Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. I No. 133

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

January 6, 2011

Philadelphia

Daily Record

Bitter News

NOT LONG AFTER its massive expansion to new Navy Yard facility (with oodles of assistance from taxpayers), Tasty Baking Co. is struggling for survival. See Page 2

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by Jim Panyard SPECIAL FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA INDEPENDENT – “Nobody bakes a cake as tasty as a TastyKake.” That’s what the advertisements used to say.

The venerable Tasty Baking Co., a 96-year-old firm and snack-food icon in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and Southern New Jersey, said Tuesday it is seeking a partner to stay afloat or it may have to liquidate.

Apparently even a low-interest $32 million, taxpayer-subsidized loan, another $1 million in outright grants and relocation to a state-ofthe-art “green” baking facility next to the old Philadelphia Naval Yard last year was not enough to make the company profitable. The company also has a baking facility in Oxford, Chester Co. The new facility has a City tax abatement through 2018.

For nearly 100 years, TastyKakes, cookies and pies were as much a part of Philadelphia’s culture as cheese steaks, the Phillies, Eagles and Broad Street.

Charles Pizzi, president of the firm since 2002, said the firm’s yearend financials were less than anticipated and the bankruptcy of major grocery chains such as the Great THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) damaged the company’s market.

Over the past decade, Tasty Baking has tried, to expand and enhance its markets outside the Philadelphia region with mixed success.

“While this has been a challenging period for us operationally, we remain focused on growing the business,” Pizzi said. “To that end, we continue to partner with new grocery and convenience store customers within our core markets, increase penetration with key customers, and launch new products in the marketplace.”

Some of the company’s lenders, including the State, have agreed to be flexible in demands for loan payments to allow Tasty Baking to secure a partner or put the company on the market.

Workers at the facility in Philadelphia voted to unionize last June, shortly after moving into the new baking facility. The company has about 600 workers.

XXXXX Butkovitz Audit Criticizes DPH for Missing Equipment City Controller Alan Butkovitz today released the FY08-09 Dept. of Public Health audit that uncovered $46,000 in missing equipment just from a limited inventory test that found five of six items selected for their susceptibility to theft could not be located. The missing equipment included printers, copiers and a laptop computer.

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did not possess,” said Butkovitz.

The 83% missing-equipment rate we found in our sample test is very troubling, because it potentially represents a larger problem, especially in light of our finding DPH failed to conduct annual inventories of its estimated $12 million in equipment for the two-year focus of our audit,” said Butkovitz.

“The failure by DPH to conduct an annual inventory of its physical assets not only raises serious questions about accurate record-keeping, security and potential theft of city property, it caused the City to list a false value in its asset ledger for equipment that it

“The troubling results of our limited inventory test highlight the need for a consistent annual inventory of all equipment by DPH,” said Butkovitz.

The City’s Home Rule Charter requires each city agency to account for equipment on hand at least once each year. As previously addressed in a prior audit by the Controller’s Office, DPH failed to routinely update its internal equipment records to account for disposals or transfers of items to other departments.

inventory of its equipment runs the risk of creating an environment that is more conducive to theft because of the lack of timely and consistent accountability and oversight,” said Butkovitz. “DPH must do a better job in keeping track of their equipment and coordinating their efforts with the City’s Procurement Dept.”

To view a copy of the Department of Public Health Auditor’s Report for fiscal 2008 and 2009, please visit the Controller’s website atwww.philadelphiacontroller.org.

“DPH’s failure to conduct a routine

PLBC Swears In AT FORUM BUILDING in Harrisburg, Presiding Judge Hon. James M. DeLeon III, pictured here swearing in PLBC Chair, Hon. Ronald G. Waters. Also sworn into the PLBC from right, were officers Hon. Vanessa Lowery Brown, vice chair; Hon. Michelle Brownlee, secretary; and Kenyatta Johnson, treasurer. Photos by Martin Regusters, Leaping Lion Photography.

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

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FROM LEFT are PLBC chair Hon. Ronald G. Waters, Carolyn H. Nichols, Esq. and Hon. Thaddeus Kirkland, past chair of PLBC. Penna. Legislative Black Caucus serves as an information and advocacy vehicle to advance the interest of African American, Latino and all other minority citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Citizens Bank Foundation Gives $25,000 To African American Museum Citizens Bank announced a major contribution to the African American Museum this morning. The Citizens Bank Foundation will donate $25,000 to the museum that will enable it to open its doors free of-charge on Monday, Jan. 17, 2011 as part of the national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As part of the special Community Day, Citizens Bank will host a Scavenger Hunt for Heritage to help children learn their way around the museum. Visitors will enjoy a fun-filled day of dynamic music, dance and other cultural performances. There will be historical re-enactments and arts and 4|

crafts for children as part of the celebration of Martin Luther King Day. The $25,000 Citizens Bank Foundation grant is expected to make it possible for more than 3,000 people to visit the African American Museum for the Community Day on Martin Luther King Day.

to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Although we are in a new location, my staff and I still offer the same services that we have always provided,” Williams said. “As always, we invite constituents to stop by or call with their questions and concerns.”

City Wants You Sen. Williams’ S.W. Ready For EmerPhila. District Office gencies Moves To New LocaThe City’s Office of Emergency tion Management is offering free Per-

State Sen. Anthony H. Williams’ district office in Southwest Philadelphia has moved from its Lindbergh Boulevard location.

