & Passyunk Ave., next to Bingo Hall, 6-9 p.m. Free admission. Refreshments will be served. Outstanding speakers. Jul. 18- “Tavern Crawl & Block Party" benefits Police & Fire Memorial Plaque Placement Program & PO John Marynowitz. Event hosted by taverns of Port Richmond, 1-8 p.m. Registration at Richmond & Tioga 12:30 (ID req.) $20. T-shirt & wristband. Jul. 21- Come Cruise the Delaware aboard "Spirit of Philadelphia" with friends of Ron Donatucci at 401 S. Columbus Blvd., 6-10 p.m. Price $135. For info (215) 686-6250. Jul. 21- Loyal Opposition Reception hosts Politics 101 Forum featuring Deputy Chair of Republican State Committee Renee Amoore at Racquet Club, 215 S. 16th St., 7 p.m. $20. RSVP pamelawarren1@comcast.net or (305) 632-3401. Jul. 25- Brady Bunch Beach
Party at Keenan’s, 113 Old New Jersey Ave., N. Wildwood, N.J., 4-8 p.m. $35. Pay at door, or call Democratic City Committee (215) 241-7805. Jul 25- Vincent Woodson Fdn. anti-violence rally at Vernon Park, Germantown & Price Sts., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For info Faye Woodson Dawson (215) 200-8453. Jul. 25- Bartlett Jr. HS Reunion at Galdo’s Catering, 20th Street & Moyamensing Avenue Tickets $55. For info Claudia Gordon (267) 9713768 or Diane Davis (215) 498-7201. Jul. 25- 9th Birthday celebration, “Mardi Gras Under Stars”, for State Sen. LeAnna M. Washington at Belmont Mansion, 200 Belmont Mansion Dr., 6-11 p.m. Contribution $300. Checks payable to Friends of LeAnna M. Washington, PO Box 27013, Phila., PA 19118. Jul. 30- Mike Ellis, president of Phila. Young Democrats, hosts birthday fundraiser at Champagne’s, 21 E. Chelten Ave., 6-9 p.m. For info Ytina Dudley, (215) 485-3899. Jul. 30- Untermeyer for DA Reception, Dark Horse Pub, 421 S. 2nd St., 6 p.m. Free. Aug.7- Chris Wright Legal Defense Benefit at Finnigan’s
Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden Sts., 5-7 p.m. $40. Checks payable to Chris Wright Legal Defense Fund, 2720 Rhawn St., PMB #173, Phila. PA 19152. Aug. 8- Pacifico Car Show, Airport Automall, 6701 Essington Ave., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Rain date Aug. 15. Hosted by Historical Car Club of Penna. For info (610) 389-6400 or (610) 613-9009. Aug. 8- Philadelphia Doo Wop Festival at Penn’s Landing Great Plaza, 1-7 p.m. Proceeds go to Phila. Veterans Multi-Service and Education Ctr. For info (215) 923-2600. Aug. 19- 19th Annual “Stu Bykofsky Candidates Comedy Night” ™ at Finnigan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden Sts., 8 p.m. For info or to donate, visit www.varietyphila.org. Aug. 30- Annual Billy Meehan Clam Bake hosted by Republican City Committee at Cannstatter Volksfest Verein, 9130 Academy Rd. $95. Sep. 11- Philadelphia River Wards Support Our Troops Rally "Patriot Day hosted by AOH / LAOH Div. 52, Fishtown at Campbell Square, 6:30 p.m. Sep. 13- Wolfe PAC Magic Show fundraiser at 4256 Regent Sq., $50.
www.phillyrecord.com
by Dr. Arlene C. Ackerman School District Superintendent Teachers are the bedrock of our schools and the single, most important key to student success. To ensure great results, every student deserves a great teacher and every teacher deserves a fair and accurate evaluation process that will strengthen their professional practice without threatening their positions or insulting their capacity to grow and improve. With the best interests of children front and center, the School District of Philadelphia must do everything it takes to recruit the best and the brightest teachers, encourage and reward
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Being in the business of talking with communities, politicians have been pretty clever at picking up webbased technologies. Web pages, listserves, blogs, YouTube and Twitter are now-familiar components of campaigning and constituent service that scarcely existed 10 years ago. Without a doubt, these new media place a stress on the creative planning of staffers. Some of them wish the new stuff would just go away. At the same time, though, others are hungrily sniffing out new opportunities and unturned stones. Each cyber-medium comes with its own advantages and drawbacks. YouTube can spread negative advertising around the world at a cost of zero, but it is difficult for any politician who is not already a celebrity to make positive hay out of this video-oriented tool. And it hasn’t been much help to local public servants. Blogs have become an effective means of communication for local activists. Philadelphia has several blogs that provide forums for aspiring second-tier players to discuss tactics and issues; some have made a name for themselves by assiduous blogging. But it is rare to find elected officials above the level of ward leader that write on blogs themselves. A few of Facebook’s features seem unusually welladapted to retail politics. Users can choose a regional network setting; that makes it easier to target their electoral Districts. And brevity pays on “FB”, so it doesn’t take much labor to put your name before a willing public regularly. Plus it’s free, a boon for tight budgets. It will, however, take creativity to use this medium well. Mindless, perfunctory internet appeals will wind up in the same trashcan with junkmail.
page 8 The Public Record • July 16, 2009 www.phillyrecord.com
Former STATE SEN. VINCE FUMO is having a great week. It appears letters from local machine Democrats have swayed US District JUDGE RONALD L. BUCKWALTER to reduce Fumo’s sentence from the Federal guideline of 2127 years down to less than five years. And what the heck? I mean, he was only found guilty of 137 counts of defrauding the State Senate, the South Philly charity Citizens Alliance for Better Neighborhoods and the Independence Seaport Museum. He was also found guilty of trying to obstruct a Federal investigation into his tax cheating. GOV. ED RENDELL was laced with psychotherapy as he wrote, “I do believe, however, we are all complex people,” continuing, “This sometimes-ruthless politician had and still has a sense of social responsibility.” I guess that “sense of social responsibility” kicked in when he wasn’t stealing, lying and being “ruthless.” What a guy! Do you think if you or I defrauded taxpayers and lied about it we’d get the same leniency? Democrats should consult a dictionary the next time they want to use words like honest, forthright, ruthless and socially responsible. Those words can’t possibly mean what they think they mean. But then again, this is Philadelphia; corrupt and contented. Speaking of “honest and forthright” in a proper context we can all understand, City Controller candidate AL SCHMIDT had his campaign-office grand opening last Thursday at 507 S. 2nd Street, followed by a fundraiser sponsored by The Loyal Opposition at Paddywhacks. A fantastic turnout included WARD LEADERS SUZANNE HEANEY (2nd), MIKE CIBIK (5th), AUDRA BUTTS (16th), MATT WOLFE (27th), KEITH TODD (30th), (Cont. Page 9)
Because I’m a dedicated news geek who enjoys the whole “front-row seat for history” part of being a journalist, I’ve had the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor as my soundtrack at the office this week. It’s been awhile since the last batch of Supreme Court confirmation hearings — the hearings for Justice Samuel Alito — and I was particularly interesting in knowing two things: (a) What kind of scrutiny will Judge Sotomayor face, particularly from the Republican minority, and (b) What role will her being the first Latina to be considered for the nation’s highest court play in such scrutiny? The answers: (a) As much scrutiny as a minority party that seems intent on alienating anyone who doesn’t think the 2nd Amendment is the most important part of the Constitution can give, and (b) Race appears to be playing too much of a role, at least to me. I’m glad people are asking Judge Sotomayor questions about her judicial decisions, her temperament, and whether or not she believes in established precedents on such things as abortion rights, gun laws and other important issues. But when you spend more than 30 seconds trying to make this woman apologize for saying her experiences as a “wise Latina” make her better equipped to make some decisions than a white man (something Republicans didn’t seem to mind when Justice Alito brought up the part his experiences have played in his judicial decisions during his hearings) or whether or not a Judge has played nice with her 2nd Circuit colleagues (thank you, Lindsey Graham), you’re wasting time. And you’re also not talking about the issues we really need (Cont. Page 20)
Yo! Here we go again with this interesting tid bit that was sent to me by my friend George L. It concerns a sticky subject – Scotch Tape. Scotch Tape was invented in 1930 by a 3M Co. engineer Richard Drew. When cellophane food packaging was being used more and more, Scotch Tape was developed to insure a moisture-proof sealant. Other tapes at that time required water to activate the sealant on the tape. It was not possible to use this type of tape on cellophane. First-year sale of this tape totaled about $33. Today over 90% of us use transparent tape. One conception of how much tape sold in the United States is to think of wrapping it around the earth about 165 times. Most of it is sold to be used to wrap gifts. As you might guess, about one half of its sales are between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was first called cellulose tape and was made with adhesive in the edges. This was quite sufficient for sealing food packages but not enough to tape other things, as it often fell off. Someone wrote to the company stating the ‘scotch’ boss ought to put more adhesive on the tape and not only on the edges. The 3M Company agreed. They redesigned the tape and renamed it Scotch Tape. The name ‘Scotch’ stuck. The new tape was a great improvement over the old. During the great depression Scotch Tape helped folks to make do by scrapping and conserving. Because Scotch Tape was so popular, the 3M Company actually hired workers during the Depression and did not have any layoffs. During World War II the 3M Co. produced over 100 different types of tape for the government. Scotch Tape production for the civilian market was cut back but not stopped. Their customers were demanding Scotch Tape. After the war, 3M opened a plant in Minnesota and that plant is still in operation. There it produces millions of roles of Scotch Tape in many varieties. I’ll bet almost every home and office in America. There are so many ways to use it that its use is only limited by our imagination. And so, over 75 years later, an idea that at first was not very profitable has held the world together in more ways than just being an indispensable item. Where would we be without it?
