Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. III No. 16 (386)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

January 27, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

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Zzzzz CONGRESSMAN BOB BRADY, right, joins US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at roundtable discussion of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address and its implication for cities. Discussion was hosted by Mayor Michael Nutter.

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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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Casey Bullish On Economic Growth US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chairman of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, released the following statement after the announcement from the Bureau of Economic Analysis that Gross Domestic Product grew by 2.8% in the fourth-quarter of 2011: “Today’s GDP number shows that the economic recovery continues.

This growth is the largest we have seen since the second quarter of 2010 and is a much-needed improvement after the slow growth in

the first half of 2011. We have seen significant increases in the last two quarters, but economic growth is not as strong as we would like to see.

“It is clear that Washington must continue to pass policies that encourage growth. This is why it is crucial that we extend the payrolltax cut for the rest of 2012. This will help increase spending, boost demand, and strengthen the economy. Extending the payroll tax cut will help millions of Americans re-

gain economic security while boosting our recovery.

“This legislation is a critical step towards reversing the economic downturn felt across Pennsylvania and the country. It will help the average American family keep an additional $840 in 2012. As a member of the Payroll Tax Conference Committee, I understand the urgency of reaching an agreement and am committed to making sure Congress cuts payroll taxes for the remainder of 2012.”

Mayor Rolls Out New Crime Plans; Endorses Murphy For AG Mayor Michael A. Nutter along with District Attorney Seth Williams and Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey unveiled the City’s new crime-fighting measures focusing on prevention, intervention and collaboration at Strawberry Mansion HS. This strategy will link police, neighborhoods and our public and private law-enforcement partners to reduce violence.

“Working with our local, state and federal partners and after months of study, we have put together a series of tough measures to reduce violent crime in Philadelphia.

We’re going after the criminals who carry illegal guns and we’re empowering citizens to help the police identify these domestic terrorists,” said the Mayor. “We’re

offering large cash rewards, using technology in new ways in the fight against crime and immediately putting more police on the streets using overtime funds.”

At the announcement, city officials outlined a series of new, specific crime fighting measures: 1. Enforcement of Sections 6106 and 6108 of Title 18. Pennsylvania’s Crime Code has strict illegal gun regulations (6106, 6108).

Williams will work with the courts to ensure individuals caught possessing illegal guns are prosecuted to the full extent of the law, which could mean a jail sentence of up to seven years.

2. “I have been shocked and saddened by the violent and truly

senseless crimes that have taken place over the past few weeks,” said the DA. “As a proud Philadelphian, I am going to make sure that the actions of a few low-lifes don’t create a permanent black eye for the many hard-working, lawabiding citizens here. Know this: The police will find you and when they do I will be throwing the book at you.”

3. Use of incentives to increase arrests and convictions. The Police Dept. will use a new, systematic approach to cash rewards as an incentive to build cases.

4. The City will offer up to $20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone in a homicide case. It will pay a $500 reward for tips leading to

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD the arrest and conviction of a person carrying an illegal gun.

5. In order to elicit tips from the public to assist the police, new, technology based measures will begin to complement existing crime reporting methods. Modeled after effective programs in Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, Baltimore and Los Angeles, the City is launching a program that will allow citizens to anonymously send text message tips directly to the police department using a vanity code. In addition, citizens will be able to email tips, photos and videos directly to the police department. This pro-

gram is currently available. Emails should be sent to tips@phillypolice.com. Soon, the faces of Philadelphia’s most-wanted criminals will air on Channel 64, will be tweeted and Facebooked to increase tips to the police in support of efforts to apprehend these criminals.

6. Increased funding to the Victim/Witness Assistance Program.

Effective immediately, the City will double the funding for the Witness Assistance Program, which works with the District Attorney’s office to protect citizens who come forward as witnesses to a crime. Funding will rise from

$200,000 to $400,000.

7. Launch of a new video surveillance program. The City will launch a new program that will provide citizens and businesses with financial support to install exterior surveillance video cameras to observe public spaces. Specifications on this program will be released soon.

8. Ramsey and Williams will cochair the Gun Stat program, a collaborative effort to reduce gun violence using data-based tracking of gun violence, focusing on targeted high-violence areas. Gun Stat is an enhancement to the

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD crime-analysis work the Police Dept. is already using. It is designed after the Crime Briefings strategy from 2008. It will focus on identifying violent offenders, gun crimes, arrests and results through the court system. It will facilitate better tracking of persons on probation or parole.