The office is now located at 2901 Island Avenue, suite 100, Philadelphia, PA 19153. The office phone number (215) 492-2980 and fax number (215) 492-2990 remain unchanged. Office hours are Monday THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

sonal and Family Emergency Preparedness Workshops on the following dates: Thursday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m., Upper Holmesburg Civic Association, St. Dominic’s Marian Hall, 8504 Frankford Avenue.

Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. Mayfair Civic Association at John Perzel 6 JANUARY, 2011

Community Center, 2990 St. Vincent Street.

Learn how to prepare your family for any type of emergency by visiting www.phila.gov/ready, emailing edward.vassallo@phila.gov, or

calling (215) 683-3250 to request the Ready Philadelphia brochures in English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Polish, and Russian.

ARAMARK Exec Named To National Chefs’ Board The American Culinary Federation, the nation’s largest organization of professional chefs, has tapped. Douglas Martinides, vice president of food and beverage development at ARAMARK Strategic Assets, for its Board of Directors. Hey will serve a two-year term.

Michael Ty, ACF president, said, “Doug brings more than 30 years of culinary experience, as well as marketing insight, to the board.”

Martinides has more than 30 years of culinary and marketing experience.

At ARAMARK’s Innovation Center, Martinides’ team of culinary, operations and marketing professionals is responsible for developing awardwinning recipes, menus, promotions, training, scalable operations solutions and standards of execution for key retail menu categories for ARAMARK’s North American businesses.

Prior to his current role, he served as national marketing director for ARAMARK Higher Education, where he received the Chairman’s Award for 6 JANUARY, 2011

DOUGLAS MARTINIDES Innovation. Before joining ARAMARK, Martinides worked at Kraft General Foods-Foodservice Products Division for eight years in a variety of sales, marketing and merchandising leadership roles. He started his career as a culinary practitioner with a progression of roles including executive chef, at various country clubs and hotels in the Philadelphia and New York areas. Martinides is a member of The Culinary Institute of America’s Society of Fellows.

With more than 22,000 members spanning 230 chapters nationwide, ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and accreditation.

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Jan. 7Lunch with Judge Jimmy Lynn at Vesper Club, 216 S. Sydenham St., 12:30 p.m.

Jan. 14Fundraiser Reception for Council candidate Lawrence Clark at Chart House, 555 S. Columbus Blvd., 6-9 p.m. Tickets $15.

Jan. 17MLK celebration and Awards by American Legion Henry Hill Post 385 and McDonald’s at Grays Ferry, at Mtg. Zion Pentecostal Ch., 122628 Point Breeze Ave., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Commander William Denny host.

Jan. 17Phila.Tea Party Patriots NW meeting at Kendrick Rec Ctr., 5800 block Ridge Ave. by Roxborough Mem. Hosp. at 7 p.m. Speakers are Commissioner candidate Al Schmidt and Council candidate Sandy Stewart.

For info Mike Lodise (2115) 4870118 or Pat Haraburda (215) 4827991, or teapartynw@comcast.net.

Jan. 19Reception for GOP 1st Council Dist. candidate Lou Lanni at home of 5th Ward Leader Michael A. Cibik, Esq., 334 S. Front Street, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Jan. 27Edward J. Lowry, founder of Phila.

Veterans MultiService & Education Ctr., will be honored on retirement at Waterfall Rm. in Plumbers Local 690 Union Hall, 2791 Southampton Rd., Cocktails 6-8 p.m., followed

by Tribute Program. Tickets $65.

Order by phone (215) 238-8050.

Event Chair Ed Keenan, Board Chair Jim McNesby and Exec. Dir. Marsha Four. |

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

ested in making your response available to interested readers of my blog, My FAIR Philly.

An Obviously

I am sending a copy of this letter to P. Edward Lovelidge, chairman of the board of directors, by snail mail.

Biased Committee Of 70 To the editor: What the Committee of 70 Says of itself: “The Committee of 70 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or party affiliation. Seventy does not lobby or support, endorse or oppose candidates for office.”

Given this commitment to your public, please explain – in writing – how the Committee of 70 is now able to oppose Barbara Deeley’s appointment as Interim Philadelphia Co. Sheriff? Have the organization’s rules been amended recently? Has the mission of the organization changed recently?

If this is the case, shouldn’t that information be made available to contributors, donors and media who read your website?

Also, kindly please explain how the Committee of 70, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is able to oppose Sheriff Deeley when the IRS expressly forbids 501(c)(3) organizations from supporting or opposing any candidate for office? I am inter6|

IRS rules: Exemption Requirements – Section 501(c)(3) Organizations.

“To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

“Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.

“The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.

“Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.”

Thank you in advance for your prompt response to this matter.

Linda S Wallace My Fair Philly

Weavers Way Co-op Hosts Wheat-Free And Gluten-Free Day Join Weavers Way Co-op for a day of wheat-free and gluten-free foods and information about Celiac Disease and Gluten sensitivity on Saturday, Jan. 29 from noon to 4 p.m. at Weavers Way Chestnut Hill, 8424 Germantown Avenue.

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Representatives from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness will be on hand to answer questions and offer useful information.

Weavers Way staff will answer questions about the Co-op’s great selection of wheat-free and glutenfree foods.

6 JANUARY, 2011

There will be plenty of free samples and representatives from local vendors like Amaranth Bakery from Lancaster, Pa., as well as national manufacturers like Glutino, Nature’s Path, Mary Gone Crackers and Blue Diamond Crackers.

There will also be a selection of wheat-free and gluten-free dips and

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

spreads from Weavers Way’s acclaimed Prepared Foods Dept. The event will also feature a raffle of a basket of wheat-free and glutenfree items, with proceeds going to NFCA.

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