A recent poll conducted among the 300 million people who reside in the United States determined there were a total of 146 people who felt that the Obama stimulus plan was not working. Coincidentally, they all happened to be employed by the Federal Government as Members of Congress and, as a further coincidence, Republican Members of Congress to boot. In summary, the only people who are against the plan are the Republicans inside the Beltway. Congress authorized the spending of $787 billion and at this stage only “6.8% of the money has been spent.” These are the words of Republican Sen. John Kyl from Arizona. To rephrase the mathematics, 1% of $787 billion would be $7.87 billion, so, with less than 1% of the stimulating money spent, that is enough for the Republicans to declare the program a failure. Of course there is no need for logic in politics. When George W. Bush was President, the Republicans were falling over themselves to authorize the spending of large sums of public money to bail out the banks. Three months later, they are against any kind of public spending of this nature. By contrast, billionaire Warren Buffett is calling for a second round of spending to stabilize the economy. Buffett, you will recall, has been a phenomenally successful investor. The action of the Republican leadership reminds one of the old jokes that they tell about Brooklyn Dodgers diehard fans who were seated in back of home plate on opening day at Ebbets Field. The Dodger pitcher threw his first pitch and it was a called “ball.” The one fan turned to the other fan and said, “another lousy team.” (Cont. Page 9)
Snooper’s MAN OF THE MONTH: What a pleasure it was to meet and greet this wellknown “ICON OF BUCKS COUNTY”. He’s known as “Big Bear”, former Pro Wrestler, 6 ft. 11 in. and weighing over 270 lb. This gentleman is well respected and does so much for many charities. This pick is easy an easy one– HON. PAUL SCHWANGER. Recently he held a Special CASINO NIGHT to raise monies for THE SHRINER’s CHARITIES, and I can tell you, ‘The Bear’ came through with ‘flying colors’. Yes, it was a night of Entertainment and Casino games, and also a few surprises thrown in. This gentleman is available for any of you who may need help in raising monies; believe me, “BIG BEAR” will do it. Please call him at (215) 659-6706, tell him his friend The Snooper asked you. MR PAUL SCHWANGER has asked me to tell you he’s always available for you. Snooper’s F.Y.I. Bureau: I was told you can’t discuss or, for that matter, mention anything NEGATIVE about MICHAEL JACKSON. Excuse me, but if my memory serves me right, didn’t they flaunt all the negatives about ELVIS PRESLEY, including his DRUG PROBLEMS? Hey, King of Pop was also a true “DRUGGIE” and I’ll admit none of it should have EVER happened to either one. The tragedy of both of these MUSICAL ICONS was they had so much more to give, and WE were all deprived of their amazing talents. Mr. Jackson’s problems will be with us forever, and The Media will not let us forget it. A DARN SHAME! Snooper’s TV Communications Files: We all now use the recent “mandated” DIGITAL TV. I first was absolutely against it. After all, there was nothing wrong with my ANALOG TV. I must admit, now that I have it, I’m beginning to enjoy it. Did you know just about every one of your local TV stations have three outlets? Example: TV-6 has TV6-1, TV6-2, and TV6-3, and you’ll find each one different unto itself. One of my favorites is 35-1 (Mind), 35-2 (The Arts), and also 35-3 (News Info). Yo Chief, they just had HON. BRAD MOSS, a Municipal Court Judge, on TV 35-1. Check out this station, you’ll love it! MIND TV is really for all of you to participate in and get involved. GREAT TV! Snooper’s SPECIAL EVENT: This is one we get to do every year and let me tell all of you, it’s one I really enjoy doing. Yes, it’s “THE GREG HENNIGAR MEMORIAL FOOTBALL TOURNMENT”. Whew, how time does fly? It seems we did this one only yesterday. Greg was the wonderful son of DOUG HENNIGAR, who happens to work for JUDGE BRAD (Cont. Page 9)
Attorneys are both board certified by the American Bankruptcy Certification Board. Chapters 7/13 & Stop foreclosures, creditors harassments, lawsuits, garnishments, and sheriff sales.
We are a debt-relief agency 1500 Walnut Street • Suite 900 Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-735-1060 ccpc@ccpclaw.com
not going to believe what happened next. Someone gets out of the car and deposits a little black kitten smack in the middle of the street. I quickly run to this poor little kitten, who is meowing his head off, and put him in my car. Then I drove to THE SPCA and met with WENDY EVANS and NURSE LAURA. They took the kitten, gave him a bath, and then they surprised me by calling him a very special name, SNOOPER. I was really taken back by this remarkable deed and I hope whoever adopts this little kitten will treat him with KINDNESS. After all, SNOOPER
went through quite an ordeal. Call them at (215) 426-6300. Snooper’s City Servant Of The Month: Yo Chief, you’ll like this one. Last week I needed to call our Councilperson (Quiñones) and she was gone for the day, yet it was only 2:10 p.m. I had a serious problem and I was determined to get someone. I immediately called, “ole reliable”, HON. JACK KELLY’S office for help. Sure enough, someone was there and answered the phone. I asked for The Councilman and I was told he was out in the Districts taking care of one of his constituents. I was
then directed to a young lady named SUSAN and I was starting to feel real good, because this young lady really sounded interested in my problem. It seemed one of our belligerent neighbors knocked down the light in our back alley and, as you may have guessed, no one saw it. We have had three houses broken into and robbed within a few weeks, and now we have no alley light. SUSAN was also concerned and immediately went into action to get us our ALLEY LIGHT. She is the ultimate professional, and a credit to Councilman Kelly’s office, a true SERVANT.
Snooper’s Sports Extra: There is a lot of sadness in the WORLD OF BOXING. Yes, the great ARTURO GOTTI one of the best boxers around, especially in Atlantic City. This is the same GOTTI who we saw in so many “ring wars” in Atlantic City. Boss, he survived all those “ring wars”, only to be a victim of FOUL PLAY. This young fighter was only 39 years of age, and now, GONE! We will really miss this most exciting boxer, and what a great loss to the Sports World. ARTURO GATTI was the former JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION.