9. Relaunch of Operation Pressure Point initiative as Pressure Point 2.0. This initiative leverages the resources of different law-enforcement and criminal-justice organizations at the local, state and federal level. It aims, through coordinated intelligence efforts and targeted deployment strategies to reduce violent crime in high-crime areas. Participating agencies include the Police Dept., United States Marshals, Bureau of Alco-

hol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, 1st Judicial Dist. of Pennsylvania Warrant Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, Philadelphia Juvenile Probation Department, the DA’s Office, and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

10. Anti-violence initiatives with community organizations through the Mayor’s Engaging Communities Dialogue. Community organizations partner and/or fund anti-violence initiatives across the City. In order to improve coordination between these organizations and the City of Philadelphia, a meeting called the Mayor’s Engag-

ing Communities Dialogue will be held in March 2012.

11. In order to combat rising violence, the immediate authorization of additional overtime for police officers has been approved by the Mayor for use in high-crime areas.

In addition, a new cadet police class of up to 100 will enter the police academy in June 2012.

At 12:30 p.m. today, the Mayor endorsed Patrick Murphy for State Attorney General in front of the Criminal Justice Center. Nutter said he believes Murphy is the partner Philadelphia needs in the Attorney General’s office. Murphy in turn gave resounding support to the Mayor’s new anti-crime plan and pledged his full cooperation.

Pa. GOP Slams Justice’s Comments On Redistricting Republican Party of Pennsylvania Executive Director Mike Barley released the following statement regarding what he termed Supreme Court Justice Max Baer’s violation of the Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct and the Pennsylvania Constitution when he made comments to the press regarding a ongoing court proceeding.

“While the rest of Pennsylvania anxiously awaits the Court’s opinion on redistricting, Justice Baer decided to provide his own commentary on the matter, violating both Judicial Canon and the Pennsylvania Constitution in the process. The fact that a Pennsylva-

nia Supreme Court Judge would make politically-motivated comments to the press on a pending court proceeding is absolutely outrageous, especially since the court’s official opinion on the matter has not yet been released. Justice Baer’s comments are more than just an abdication of his judicial responsibilities; they are in direct contravention of both the Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct and the Pennsylvania Constitution. Justice Bear should be reprimanded for his poor judgment and recuse himself from any judicial activity related to this matter.

Justice Baer said issuing an opinion regarding the Legislative Reapportionment Commission’s plan “will take a week or so” and that the court majority believes the process of fixing the legislative maps will take time.

“I think this year’s elections are going to go on the 2001 lines,” Baer said in an interview with Capitolwire. “I think that is what the majority intended and I think that is what a reading of the Chief Justice’s order said.”

Baer said, “It takes a week or so to write a majority opinion on any big case, and it will take a week or so here.”

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Leaders Decry Proposal For Asset Test on SNAP Recipients

FROM LEFT, Congressman Bob Brady, State Sen. Shirley Kitchen, State Rep. Michelle Brownlee and Steveanna Wynn, executive director of SHARE Food Program, Inc., discuss devastating impact of the Corbett Administration’s plan to implement an asset test on SNAP recipients. Photo: Martin Regusters, Leaping Lion Photography

State Sen. Shirley Kitchen (D-N. Phila.), along with elected officials including Congressman Bob Brady, joined various organizations in Philadelphia yesterday to discuss the devastating impact of the Corbett administration’s plan to implement an asset test on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients.

The officials made their comments at Self-Help & Resource Exchange Food Program at 2901 W. Hunting 6|

Park Avenue, an organization that allows individuals to exchange volunteer time for the opportunity to buy affordable food.

“The Corbett Administration’s efforts to undermine our most vulnerable citizens is a disgrace,” said Kitchen, who is the Democratic chair of the Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee. “His proposal only demoralizes families who are trying to survive and punishes those who are trying to save precious dollars for a better life.”

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Under the administration’s plan, any SNAP recipient under the age of 60 who has more than $2,000 in savings and assets, including cash, stocks, bonds and money in checking and savings accounts, would no longer qualify. Individuals who are over 60 or disabled who have $3,250 in savings and assets would no longer qualify.

Approximately 460,000 Philadelphians rely on SNAP.

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD This proposal bucks a national trend in SNAP eligibility. Today, 35 states have abolished their asset tests because of pervasive longterm unemployment. Pennsylvania at one time had asset tests but dissolved them in 2008.

Pennsylvania has a solid record on accountability, with a SNAP error rate of less than 4%, according to the US Dept. of Agriculture.

“The Dept. of Public Welfare claims to be rooting out fraud and waste. I’d like to see the numbers detailing the actual amount of socalled fraud and waste,” Kitchen said. “The federal government recognizes we are ensuring that folks are receiving proper benefits. The Corbett Administration should focus on helping people, rather than finding ways to keep them in the cycle of poverty.”

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-W. Phila.) said the federal government already mandates income limits for SNAP enrollment, so asset test are a waste of time and administrative costs.

nutritious food.

