Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. III No. 15 (385)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

January 26, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

ON A NEW NOTE KIMMEL CENTER was standing-room only – but it was outside Verizon Hall, on Commonwealth Plaza – as a huge crowd gathered to participate in a conversation with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, incoming music director of Phila. Orchestra. Appealing and energetic Yannick, as the faithful audience members call the French Canadian, will be only eighth conductor in orchestra’s 112-year history. More news page 8.

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Calendar Jan. 27- 8th Dist. Councilwoman Cindy Bass and staff will host Coffee Meet with residents at Jim & Rita’s Fine Cuisine, 4938 N. Broad St., 8-10 a.m.

Jan. 27- State Rep. Rosita Youngblood holds Fish or Chicken Fry at Lou & Choo’s, 2101 W. Hunting Pk. Ave., 5-9 p.m.

Tickets $10.

Feb. 4- Green Night Out features Prof. Eileen Appelbaum to discuss “Paid Sick Leave & Paid Sick Days” at Singapore Restaurant, 1006 Race St., 7 p.m. Space is limited, so RSVP Green Party at (215) 243-7103.

Feb. 8- Judge Angelo Foglietta is sworn in at City Hall Rm. 653, 4:00 p.m.

Recpetion follows at Law Library.

Feb. 9- Steve Aldrich of IBEW Local 269 invites all to reception in honor of State Rep. Tina Davis at Bailey’s Bar & Grille, 6922 Bristol Emilie Rd., Levittown, Pa. Host $1,000, Patron $500, Friend. $250, Supporter, $50. RSVP Seth Skversky (215) 550-1186.

Feb. 10- Fundraiser for cancer survivor Vicki Cum-

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mings at SmokeEaters Pub, 7681 Frankford Ave., 7-10 p.m. Donation $35. If you cannot make event, donation to “Friends of Vicki Cummings” c/o The Lucas Family, 3128 Cottman Ave., Phila., PA 19149.

For info Friendsofvickicummings@yahoo.com Feb. 10- Arthur Green presents 14th Ward Pre-Valentine’s Day Cabaret at Barber’s Ha., Broad & Oxford Sts., 9 p.m.-???

Donation $10. For info Arthur Green (267) 9867948.

Feb. 10-12- Penna. Progressive Summit at Convention Ctr., Broad & Arch Sts. Variety of registration fees, $50-$150. For info paprogressivesummit.or g.

Feb. 13- Fundraiser for State Rep candidate Al Simpson at Breen’s Pub, Huntingdon Pk., 6-9 p.m. Ticket, $35, sold at door.

Feb. 21- Alliance Française de Philadelphie Mardi Gras celebration at Restaurant School, 4207 Walnut St., 6:30 p.m. Roaring ’20s theme, prize for best costume. Tickets $60.

For info (215) 7355283.

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Supreme Court Blows Out Redistricting Plan: Our Take

by Joe Shaheeli

State, but at what cost?

new district?

Deciding with a four-to-three majority, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has tossed the year-long effort to produce a new redistricting plan into the wastebasket.

Though the Supreme Court stated candidates circulating petitions should continue to do so, will those candidates know if they are running in the pre-apportionment district for reelection, or as challengers in the old district or the

With hearts in their mouths, all those involved in the political process are waiting for the Court to spell out new guidelines. Whatever is done, it must be with the knowledge that Apr. 24, Election Day, is less than two months away.

This was a major win for the Democrat caucus in the House and

Williams Applauds Redistricting Decision State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-W. Phila.) issued the following statement about the Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court’s decision to remand the final 2011 Legislative Reapportionment Plan back to the 2011 Legislative Reapportionment Commission:

“The Supreme Court’s decision represents a significant moment for all Pennsylvanians without regard to party affiliation. It tips the balance in favor of nonpartisan districts and the premise of one person – one vote, which is the basis of our democracy. The Supreme Court today reaffirmed

the sense of fairness in the redistricting process.” Williams is the ranking Democrat on the Pennsylvania Senate’s State Government Committee and represents the 8th Senatorial Dist., serving parts of Philadelphia and Delaware Cos.