Elephant Corner
ZIMOLONG, Loyal Opposition Chair MARC COLLAZZO along with founder KEVIN KELLY, Chinatown community leader STEVEN ZHU, DA candidate MICHAEL UNTERMEYER, Big Talker 1210 radio personality BEN HANEY, Supreme Court candidate JUDGE JOAN ORIE MELVIN and her sister STATE SEN. MAJORITY WHIP JANE ORIE, attorney LINDA KERNS and scores more. Al spoke from the heart and electrified the room with his oration about why this is a once in a lifetime chance to change course and rescue our city from financial catastrophe. Judge Melvin spoke out against judicial activism and why it’s critical Judges don’t
legislate from the bench but interpret the law as prescribed by our Founding Fathers. All in all, a super event. This old-timer may have just met the future of the local Republican Party. Keep your eye on a young man named STEVE WELCH who has thrown his hat in the ring for the 7th Congressional seat in Delaware Co. Democrat CONGRESSMAN JOE SESTAK may very well have met his match when he faces off against this impressive lad. Steve is a self-made multi-millionaire who now runs his own venture capital fund, DreamIT Ventures. He is a Penn State graduate with
a degree in mechanical engineering and was selected as Philadelphia Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 and Entrepreneur of the Year. He was awarded the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship to build bridges internationally in early-stage startup communities and has funded numerous local companies. He tells anyone who’ll listen the $300 bucks he gave to Joe Sestak last election was the worst mistake and investment he ever made. As a guy who creates jobs and companies for a living, he should know. Keep your trunks to the grindstone!
(Cont. From Page 8) NICK MARRANDINO (39th), BRUCE HARRIS (44th), VINCENT EMMANUEL (48th), BOB BARILLI (63th), and PHIL INNAMORATO (65th). The room was packed with a “Who’s Who” of the party to include activist JOE EASTMAN, RSC Southeast Director JOE DeFELICE, attorney and former State House candidate WALLY
We Invite You To Capitalize On The 20 Years Of Experience And Skill Of Attorney
Deborah M. Truscello
City Hall Sam (Cont From Page 8) Toward the end of the month should come the annual get-together of the “Brady Bunch.” This will be at Keenan’s in North Wildwood and is usually a fun affair. With the Jury Commissioner now a Judge, a vacancy is created for the Office of Jury Commissioner. Rumors are the Ward Leader in the Ward, JOHN 56th SABATINA, is being considered for the appointment.
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
(Cont From Page 8) MOSS of MC Court. This year, as always, it will be held at-THE RAMP PLAYGROUND across from Father Judge HS on JUL. 18, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday Morning. Please call SEAN HENNIGAR at (215) 692-2988. Yes, you can be a part of this! Snooper’s ID THEFT Files: Here we go again. Yes, another ID THEFT SCHEME. Now it’s THE INTERNET who helping these IDENTITY THIEVES. There is one I must warn all of you about, known as TAGGED.COM. Whatever you do, please don’t get in-
volved with it. If you do, look out for your IDENTITY. They are very clever as to how they get you to give them all your pertinent information. Oh yeah, it seems to be simple enough: They want to make friends for you, and this is the hook where they get you. They tried it on me, and they’re very insistent on you giving them your information, including your photo and, this is what they really want, your EMAIL ADDRESS. Watch out. BE CLEVER! Snooper “THE HUMANITARIAN”: Boss, I feel good because of what I did today. I’m driving down this street, when all of a sudden the car in front of me stops. You’re
Page 9
Snooper
Legislators Conference The National Conference of State Legislatures will host its 35th annual Legislative Summit beginning Monday, Jul. 20 through Friday, Jul. 24 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The agenda is filled with more than 150 sessions. NCSL Executive Director William T. Pound said the goal of the Conference will be “to inform our members what states are doing to face some of the most pressing issues of our time.”
Call and schedule a free initial consultation.
www.TruscelloLaw.com 206 West State Street Media PA 19063
610-892-4940
WANTED SPORTS CARDS & MEMORABILIA Huggins & Scott Auctions is looking to buy or consign your VINTAGE Sports Cards & Memorabilia + older Americana type collectibles incl Toys, Games, Trains, Comics, Coins, Political Items, etc. for our next World Wide Internet Auction WE TAKE IT ALL & WE SELL IT ALL. Call Steve at 215-530-4365 to discuss your collection or to get a free catalog Visit our web page at: www.hugginsandscott.com
www.phillyrecord.com
Practice Areas: Workers Compensation Divorce and Family Law Personal Injury Social Security Disability
page 10 The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Doug Pike Raising Funds
City Employees To Lose Scheduled Pay Hikes The City of Philadelphia has notified all union-represented and non-represented civil-service employees it will not pay any salary increases, including pay step increases and increases in longevity payments. These measures are expected to save the general fund up to an estimated $8 million this fiscal year. “This is a time of shared sacrifice for everyone in Philadelphia and around the country as double-digit unemployment is predicted to con-
DOUG PIKE, announced Democratic candidate for Congress in 6th Dist., was honored at a fundraiser in Lower Merion Township. Seen here with Pike are Ruth Damsker, former Montgomery Co. Commissioner; Lower Merion Commissioner Cheryl Gelber; and Democratic activist Mark Aronchick. He’s raised over $600,000 to date. Photo by Bonnie Squires
UT O B A ASK ULL OUR F R A 30 YE TEE AN GUAR
LICE N INSU SED REGI RED STER FR ED ROO EE ESTIM FIN AT E RTIF S ICAT E
G CE
CITY WIDE SERVICE ALL TYPES OF
ROOFING U
www.phillyrecord.com
G
5 197
35ivtehrsary Ann
9
200
• New Roofs • Repairs • Hot Asphalt • Rubber & Modified Systems • Shingles • Slate & Tile • Skylights • Siding • Gutters & Downspouts
EMER GEN REPA CY I 24 HO RS UR A DAY S
12260 Townsend Road
215-464-6425
215-725-8815
FAX # 215-624-9263 www.unionroofing.net WE DO OUR OWN WORK • NO SUBCONTRACTORS
when a new collective-bargaining agreement is reached through negotiations/interest arbitration with unions for unionized employees, or once the Mayor declares the City’s finances will permit the increases to be paid responsibly for non-represented employees. Exempt employees will again take five furlough days this fiscal year and many exempt administration officials will take up to a 5% pay cut. Nutter has already announced a number of measures to reduce spending, including a 10% pay cut for the Mayor and Chief of Staff; 5% pay cuts for senior administration officials; five furlough days last fiscal year and five furlough days this fiscal year for exempt employees earning over $50,000; together with other measures to reduce the size of the City’s fleet, freeze wage and business taxes, and crack down on delinquent taxpayers. The City’s Five Year Plan assumes $125 million in savings from City employees through work rule-changes and contributions to their own health and pension security.
“The Carpet Contractor II” COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL
Serving Philadelphia & Surrounding Areas for 26 years. On Site Binding - $1.00 lineal ft.
Carpet & Tile Sales, Installation & Repairs
FREE ESTIMATES
215-365-8321 2530 S. 69th St. (Behind Thrift Store)
• Residential • Commercial • Industrial ON ROOFIN NI
tinue to rise for another year,” said Mayor Michael Nutter. “These measures will help us save jobs for City workers and preserve vital public services for our citizens.” The collective-bargaining agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the unions expired on Jun. 30. Based on their length of service with the City and their length of time in a particular job, employees may receive annual increases in their salary as they move through the “steps” in their pay plan. Typically employees move from one step of the pay scale to the next on the anniversary of the day the employee was hired into that position. Some employees also receive longevity payments based on their length of service with the City. Under the moves, which went into effect this week, employees will not automatically move from one step to the next of the pay schedule and will remain at their current longevity level. The payment of any pay step increases and longevity increases will be determined
OPE N DAY 6 S
As Always, “You Can Walk On Our Reputation!”
Hrs: Mon, Tues., Thurs., Sat. 10-5. Wednesday & Friday 10-6:30
Photo by Bonnie Squires
Stack Presents Bridesburg Grant
STATE SEN. Mike Stack speaks and presents a mock check to students and teachers at Bridesburg Boys & Girls Club. Aetna Insurance donated $20,000 to support scholarships to schools in N.E. Phila. Ten local schools each received $2,000 in Earned Income Tax Credit scholarships, which were administered by Aetna and Bravo Foundation.
Young Dems Take To Road Pennsylvania Young Democrats are on the road, scheduling meetings through the summer in West Chester, Pa. on this Saturday at noon at West Chester Borough Hall, 401 E. Gay Street. Some of those attending will also be canvassing for
local candidates at 10:30 a.m. Interested young Democrats can call Dan Tyman at (610) 348-1424. Those interested in going to Chicago for the YDA National Convention as a delegate for Pennsylvania should call Paul McKrell at (412) 901-3412.