“This is a misguided policy that does a disservice to the needs of Pennsylvania citizens,” said Hughes (D-7th dist.). “Punishing low- and middle-income individuals for trying to lift themselves out of poverty is not only cruel, but also completely unnecessary.”

Nationally, nearly 75% of SNAP participants are in families with children and more than a quarter of participants are in households with seniors or people with disabilities, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Nearly one-third of SNAP recipients work, according to the USDA. The administration’s proposal would not only hurt the individuals who rely on SNAP, but also the industries that supply SNAP recipients with their groceries, like Pennsylvania farmers and supermarkets, according to John Weidman, deputy executive director of the Food Trust, a Philadelphiabased nonprofit working to provide access to affordable,

The officials also discussed the issues with DPW’s recent purge of individuals from Medical Assistance, which provides health-care services for 2 million eligible Pennsylvanians, the majority of whom are elderly or disabled.

The 2011-12 State budget mandated that DPW make more than $470 million in cuts.

“Again, DPW maintains that it is working to ‘root out fraud and waste,’ yet it has yet to produce solid numbers on any fraud and waste in DPW programs,” Kitchen said. “Meanwhile, children, the elderly and disabled individuals and their loved ones are enduring the agony of losing their lifeline and scrambling to re-apply. It’s shameful.”

Kitchen said she will call for public hearings to investigate the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare’s process for cutting costs and eliminating fraud and waste.

Corbett Calls For Bold Thinking To Rein In Justice Costs Gov. Tom Corbett yesterday encouraged members of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, a newly formed panel of judges, lawmakers, state cabinet members and other officials, as they begin studying ways to increase public safety in Pennsylvania and reduce spending on corrections.

“The justice-reinvestment working group is here to look at the num-

bers, the costs, the projections and the system,”‘ Corbett told the gathering at the Governor’s Residence this morning. “We look to you to come up with solutions to make our system better. I expect this initiative will help reduce further our crime rate, decrease recidivism and manage corrections spending more efficiently.’”

the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and Dept. of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel, the group will meet regularly during the next several months to review data analysis, hear from local government representatives, prosecutors and public defenders, victim advocates, treatment providers and others, before crafting policy proposals.

Led by Mark Zimmer, chairman of • PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD JRI is a research-based approach that identifies factors driving the growth and costs in prison and jail populations. It is designed to: • Develop and implement policy options to control and lower the costs of the state’s corrections system; • Improve offender accountability; • Reinvest a portion of the savings into the justice system to further reduce corrections spending; • Reinvest a portion of the savings into the community to prevent crime; • Measure the impact of policy changes.

Contributing to the project is the Council of State Governments Justice Center in partnership with the Pew Center on the States and the US Dept. of Justice.

Between 2000 and 2010, the number of people admitted to prison in

Pennsylvania climbed 46%, with much of this growth driven by increases in the number of people convicted of property and drug offenses serving relatively short minimum sentences.

Over this same period, Dept. of Corrections spending increased 76%, from $1.1 billion to $1.9 billion.

Despite significant State investments in resident programs for people on parole supervision, a 2011 study showed recidivism has declined but remains high: Nearly half of people (44%) released from prison were re-incarcerated within three years.

“Today’s meeting identifies issues that need to be addressed, and I am confident this group will work hard to use the data and other information gathered to make legislative proposals which will try to

strike the delicate balance between public safety and reducing costs through improved efficiencies and prison population reduction,’” Zimmer said.

“This is an excellent example of officials working together, across systems, levels of government and parties toward the common goal of improving the safety of our state,”‘ Corbett said.

“The Commonwealth judicial system has been innovative in its establishment of problem-solving courts with specialized dockets focusing on mental health, substance abuse, veterans, and community reentry offenders,” said Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille. “I welcome the opportunity for the judiciary to play a key role in this statewide project examining how best to use our criminal-justice system’s resources. We simply have to think smarter.’”

Governor Reappoints Philadelphians Gov. Tom Corbett nominated Gary Tennis of Philadelphia as Secretary of the Dept. of Drug & Alcohol Programs, which was newly created by General Assembly fiat.

To the Advisory Council for Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home, Corbett reappointed four Philadelphians who now serve on it:

Richard Shaner, Daniel F. Murray Jr., William Carroll and Margaret Chmielowski.

N.E. Leaders Hail Holy Family Bid To Redevelop Liddonfield A bevy of Northeast Philadelphia dignitaries gathered at Holy Family University this morning to cheer on that university’s plan to develop Liddonfield Homes, a vacant Philadelphia Housing Authority project between Torresdale and Frankford Avenues.