Costa: Ruling Honors State Constitution, Voters Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to remand the 2011 redistricting plan: “We are pleased to learn that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the many petitioners who filed an appeal to the Legislative Reapportionment Commission’s final plan.

We are grateful that the Supreme Court honored Pennsylvania’s Constitution and Commonwealth voters. It is a very important matter, and it is the responsibility of

the reapportionment commission to devise a plan that is true to both the Constitution and the voters of Pennsylvania. Counties and communities must have their voices heard in Harrisburg, and our goal was to make sure the 2011 redistricting process achieved that.

We are thankful the Court and the many petitioners understood the concerns of the voters who took the time and effort to express their concerns to both the Commission and ultimately the Court. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court acted

with respect for the Constitution, communities across our commonwealth, and the voters. We await the State Supreme Court’s direction regarding drafting a new reapportionment plan for the Commonwealth.”

Costa will hold a teleconference tonight at 6:15 p.m. to discuss the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to remand the 2011 redistricting plan because it is contrary to law.

To participate in the teleconfer-

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD ence, call 1 (800) 261-3225, the code to access the teleconference is (717) 705 5847. On Jan. 11, the

Senate Democratic caucus filed an appeal with the State Supreme Court challenging the 2011 Leg-

islative Redistricting Plan, stating it was constitutionally flawed.

Clean-Gov’t Fans Rejoice In ‘Historic’ Decision Pennsylvania League of Women Voters President Olivia Thorne said, “We applaud the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision. It is a real victory for Pennsylvania Voters and reinforces the need to replace the Commonwealth’s broken redistricting system with one that puts the interests of the voters first.”

Barry Kauffman, Executive Director of Common Cause/PA, noted citizens have been fighting for decades to get the Commission to comply with the State Constitu-

tion, with Common Cause losing a 4-3 decision in 1981. Kauffman commended the court majority for its decision, saying “This is truly an historic decision – one that embodies the heroic actions of regular citizens fighting to make their government work.”

Over the past two years, a coalition of citizens’ organizations and issue experts has worked behind the scenes in an efforts to secure a constitutionally sound redistricting plan that protects citizens’ rights to fair and meaningful elections and

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communities’ abilities to protect their political power.

The biggest hero in this process was Amanda Holt, a piano teacher, who, on her own time and money, drew an alternative plan. Her plan proved the Commission’s plan made a mockery of the Pennsylvania Constitution’s requirement that counties, municipalities and wards be split only if “absolutely necessary.” With no resources other than her own will power and intellect, she was able to draw a plan that was constitutionally superior in every way to the Commission’s plan – despite its millions of dollars in state funds and dozens of government staffers. Thanks to her pro-bono lawyers, Virginia Gibson of Hogan Lovells US LLP and Michael Churchill of the Philadelphia Public Interest Law Center, she was able to present the Supreme Court with her map. It clearly demonstrated the number of such splits in the Commissiondrawn plan could be halved and still create a map that complies with federal and state law. Furthermore, her map created geographically compact districts that would make legislators more accessible to the citizens they represent.

The 2011 redistricting plan, drawn in secret meetings by a five-member Commission dominated by legislative leaders from both parties, carved up counties, municipalities and voting districts to

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD advantage the reelection prospects of both party’s incumbents. The result was 13 Court appeals to declare the plan unconstitutional.

“Perhaps one of the most startling revelations in the Court hearing was the fact that, in order to evade the State sunshine law, there were never meetings of more than two Commissioners to discuss modifi-

cations to the plan or concerns raised by citizens,” commented Thorne. “Additionally, the Commission evaded the Constitutionmandated deadlines meant to provide ample time to revise a preliminary plan and settle possible appeals before the start of the election calendar. The resulting sixmonth delay in adopting a final

plan meant the Court decision came after the time candidates had started collecting nominating petition signatures. To confuse the election cycle further, the Court ordered the current districts drawn in 2001 will remain in force until the Court approves a new map.”