Top of The Line Suits from Italy Tailored to your fit.
PAT & ANNA SCIOLI
1744 E. Passyunk Ave. • 215-334-0990
Michael T. McKeever Attorney for Plaintiff Goldbeck McCafferty & McKeever, PC Suite 5000, Mellon Independence Center 701 Market Street • Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532 215-627-1322
www.phillyrecord.com
PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION One Reading Center • Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-238-6333
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
As the City’s union contracts expire, both sides are looking for a way out with facesaving grace. This could probably lead to a month-to-month contract extension in hopes additional revenue can be found. As a way to generate revenue and close the City’s $1 billion budget deficit, City Controller Alan Butkovitz has asked Mayor Michael Nutter to initiate a taxamnesty program for Philadelphia to collect an estimated $800 million owed in delinquent taxes. The last time it was tried, $26 million came in. It would take at least three months to realize revenue from the amnesty program, and what comes in may not be sufficient enough to give the mayor negotiating room. In a letter sent to the Mayor, Butkovitz noted, “I make this recommendation again based on the highly successful results of the amnesty program recently undertaken by the State of New Jersey, which generated more than $600 million paid in back taxes over a relatively short period of time.” The tax-amnesty initiative was part of a tax-discovery report released by the Controller last month. The report included 10 action steps the City can adopt to generate revenue. “With Philadelphia facing a five-year, $1.4 billion budget deficit, the City cannot afford not to make a try at an amnesty program, especially since one launched by the City in 1986 brought in 30,000 of the City’s 100,000 tax-delinquent bills and also collected four times the projected amount, bringing in $26 million. "It is of questionable logic that the City would resort to cutting services without first going after the estimated $800 million in outstanding taxes," said Butkovitz. “As the City continues to confront our worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, I would urge the quick and immediate implementation of a tax-amnesty program for the estimated $800 million in outstanding taxes owed the City of Philadelphia,” said Butkovitz.
STATE REP. Vanessa Lowery Brown is greeted by Laura Princiotta, COO of The Arc of Phila. and Phila. Developmental Disabilities Corp., as agency hosted Phila. Mural Arts Program's Paint Day. Seventy volunteers and staff persons at The Arc attended community-wide Paint Day for the PMAP.
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS PHILADELPHIA COUNTY CIVIL ACTION - LAW JUNE TERM 2003 NO. 0761 NOTICE OF ACTION IN MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER Plaintiff vs. Any Unknown Persons Having or Claiming An Interest or Title to the Subject Premises et al Mortgagor and Real Owner Defendant TO: Supeul Tun a/k/a Sapeul Yun a/k/a Satbeul Yun and Any Unknown Persons Having or Claiming An Interest or Title to the Subject Premises, MORTGAGORS AND REAL OWNERS, DEFENDANTS whose last known address is 6317 Greenway Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19142. 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 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER, has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, docketed to June Term 2003 No. 0761 wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 6317 Greenway Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19142 whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Philadelphia County. NOTICE You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the above, 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 or 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 3638 North Broad Street • Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 or 215-981-3700
Page 11
Brown Helps With Mural Program Amnesty Income Can Aid Talks
page 12 The Public Record • July 16, 2009 www.phillyrecord.com
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS PHILADELPHIA COUNTY CIVIL ACTION - LAW Term No. 030402657 NOTICE OF ACTION IN MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER Plaintiff vs. JOHN DOE, ET AL Mortgagor and Real Owner Defendant TO: JOHN DOE, MORTGAGOR AND REAL OWNER, DEFENDANT whose last known address 7330 Boreal Place Philadelphia, PA 19153 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 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER, has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, docketed to Term No. 030402657 wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 7330 Boreal Place Philadelphia, PA 19153 whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Philadelphia County. NOTICE You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the above, 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 or 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 3638 North Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 or 215-981-3700 PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION One Reading Center Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-238-6333 Michael T. McKeever Attorney for Plaintiff Goldbeck McCafferty & McKeever, PC Suite 5000, Mellon Independence Center 701 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532 215-627-1322
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS PHILADELHIA COUNTY CIVIL ACTION - LAW Term No. 090100869 NOTICE OF ACTION IN MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER Plaintiff vs. Any Unknown Persons Having or Claiming an Interest or Title to the Subject Premises et al Mortgagor and Real Owner Defendant TO: KANITHA SOK and Any Unknown Persons Having or Claiming an Interest or Title to The Subject Premises, MORTGAGORS AND REAL OWNERS, DEFENDANTS whose last known address is 7248 Elmwood Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19142. 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 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER, has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, docketed to Term No. 090100869 wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 7248 Elmwood Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19142 whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Philadelphia 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 or 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. PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION One Reading Center • Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-238-6333 COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES, INC. Law Center North Central • 3638 North Broad Street • Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 or 215-981-3700 Michael T. McKeever, Attorney for Plaintiff Goldbeck McCafferty & McKeever, PC Suite 5000, Mellon Independence Center 701 Market Street • Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532 215-627-1322
ADDING their congratulations were Controller Alan Butkovitz and union leader Mike Fera, among many VIPs who attended gala.
JUST RECOVERING from knee surgery, Sheriff John Green’s wife, Michelle, seated, shares a moment with State Rep. Harold James, her sister Clorise Wynn, and Sheriff staffer Wanda Davis.
CHIEF OF STAFF Barbara Deeley welcomes to Sheriff John Green’s birthday party Maurice Floyd, AFT President Ted Kirsch, Mike Fera and PFT President Jerry Jordan.
SHERIFF John Green smiles at birthday hugs he’s gotten from three of his key staffers: Connie Little, Cathy Hicks and Barbara Deeley.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER Latrice & Pat Bryant helped Sheriff Green with birthday cake.
Flapping Away In Seashore Breeze
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
WISHING Sheriff John Green well at birthday party in his honor at Cuba Libre is Democratic DA candidate Seth Williams.
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS PHILADELPHIA COUNTY CIVIL ACTION - LAW Term No. 030703479 NOTICE OF ACTION IN MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER Plaintiff vs. JOHN DOE,et al Mortgagor and Real Owner Defendant TO: JOHN DOE, WOODLAND FEDERAL REALTY INC & STEVEN NO, MORTGAGORS AND REAL OWNERS, DEFENDANTS whose last known address is 634 Tasker Street Philadelphia, PA 19145 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 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ACQUIRER OF CERTAIN ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK F/K/A WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA FROM THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACTING AS RECEIVER, has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, docketed to No. 030703479 wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 634 Tasker Street Philadelphia, PA 19145 whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Philadelphia County. NOTICE You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the above, 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 or 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. PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION One Reading Center • Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-238-6333
Page 13
Happy Birthday To Sheriff John Green
COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES, INC. Law Center North Central 3638 North Broad Street • Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 or 215-981-3700 www.phillyrecord.com
FLAPPNG in wind, under hot sun are these campaign towels belonging to one politically-active family “down da shore”. Proves campaign towels do have a useful life after Election Day.
Michael T. McKeever Attorney for Plaintiff Goldbeck McCafferty & McKeever, PC Suite 5000, Mellon Independence Center 701 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532 215-627-1322
page 14 The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Sen. Hughes Seeks Your Input In Dropout Battle by State Sen. Vincent Hughes Three years ago, I and my colleagues in the Senate Philadelphia Delegation provided the School District of Philadelphia with $2 million in State grant funds to bolster school-dropout prevention efforts. Specifically, the Dept. of Education monies were targeting two strategic priorities. The first addressed
dropout recovery in seven of the largest neighborhood high schools that suffer from high dropout rates. This group is comprised of Bartram, Frankford, George Washington, Martin Luther King, Gratz, Overbrook, and University City HS. A middle-grades dropoutprevention plan represented the second priority. It involved instituting the Middle Grades Acceleration Program
Nino Makes The Wall
ATTORNEY Nino Tinari received special Father’s Day surprise as his caricature was unveiled as latest face to adorn famed walls of The Palm at the Bellevue. After signing his caricature, Nino Tinari was joined by friends and family, including his three daughters. From left are Palm Mgr. Clemente Vargas, Mia Tinari with daughter Taylor Shore, Nino Tinari, Nina Tinari, Carol Tinari and Kim Tinari-Shore.
in all 11 regions of the city to offer added assistance to atrisk middle-grades students and the teachers who are dedicated to addressing their needs. It was my hope this grant would act as a catalyst to draw additional dollars to help in the fight against the growing number of our youth dropping out of school. Failure was not an option back then, and it is not an option now. In a time when the nation’s economy has done a complete nosedive, plunging us into the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression and with our global economic competitors breathing down our necks, it is imperative we prepare and educate those individuals who will determine the future success of this nation to the fullest extent – our children and young people. The education crisis that could severely hinder our nation’s economic future and our future competitiveness in the global arena is the high rate of high-school dropouts across the nation. The level of high-school dropouts throughout the US
OPEN HOUSE WEDS. – JULY 22 5 PM – 8 PM One Level of Luxury Living / All Corner Homes / Elevator Building / Safe, designated off street parking / All with many Upgrades & Special Features / ‘No Dog Community / 2 BR & 2 Full Baths / HWF / Granite Tops + more / 1630+Sq. ft - $379,900.
www.phillyrecord.com
2 BR & 2 Full Baths / Former Model Home w/Many Upgrades 1630 + Sq. Ft. / $399,900. 3 BR & 2 Full Baths / Penthouse / 1800+ sq. ft. Many Upgrades - $449,900.
ALL WITH 7 + TAX ABATEMENT REMAINING Come to Capri Drive – off 20th street between Packer & Pattison / Follow the balloons or call for details & directions
Capozzi Real Estate 215 551 5100 www.CapozziRealEstate.com
has hit catastrophic numbers. According to America’s Promise Alliance, headed up by former US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife Alma, nearly one in three US high-school students fails to graduate. In total, approximately 1.2 million students drop out each year – averaging 7,000 every school day or one every 26 seconds. Among minority students, the problem is even more severe with nearly 50% of African American and Hispanic students not completing high school on time. In April 2009, the Alliance released the report “Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing the Graduation Gap”. The report stated the average graduation rate of the 50 largest cities is well below the national average of 71%, and there remains an 18% urbansuburban gap. Cities in Crisis 2009 finds only about half (53%) of all young people in the nation’s 50 largest cities are graduating from high
school on time. According to 2008 statistics from the School District of Philadelphia, about half of city students who start 9th grade leave before graduation. The District also estimated 47% of its students dropped out in 2008. According to a recent report from The School Reform Commission: Just 39% of city dropouts were employed, compared to 58% of high-school graduates, 70% of those with some college and 82% of those with a four-year degree or higher. Nearly 49% of city residents who were dropouts received at least one government-assistance cashtransfer payment, compared to just 29% among highschool graduates and 14% among college graduates. Statewide, the majority of 18-to-60-year-olds in prisons and jails are dropouts. An estimated 5.1% of the state’s dropouts are incarcerated,
compared to 1.6% of highschool graduates and 0.2% of those with college degrees. High-school dropouts in the city make a combined annual tax payment (including Federal and State income taxes, City wage tax, Social Security payroll taxes, Federal retirement contributions, local property taxes and State sales taxes) of $4,250, compared to $10,320, the mean combined tax payment of all city residents. On average, for every $1 in taxes paid by a high-school dropout in the city, highschool graduates pay $2.19 and college graduates pay $4.04. As we work to solve the State’s budget crisis, we are also looking for ways to push the high-school dropout agenda. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated. Please go to our website www.senatorhughes .com and connect to the Solutions link. Or you can call us directly at (215) 879-7777.
by Michael A. Cibik, Esquire American Bankruptcy Board Certified
STATE REP. Angel Cruz, standing at right, presents $2.5 million check to ASPIRA for its educational Program. PIRA located in the American Street Corridor. School Principal Evelyn Lebrón and members of student body attended the ceremony. ASPIRA is dedicated to the development of the education and the capacity of leadership of Hispanic youth. Since 1961, ASPIRA has been working to offer programs that stimulate students to remain in the school, and study while developing leadership abilities.
Question: How soon after Chapter 7 bankruptcy can you buy a new house? Answer: First, any bankruptcy must be “discharged” by the court. You also cannot be in any “Credit Counseling” or other programs that take over your finances.
It is actually easier to buy a house than a used car. With a 10-5% down payment plus closing costs, you can almost always find mortgage financing the day after the bankruptcy is “discharged”. Next week’s question: If the person you won a small claims case judgment against has filed for bankruptcy, do you have any options?
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
State Rep. Angel Cruz presented ASPIRA of Pennsylvania with a $2.5 million check from the Commonwealth for educative benefit of the community in the District of Philadelphia. “This money given to ASPIRA goes directed to benefit the educative community in my District”, said Cruz, who represents the 180th Legislative Dist. “ASPIRA has done an excellent job with the community and deserves the endorsement of all. We will continue to work together to improve the future of the students of Philadelphia.” ASPIRA’s Executive director Alfredo Calderón thanked Cruz for the contribution, adding noting it will enable ASPIRA to continue offering the level of excellence to the students and to the community it has in the past. The presentation was made at the Antonia Pantoja Community Charter School of AS-
Page 15
Cruz Presents ASPIRA With $2.5 Million
NCCF Marks 10th Year
KOFI ASANTE, executive director of National Comprehensive Center for Fathers, details 10th Anniversary celebration over WDAS. NCCF has provided fathers, 18+, with a range of services from GED preparation and testing to life skills, parenting training and job development. Photo by Martin Regusters, Leaping Lion Photography
GIVE THE GIFT OF NOSTALGIA Memories they’ll always Cherish. They will remember you everytime they read them!
Call: Joe “Bag-A Donuts”
215-463-2632
www.phillyrecord.com
Give the 5 Waffleman Books
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
page 16
Food Distribution Center’s New Home On Schedule NEW home of Food Distribution Center’s steel frame gives glimpse of how imposing new Center will be as it sits opposite Airport AutoMall on Essington Avenue. It’s construction is being handled by Philadelphia Regional Port Authority.
How To Lower Your Auto Insurance Rates
Contractors Complying With State Law More than 22,000 Pennsylvania home-improvement contractors have already registered with the State Attorney General’s office to comply with a new law that goes into effect Jul. 1. The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires contractors who do $5,000 or more in home improvements or repairs in a year to register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection. They must also maintain minimum in-
surance coverage of at least $50,000 in property damage and personal injury liability; and use contracts that contain specific information about their job, including start and completion dates, a complete description of the work and consumers’ rights under the law. Home-improvement frauds are among the highest cause of complaints to the Attorney General’s office, which fielded more than 2,100 complaints in
2008. The new law is intended to make it easier for consumers to avoid the “fly-bynight” or unscrupulous contractors and help authorities track them down quicker, according to Nils Frederiksen, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office. “It’s going to make it much more difficult for those folks to hide,” he
said. “It has been difficult to find the troublemakers.” Contractors will have to use their registration number on contracts, estimates, proposals and advertisements. Starting Jul. 1, to verify a contractor’s registration with the state, consumers can visit www.attorneygeneral.gov or call toll-free 1- (888) 520-6680.
AAA Insurance is finding many Pennsylvania drivers are cutting back on auto insurance deductibles or coverage in order to save money. But it warns, “Having too little or no auto insurance could create an even worse situation.” The US Dept. of Transportation estimates the typical driver will have a near automobile accident 1-2 times per month and will be in a collision every six years. "We have more uninsured and underinsured drivers on the road right now," said Donna Lee Williams, director of government and industry affairs, AAA Mid-Atlantic.