Tartaglione Urges New Action on PA Economy State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Kensington), along with Senate Democratic colleagues, today called on the Governor to take more-aggressive action against economic stagnation and prevent a spreading schools crisis in Pennsylvania.

other school districts in the region.

Tartaglione called on the administration to lead the legislature in efforts to create new jobs, close tax loopholes, help struggling schools and keep the social safety net in place while the economy slowly recovers.

While poor and middle-class Pennsylvanians are still struggling, Tartaglione said, wealthy corporations still enjoy tax breaks and loopholes that allow hundreds of millions of dollars go cross the border into Delaware and head toward Texas.

“A few years ago, Pennsylvania was among the top states for education improvement, job retention and efficiency in social services,” Tartaglione said. “Those days have been replaced with the stubborn and cynical political dogma of cut, cut, cut.”

The Democrats outlined their budget priorities at a news conference in Harrisburg.

Tartaglione said the symptoms of the crisis in Chester-Upland schools are showing in dozens of

“It wasn’t hard to predict,” Tartaglione said. “Struggling schools were abandoned in last year’s budget and the administration is just now beginning to notice.”

“Big energy companies are drilling as fast as they can while the administration delays and debates an extraction tax. There is no urgency in the legislature or the Governor’s office,” Tartaglione said. “The only thing going faster than the drilling is the growth of Delaware subsidiaries. Five hundred new business entities register in Delaware every business day. It’s not because they have a lot of office space.”

SB 679, which would require “combined reporting” for businesses in Pennsylvania and close the “Delaware Loophole.” Several years ago, the revenue department estimated that $400 million in corporate taxes could be recouped by adopting a combined reporting standard, as 23 states have already done.

Tartaglione noted hundreds of Delaware business entities have been registered in the names of Marcellus Shale drilling companies in the past five years, even though Delaware doesn’t have a single gas well.

For years, Tartaglione has been introducing legislation intended to close the loophole to prevent corporations from hiding profits in Delaware shell companies.

“We’ve been losing more than a million dollars a day that could have been used for education or public safety in Pennsylvania,” Tartaglione said.

Tartaglione is the prime sponsor of

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Waters To Sit On Economic Summit Panel State Rep. Ronald G. Waters (DW. Phila.) will be a featured panelist Friday at the 115th annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit in New York City. The event is sponsored by the Rainbow Push Coalition and the Citizenship Education Fund.

Waters, chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, will join five other elected State officials from the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Texas for a discussion of “From Crisis to Working Communities – Next Steps in Access to Economic Prosperity.” The focus of the panel will be on how states and cities are responding to the fragile economy and considering viable solutions to reduce the

economic disparities in our society.

Waters said, in Pennsylvania, with conservatives in the majority in the Legislature and holding the Governor’s office, the possibility of any State initiatives toward a largescale employment initiative are slim at best. “Our best hope is, as asserted in President Obama’s State of the Union Address, a national commitment to job development in urban areas,” said Waters.

“In the Pennsylvania General Assembly, no matter how practical a jobs program we propose, it is going to run into a brick wall on the other side of the aisle.”

crisis for Pennsylvania is the massive defunding of public education by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Tom Corbett.

“Without properly educating our children, it doesn’t matter how many or how potentially effective the economic redevelopment and jobs programs that we can design are … if we erode the next generation’s education, ultimate failure becomes more likely.”

Waters said his presentation will include JumpstartPA, a 10-point plan House Democrats have proposed in light of the Republican failure to address revitalizing Pennsylvania’s economy.

Waters said the most immediate

Goode Unveils Job-Creation Tax Credit Idea City Councilman at Large W. Wilson Goode, Jr. has introduced the “New Job Creation Opportunity Bill”. The legislation enhances an employment-stimulus program under which a credit against the City’s business taxes is given to businesses that create new jobs within the City of Philadelphia. The businesses would receive a $5000 credit for each new job created for tax years 2012 and 2013.