PROUDLY MANAGING PENNSYLVANIAʼS INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT SINCE 1990
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority A Promising Future By Championing the Channel-Deepening Project And Substantial Port Expansion
Once Again, We Thank Gov. Ed Rendell For Giving Our Port A Great Opportunity And
John H. Estey, Esq. www.phillyrecord.com
Chairman
James T. McDermott, Jr. Executive Director
Robert C. Blackburn
Senior Deputy Executive Director
John F. Dempsey
Deputy Executive Director Administrative Offices: 3460 N. Delaware Ave. 2nd Fl., Phila., PA 19134 (215) 426-2600 • Fax (215) 426-6800 www.philaport.com
"Families looking to save money in these tough economic times can find plenty of ways to their lower insurance premiums without putting anyone in legal or financial jeopardy. Automobile insurance is not just a necessity, but a legal obligation." AAA offers the following tips for getting lower auto insurance premiums. Ask about discounts. Insurance companies usually offer discounts for multiple policies with the same insurer, such as auto and homeowners. Increase the deductible. The higher the deductible, the greater the savings BUT make sure you can afford the deductible in the event of a claim. Check your mileage. A short commute or less-thanaverage annual mileage may qualify you for a lower rate. Shop around. Comparison-shopping is a good idea since premiums can vary. Make sure you check out all the offers thoroughly because the least expensive may not always provide the best service. Adjust coverage on older cars. How much is your car worth? Make sure you understand the difference in coverage before deciding to drop either: Collision coverage - Covers damage to your car as a result of hitting or being hit by another vehicle, or object such as a lightpost. Comprehensive coverage - Covers damage to your vehicle resulting from incidents other than collision, such as theft, flood or hail damage, falling or flying objects, fire, vandalism, riot or civil commotion, breakage of glass, explosion, earthquake or contact with an animal.
Gatti had Philly ties The boxing community is in mourning over the loss of Arturo “Thunder” Gatti who was found dead early Saturday morning at the Dorisol hotel in Brazil. Gatti had arrived at the posh seaside resort of Porto de Galihnas the day before with wife Amanda and one-year-old son. Gatti’s numerous comefrom-behind wins made him an inspiration to so many. Arturo beat many fighters who were more skilled than he was
Robinson in 1988. Gatti-Robinson was named “Fighter of the Year” by Ring magazine. Gatti, 37, was born in Italy, raised in Montreal, but moved to Jersey City, where he traveled to Brooklyn each day to train at the world renowned Gleason’s Gym. He finished his career with a record of 40-9 (31 KO’s), participating in Ring Magazine’s “Fight of the Year” four times and will forever be remembered for his fights with “Irish” Micky Ward. Their epic trilogy will go down in boxing history as three of the most electrifying and exciting fights of all time.
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Arturo “Thunder” Gatti 1972 - 2009
over the years, simply because of his pure determination and desire to win. He exemplified the heart and soul of a Philadelphia boxer, and was a real life Rocky Balboa. The comparison to our city’s most famous fictional boxer wasn’t Gatti’s only link to the City of Brotherly Love. Early in his career Gatti fought numerous times in Philadelphia and even suffered his first loss to Philadelphia’s King Solomon at the legendary Blue Horizon. Philadelphia boxing promoter J. Russell Peltz also worked with Gatti and two of Gatti’s most memorable bout’s were with North Philly’s Ivan
Page 17
Ringside With The Shadowboxer
For Sale Villas @ Packer Park Final Phase of this New Construction Ten Yr Tax Abatement Bi-Level Townhomes up to 1600+ Sq. ft. with garage - Spring Delivery Special Incentives to Sign Now Starting in the low 300’s Regency Three @ Packer Park Add your name to our interest list for Priority Info on delivery dates, 1600+ sq. ft. one level condos Secured Building, dedicated parking.
our website
CapozziRealEstate.com Barbara A. Capozzi, Esq. Capozzi Real Estate/Insurance, Ltd.
3320 South 20th Street Philadelphia, PA 19145-5794
215-551-5100 Phone 215-551-5230 Fax
Three gorgeous resales - different styles - many upgrades priced from $389.900.
www.phillyrecord.com
Call for details or visit
Resales at Reserve @ Packer Park
www.phillyrecord.com
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
page 18
Culinary revolution makes history at City Tavern by Len Lear John Mariani, famed food/restaurant for Esquire magazine, once warned his readers to avoid at all cost any restaurant that uses the words “Ye Olde” in its name. Otherwise, he said, you’ll probably wind up ordering dishes like “Liberty burgers” or “Poor Richard’s tuna melt” that taste more like cardboard than food. And you’ll probably be served by young people in stockings and breeches announcing, “Would anyone care for a libation?” Up until 1992 this might have been an apt description of City Tavern, the 10-room, 300-seat restaurant at 138 S. 2nd Street which opened in 1773. According to the National Park Service, Thomas
Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, P a t r i c k Henry, Dr. Benjamin Rush, John Adams and other historical luminaries were regular customers. (Adams called it “the most genteel tavern in America.”) Because of its rich history, City Tavern regularly attracts far more tourists than any other restaurant in the city. In the summertime, about 70% of its customers are tourists, although that number drops to about 30% after Labor Day. However, for many years the US Congress, which is responsible for the property since it is on US Park Service land, had a contract with an institutional catering firm. Most of this food was prepared in bulk at a kitchen the size of Scotland, shipped to City Tavern and then reheated for customers. As a result, City Tavern
developed a reputation as a historical cartoon, a sort of culinary Three Mile Island and tourist trap. Recognizing this, Congress awarded a contract in April 1994 (the restaurant had been closed for more than a year), to Walter Staib, one of the nation’s premier restaurant mavens, with a mandate to engineer a culinary revolution at City Tavern. Walter, 62, was born and raised in Germany’s Black Forest region, where he worked in his uncle’s restaurant and butcher shop. Staib received formal training in many of Europe’s finest hotels and restaurants before coming to the US in 1969. Since 1989 Walter has conceptualized and opened more than 450 upscale restaurants worldwide. He has also been the recipient of more than 40 industry honors and awards. But the City Tavern turnaround has definitely not been a Cinderella quick fix. It has
been more like Sisyphus pushing a huge boulder up a hill in Hades. “Hillary Clinton may have forgiven Bill,” explained Walter, “but a lot of people who had a mediocre meal here 15 or more years ago still have never forgiven this place. It’s hard enough to turn a failing restaurant around, but it’s even harder to change its reputation in people’s minds, to persuade them to come back once the mistakes have been corrected.” Staib is so knowledgeable about Colonial cookery (and he is such a “ham”; pardon the expression) that he has appeared in documentaries for The History Channel and A&E. He was also recently selected to host A Taste of History, a public TV show which will be shown in 26 episodes starting in September on WHYY and other public TV stations around the country. We had dinner last Thursday night at City Tavern (and
Len Lear have eaten there several times since Walter took over), and the food and service were top of the line. (And we were stunned at how busy the 300seat restaurant was. We had a 7:30 p.m. reservation and were on time, but we still had to wait more than 20 minutes for a table to open up.) An appetizer of crab cakes “Chesapeake style” ($11.95) seemed to have no filler, and the herb remoulade sauce was absolutely sublime. If there was a worm in the apple, it would have been the basil shrimp appetizer ($11.95),
which was blanketed with so much barbecue sauce that everything else was overwhelmed. The only other negative was that the French fries kept getting attacked by the German sausage. (Ba-daBOOM!) An entrée of tenderloin tips ($23.95) tingled with a mustardy sauce, with the flavor of mushrooms and pliant egg noodles complementing the beef. A dessert of vanilla cheesecake was moist and delicious, unfolding off the plate like a fine silk handkerchief and gliding down the throat like velvet. In addition to Walter Staib’s impressive cooking and TV career, he has written three cookbooks. The latest is The City Tavern Cookbook: Recipes From the Birthplace of American Cuisine (Running Press, $35), which was released May 11. For more information or reservations, call (215) 413-1443 or visit www.citytavern.com.
We Accept Food Stamps - Free Delivery $25.00 or over!
Meats
Deli
Philly Sandwich Steaks $30.00 Frozen 10Lb-Box $
Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast
19.00
10 Lb Bag
Whole Filet Mignon Avg. Wt. 5 to 7 Lbs
$ .99
6
Lb
Extra Large Eggs 5 Dozens
$ .00
5
$ .99
2 Lb $3.99 Lb $1.99 Lb $3.99 Lb $3.99 Lb $5.00
2/1 lbs
Hatfield Deli Ham $1.79
by the pound
Cheese American Provolone Hot Pepper Mozzarella CV Cooper Ricotta Cheese
$ .49
3 lb Container
$3.99
3 Lb $3.49 Lb $3.49 Lb $3.49 Lb $3.49 Lb
www.phillyrecord.com
We Will Be Closed For Vacation August 8th - 16th Re-Open Aug. 17th
Coteghino Pepper Ham Bologna Colby Cheese Turkey Breast Smithfield Bacon
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
2024 S. 10th St. 215-468-5363
Page 19
Prices As of July 16th To July 23rd
Store Hours: Mon-Fri: 10-5, Closed: Sat & Sun.
page 20 The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Pacifico Ford Hosts Classics Courts Curb Foreclosures Senior Center Wins Award At Second Annual Car Show Pacifico Ford, located in the Philadelphia Airport Automall on Essington Avenue in South Philadelphia, will again host its 2nd annual Pacifico Car Show Saturday, Aug. 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Should it rain, the Show will be held the following Saturday. Vintage cars will again on display with well over 100 classics expected for viewing. Pacifico will give trophies awarded by the People’s Choice. “you come, you pick, you choose, and you
tell us and we award the trophies” said Ford General Mgr. Tom Flynn. Those attending will be treated to free food and music by the Bob Burke group. Visitors will also get a host of give aways, as well as those displaying cars. Kerry Pacifico, Jr., said “This is a fun event. Classic owners will get threated to Decades Dash Plaques and other mementoes.” He added more information can be had by going on the web to www.historicalcarclub.org.
Out & About
everyone’s right to vote is respected. Issues like making sure we honor what our Constitution says instead of creating laws like the USA PATRIOT Act that pretty much allow us to use it as a piece of toilet paper instead of our founding governmental principals. That’s what we should be focusing on, not stuff that
(Cont From Page 8) to hold the feet of the nation’s highest court to the fire on; issues like whether or not it’s okay for the Executive Branch to be able to torture people in the name of protecting Americans. Issues like making sure
CELEBRATING one-year anniversary of Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Pilot Program are Hon. Annette M. Rizzo, Phila. Court of Common Pleas; Pamela Dembe, president judge; Hon. D. Webster Keogh, administrative judge, Trial Division; and Hon. Ronald D. Castille, chief justice, Penna. Supreme Court Eastern Dist. would be better discussed at one of those rallies where everyone’s in a white sheet and there’s a burning cross in the background. To her credit, Judge Sotomayor handled it well. She answered every question thrown at her with class and dignity. Personally, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jeff Sessions would have been pimp-
slapped if it were me. But while the hearings went to a place that they didn’t belong, I’m not surprised they took that route. We may have managed to put a Black man in the White House, but America still has racial issues. This week the issue was, can we trust this Latina to make fair decisions in the nation’s highest court? Last week, the issue was, should we let this group of Black and Latino kids go swimming as part of a daycamp at our mostly white swim club? I was hanging out on Huffington Post.com last week
Philadelphia Senior Center, at Broad & Lombard, came up a winner in the 18th annual National Mature Media Awards Program, presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market. Its “Beat the Heat for New Air Conditioning Unit” campaign received a Bronze Award in the Public Relations Campaign category. Those involved with the design and production of “Beat the Heat for New Air Conditioning Unit” are Senior Development Officer Kory Michael Aversa, Volunteer Coordinator Helen Sunga and former
Development Assistant Matt Connell. "We were delighted to take part in the Mature Media Awards Program this year, and were honored to be selected as a winner," said Aversa. "The Beat the Heat Campaign reached 4 million people and successfully raised funds for a new air conditioner for PSC Main Branch." Nearly 900 entries were judged by a distinguished panel of mature-market experts from across the United States for overall excellence of design, content, creativity and relevance to the senior market.
when I saw the story of the Creative Steps day camp and the Valley Club in Huntington Valley. The organizers of Creative Steps had reserved time at the pool for their kids at a cost of $1,950 for the summer and the kids were on their way to their first swim. That was, until some club members saw this group of Black and brown kids frolicking in the pool and, unbelievably, took offense. According to news reports, racial slurs were slung, white families took their kids out of the pool, and the Creative Steppers were asked to leave. It probably wouldn’t have
made the national press if the head of the swim club didn’t tell a NBC-10 reporter the kids were asked to leave because it was thought that they’d “change the complexion” of the club. But he did, and when the head of the swim club became one of Keith Olbermann’s “Worst Persons in the World”, I knew it was all over. Lawsuits are being filed on behalf of the kids and Sen. Arlen Specter has asked the Justice Dept. to investigate. Meanwhile, these kids have been exposed to something that their parents probably never prepared them for. Some of them, according to the Daily News, are dealing with issues regarding their own skin color. Not cool, in the extreme. These are kids. They didn’t deserve this. But then again, we do this kind of thing to kids all of the time here in America. Maybe they should be watching Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings to see how a pro handles this kind of thing.
Brighten Your Car’s Colors For The Holidays
PAINT SERVICE www.phillyrecord.com
STARTING AT . . .
95
$129.
MUST PRESENT COUPON AT TIME OF ESTIMATE. HURRY...OFFER EXPIRES July 31, 2009
NEW LOCATION PHILA. AIRPORT AUTO MALL • 215-365-8300
6717 Essington Ave. Commercial vehicles by estimate. Body work, rust repair, and stripping of old paint extra. Not valid with any other offer. MAACO® Auto Painting & Bodyworks centers are independent franchises of MAACO® Enterprises, Inc. Prices, hours and services may vary.
2400 E. Somerset Street Philadelphia, PA 19134
Phone: 215-423-2223 Fax: 215-423-5937
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ADVERTISEMENT The City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia International Airport, is requesting PROPOSALS for “Airport Restroom Upgrade Design Services” All proposals are to be submitted to www.phila.gov/contracts/ by 5pm August 7, 2009 and also as directed in the REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. Interested firms are invited to download the rfp directly from http://www.phila.gov/contracts/ (click under “eContract Philly”) or request the RFP by email to rfp@phl.org .
Page 21
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
www.phillyrecord.com
page 22 The Public Record • July 16, 2009
Public Record Classifieds AUTOMOBILE/TRUCKS: $500! Police Impounds for Sale! Cars/Trucks/SUVs from $500! Many Makes and Models. Must See! For listings call 800-546-5204 ext V980 AUTOS WANTED: DONATE VEHICLE, Receive $1000 Grocery Coupon. Noah’s Arc Support No Kill Shelters. Research to Advance Veterinary Treatments. Free Towing, Tax Deductible, NonRunners accepted 1-866-912GIVE BUSINESS OPPORT: ALL CASH VENDING! Do you earn $800 in a day? Your own local candy route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy All for $9,995. 1-800-460-4027 EQUIPMENT: SAWMILLS From Only $2,990.00—Convert your LOGS TO VALUABLE LUMBER with your Norwood portable band sawmill. Log skidders also available. norwoodsawmills.com/300n. Free information: 1-800-578-1363-
Ext300-N. FINANCIAL OR MISC: Settle IRS Back Taxes for less than you owe! If you quailify we can: Stop wage garnishments. Remove bank levies, tax levies, property seizures. Stop payment plans that get you nowhere. Settle state and business payroll tax problems. Eliminate penalties, interest charges & tax liens. If you owe over $15,000 in back taxes, call now! Free consultation! No Obligation! Confidential! American Tax Relief 1-800-317-9712 FINANCIAL OR MISC: Buried in Credit Card Debt? Balances never seem to go down? Only making the minimum payments? We can get you out of debt in months instead of years. We can save you thousands of dollars. We can help you avoid bankruptcy. Not a high-priced consolidation loan or one of those consumer credit counseling programs. Call for your FREE consulta-
Need a mortgage, new or used car, direct TV or Roof Antenna, Call 215-620-7449
FOR RENT
Drivers & Driver Trainers Wanted! Consistent Freight, Top Pay & More! Werner Enterprises 1-888-567-3106
STOP LIVING CHECK 2 CHECK & START BUILDING WEALTH! www.mallpros.com/html/ silver.php Dean Marshall, P.O. Box 21806, Phila., PA 19146
215-621-9080
www.phillyrecord.com
Ad Sales Reps. Good Pay Call John David 215 755-2000
Exclusive Gated Golf Course Award Winning Community 1 and 2 Bedrooms Now Available Call Bonny
215-778-8732 APT FOR RENT North Philadelphia. 29th St. near Master St. 2-bedroom apt. $525 month + utilities. $1050 to move in. Credit and criminal check is $45. 215-574-1885.