The Job Creation Tax Credit Program was established in May 2002 to encourage businesses to expand employment within the City of Philadelphia. It is based on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Job Creation Tax Credit program and offers a 6|

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credit against the firm’s business tax liability for each new job created. The program can be utilized by companies of any type or size located anywhere in the city.

Through 2010, 66 firms have participated in the program, promising the creation of 4,581 jobs. The five year period allowed by the initial ordinance to create new jobs has expired for 32 of these 66 firms. As a result, the promised job creation may be reduced from 4,581 to 1,481. To date, 1,032 jobs have been certified as created, resulting in the issuance of $1,636,297 in tax certificates, of which $1,510,322 has been claimed.

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St. Hubert Raises $722 Grand One day after St. Hubert Catholic HS for Girls presented its case for keeping the school open to the Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education and Blue Ribbon Commission, students and alumnae gathered at the school to show their continued support as St. Hubert awaits its fate.

port.

Since announcing its fundraising campaign on Jan. 13, the St. Hubert Alumnae Association has raised $722,000.

Gallagher (Class of 1965) was the principal of Little Flower Catholic HS for Girls when it was slated to close in 1991.

Additionally, 161 8th-graders have committed to attending St. Hubert if the school remains open — more than double the number of students who committed at this time last year.

“She saved Little Flower, and we hope — we believe — yesterday she saved St. Hubert,” Lovell said.

“The outpouring of support has been unprecedented and we couldn’t be happier with our fundraising efforts. From six-figure checks to children’s piggy banks, we have raised almost three quarters of a million dollars in just two weeks,” said Kathryn Ott Lovell, a member of the school’s advisory board and a 1992 graduate. “This tremendous fundraising wipes out any school deficit and provides the foundation for a healthy endowment for tuition assistance.”

The $722,000 represents more than 6,000 gifts given over the past two weeks in support of St. Hubert. It represents more than 20 fundraising events, coin drops, merchandise sales, collection baskets, bake sales, and raffles.

“We are a community of hard-working row home families; moms and dads working two and three jobs and making great sacrifices to send their children to Catholic school. We are graduates who recognize the true value the education we received here,” said Lovell as she thanked the crowd of students, alumnae, parents and members of the community for their sup-

The school, represented by St. Hubert President Sr. Mary Smith, Principal Regina Craig and Advisory Board President and Alumna Marie Gallagher, gave a two-hour presentation before the archdiocese at its hearing on Wednesday.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Jan. 6 released its report calling for the permanent closure of St. Hubert in June. Approximately 625 students attend the school, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.

The archdiocese will announce its decision on Feb. 15.

“We are incredibly moved by the love and passion that has been shown to St. Hubert over the past few weeks. The level of support is overwhelming,” Lovell said. “The St. Hubert family and the Northeast Philadelphia community have come together and shown to the Catholic community, the city and the archdiocese that St. Hubert is an irreplaceable institution.”

The St. Hubert Alumnae Association and the Advisory Board will continue to raise funds through its website, savehuberts.com, or by mail to Save St. Hubert ℅ St. Hubert Alumnae Association, P.O. Box 22104, Philadelphia, PA, 19136. All checks should be made to St. Hubert Alumnae Association.

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Yannick Strikes Up The Band

ON AN UPPER LEVEL, a fabulous brass section, composed of Phila. orchestra’s professional and Temple University’s student musicians, played a welcome as Yannick walked toward stage. Here, Orchestra President and CEO Allison Vulgamore and Concertmaster David Kim, right, welcomed Yannick to Phila. They chatted about highlights of upcoming season and Nézet-Séguin’s vision for Orchestra during his tenure as music director. Audience got to ask questions, and Yannick handled everything diplomatically and with good humor. What a crowd-pleaser! Photo: Bonnie Squires

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