tion! Credit Card Relief 1-866475-5959 HELP WANTED: RV delivery drivers needed. Deliver RVs, boats and trucks for PAY! Deliver to all 48 states and CN. For details log on to www.RVdeliveryjobs.com Driver-CDL A. Lots of Freight!! OTR Experienced or Truck Driver Training. Reefer and Flatbed Positions Avail. Min 21 years old. Recruiters available weekends! 800-277-0212 Werner Enterprises. 40 Driver Trainees needed. Drive the Big Rigs. No CDL, No Problem. No Credit, No Problem. $700$800/week plus Benefits Call Now! 1-800-961-4319 Driver- CDL-A Great Flatbed Opportunity. OTR Runs, Professional Equipment, Competitive Pay & Regular Hometime. Also Hiring Van Drivers. Western Express/SMX CDL-A, 22YO, 1yr. exp. 888-839-2013 www.smxc.com HOMES FOR SALE: Bank Foreclosure! 4 Br 3 Ba $10,000! Only $225/Mo! More Homes from $199/Mo! 5% down 15 years @ 8% APR. For listings 800-546-8656 ext 1482 JOB LISTING: Mailing Brochures! Weekly pay + Bonus. Supplies furnished. Guaranteed Opportunity. Call Now! 1-800-307-7131
LAND FOR SALE: NYS LAND SALE JULY SPECIAL! 10 Acres- Lakefront WAS: $79,900 NOW: $49,900. 5 Acres w/ Rustic Camp Salmon River Area $19,900. 46 Acres- Borders Stateland, ponds, foodplot $59,900. 4 Acres in Southern Tier #1 Deer County! WAS: $16,900 NOW: $8,900. Over 100 different properties. Many sizes & areas. Trees, ponds, lakes & streams. www.landandcamps.com 800-229-7843 Christmas & Associates MISCELLANEOUS: AIRLINES ARE HIRING: Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified - Housing available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888)349-5387 ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from Home. *Medical *Business *Paralegal *Computers *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 866-858-2121 www.CenturaOnline.com VACATION RENTALS: OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-6382102 Online reservations www.holidayoc.com
Union $$ Help Big Campanies (Cont. from Page 1) PAC, $850,000; labor-oriented Philadelphia Future PAC, $812,000, and Pennsylvania Realtors PAC, $772,000. All told, more than 1,200 PACs spent $126 million during the past two years on State and local races. Pennsylvania’s campaign-finance law puts no limits on the amount of money a PAC can give to a candidate or a candidate can spend. Among political-party PACs, the GOP State committee spent $10.3 million during the past two years, compared to $8.8 million by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. The House Democratic Campaign Committee spent $7.2 million, compared to the House GOP’s $5.9 million. Senate Republicans spent $4.7 million, compared to the Senate Democrats’ $2.2 million. The average amount spent per State Senate race was nearly $400,000, while the average amount per State House race was $117,000.
proved by Philadelphia City Council. The four intersections are located at Henry Avenue & Walnut Lane, Rising Sun & Adams Avenues, Aramingo & Castor Avenues, and Aramingo Avenue & York Street. Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., who was very determined to bring red-light cameras to his 4th Dist., said, “Particular parts of my District have been besieged with violators of traffic laws. With this useful tool, it lets them know we‘re watching and to take heed.” Construction is set to begin at these four intersections in the fall. Once construction is
complete and after a twomonth grace period, drivers found in violation will face a $100 fine. Other new red-light camera intersections around City Hall are in the planning stages. Construction is set to begin on cameras at two Broad Street intersections, South Penn Square and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, in the mid-to-late summer. The Pennsylvania General Assembly gave PPA the power to establish a Red Light Camera Program in the city of Philadelphia. In 2005, PPA began equipping intersections with cameras that monitor traffic and automatically pho-
Acme Unions Now Talking (Cont. from Page 1) months and our members worked throughout this time, most of them with no raises. Not once did we threaten a job action or talk in any way about a strike or walkout. We stayed at the table because it was in the best interests of Acme’s workers, the company and the customers that our members serve every day,” Young said. “At the start of these talks our nation’s economy nosedived in a way that we haven’t seen in generations, making the pension and health care issues in this contract only more difficult to resolve. At the same time, the company has continued to lose market share year after year, as reported recently in the news media.
“These issues can be solved, but not if Acme’s managers insist on trying to take advantage of the economy by scapegoating their own employees for management’s failures to take the steps necessary to compete successfully in this market.” Officials of UFCW Local 1776 have maintained through out this period they remain willing to negotiate and urged the company to return to the bargaining table. Acme’s officers this week reached out to the Union and now are in deliberation over the contract language. Acme’s earlier stance that its employees accept a take-it-orleave-it proposal, walking away from negotiations, said Wendell
Vince Fumo Will Have A Constituency they had held. Odds favor Fumo to return to some position of political power when he leaves prison. Former US Attorney Pat Meehan put into perspective the outcome of the sentencing that put Federal Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter in boiling water with the local press and the US prosecutors who won what they thought was a conviction bringing with it a sentence of at least 11 years. He said, “While I am deeply disappointed in the length of former Sen. Vince Fumo’s sentence, we cannot forget that justice was realized and Vince Fumo was soundly convicted for a
pattern of criminal behavior. He has been removed from the legislature and is now going to jail. This is a remarkable event that no one thought would happen. “When the jury spoke back in March, they did so unambiguously and found him guilty on all counts. Fumo’s crimes were far worse than those of others – such as Corey Kemp and Rick Mariano – and yet his sentence was dramatically less severe. We are sending the wrong message to those in power that if you abuse the public trust, don’t worry, because the punishment will be weak.”
W. Young, IV, president of Local 1776, left its employees and their families totally in the dark.” Employees of Acme have been subjected to a campaign of coercion and threats designed to convince them to accept the company’s proposal, which seriously diminishes health and pension benefits and freezes most wage rates for four years. “Just as we were on the brink of a compromise on the pension issues, Acme walked away from the collective bargaining process,” Young said. “It’s a shoddy, inexcusable way to treat the people who have worked loyally for you, and it isn’t playing well with Acme’s customers.” On Jun. 24 in a meeting at the Spectrum attended by more than 2,500 Acme members, the members voted overwhelmingly, 95%-5%, to reject a contract proposal Acme called “final.” Another meeting with rank and file was scheduled for last evening. Young said the union has offered proposals to help the company control costs. He said these provisions are similar to provisions between Local 1776 and other supermarket chains in the region. “We remain committed to negotiating, and continue to believe that the solutions can be found only in collective bargaining,” he said.
www.phillyrecord.com
(Cont. from Page 1) be. No one, according to those in the know, bet below the bottom of the guidelines … 11 months. The bookies are indebted to Vince. Though Fumo will spend a total of 55 months in prison, there is no doubt he will return to Philadelphia a folk hero, much like some of the other political leaders in the past who served their time, but came back with their constituencies relatively well intact. In fact, if it were not for a Pennsylvania law prohibiting felons from holding office, many of them would have easily been reelected to the offices
tograph vehicles that drive into an intersection after the light has turned red. The first cameras were installed at Grant Avenue, Red Lion Road and Cottman Avenue along the Boulevard. Since the program’s inception, cameras have also been installed at 34th Street & Grays Ferry Avenue, Broad Street & Oregon Avenue, and also at Welsh, Southampton, Mascher, Levick and Rhawn Streets along the Boulevard. The most recent red-light camera intersections are at 58th & Walnut Streets, Broad Street & Hunting Park Avenue, and 9th Street & the Boulevard.
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
(Cont. from Page 1) new intersections in various areas of the city. Mayor Michael Nutter approved this expansion late last month, by signing into law legislation ap-
Page 23
Jones Lauds Red Light Cameras
www.phillyrecord.com
The Public Record • July 16, 2009
page 24