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City Councilman Bobby Henon, Congressman Bob Brady (DPhila.), State Sen. Mike Stack (DNortheast) and State Rep. Michael McGeehan (D-Northeast) turned out in support as Sister Francesca Onley, president of Holy Family University; and John Parsons,

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President of the Philadelphia-based BSI Construction LLC, showcased a mixed-use redevelopment plan for Liddonfield Homes. The Liddonfield Homes opened in 1955 and have long since fallen into a state of disrepair, becoming an eyesore and blighting the sur-

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD rounding communities.

Holy Family University, a beloved Northeast Philadelphia institution, has put forth a redevelopment plan that has won widespread support from the nearby residents because it blends so well with the community. The plan includes ample recreation facilities with public ac-

cess, including four new ballfields, illuminated walkways, and outdoor seating areas. The plan also includes an array of shops and dining spots that can be enjoyed by the community, as well as the university staff and faculty.

cility with approximately 300 beds to provide care for the growing elderly population of this venerable Philadelphia community. It is anticipated that Holy Family University staff will operate the new assisted-living facility.

In addition, the plan includes a state-of-the-art assisted living fa-

Hughes Addresses Progress Of Health Care Reform

KEARLINE JONES, left, VP of government relations and compliance; State Sen. Vincent Hughes and Bill George, CEO of Health Partners, pose after listening to Senator’s encouraging words on Health Partners’ work.

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-W. Phila.) discussed ongoing developments for Health Care Reform at the state and local level during a visit Jan. 23 with Health Partners’ employees. He informed attendees about Gov. Corbett’s upcoming State budget address on Feb. 7 that potentially could have an impact

on Health Partners and Pennsylvania’s health-care industry.

The Senator also reminded employees about their vital role in the political process and encouraged them to speak out on the importance of providing all citizens in the Greater Philadelphia region with quality, affordable health

care. President and CEO of Health Partners Bill George commended Hughes for his advocacy in assuring that low-income populations receive coverage.

Health Partners is a not-for-profit health plan serving more than 170,000 members in the Greater Philadelphia region.

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Green’s Bill Calls To Hire City Residents For Public Works City Councilman-At-Large Bill Green today introduced legislation requiring that jobs paid for indirectly with public investment by the City go to Philadelphia residents. Under the ordinance, Philadelphia residents must perform 100% of the work hours created by certain public works and non-professional services contracts. In companion legislation intended to incent private investment resulting in the hiring of Philadelphians, private-party beneficiaries of public subsidies are required to interview Philadelphia residents first for all new, entry-level jobs generated by such subsidies.

The City will maintain a “First Source” list of qualified applicants for this purpose. The jobs policy further requires certification of Philadelphia businesses before bid awards and targeted increases in city contracting opportunities for local businesses.

“Philadelphia sorely needs to create jobs,” Green explained. “The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, which was written before outsourcing became part of our vocabulary, already requires City residency for most City employees. It now makes sense to expand the residency requirement when 10 |

we ask contractors to perform work on our behalf,” Green explained. Philadelphia unemployment stands at 10.9%, which is the highest among the 11 counties that make up the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The legislation includes the following components: Requiring 100% of the hours worked on competitively bid Cityfunded contracts over $150,000 to be performed by Philadelphia residents; Requiring beneficiaries of certain City subsidies to first consider Philadelphia residents for 100% of new, entry-level jobs created as a result of the subsidy; Requiring the processing of a firm’s pending application for Local Business Entity (LBE) status prior to determining the lowest responsible bidder on a contract for which the firm submitted a bid and may be eligible for a 5% LBE preference; and Setting goals for the number of businesses to be newly certified as LBEs each year and for the increased participation of LBEs in competitively bid and non-competitively bid City contracts.

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD gram is critical to its success, so we are committed to working with them in an expedient, efficient manner,” Kelly said. “It’s both gratifying and humbling to receive this honor from HAPCO and we intend to further improve our service and relationships in the future.”

Washington To Offer Free Tax Preparation State Sen. LeAnna Washington (DNorthwest) will again provide taxpreparation services at no cost to low-income and senior-citizen constituents.

Services will be provided at the Senator’s Roslyn office on Mondays and the Wadsworth Avenue office on Wednesday. Constituents will be seen by appointment only, starting Jan. 30 through Apr. 17.

“So many of my constituents have found these programs to be a welcome help to alleviate some of the stresses of tax preparation,” said Washington. “I am so pleased that we are able to offer them again this year.”

Tax-preparation services are free of charge, but constituents must call Washington’s office at (215) 242-0472 to make an appointment.

Landlords Honor PHA Execs For Public Service The Homeowners Association of Philadelphia Co. has chosen two Philadelphia Housing Authority executives to receive the organization’s Public Service Award.

PHA Administrative Receiver/Executive Director Michael P. Kelly and Charles Lanier, general manager of Client Services, were honored based on their efforts to address longstanding problems and concerns.

Victor Pinckney, Sr., president of HAPCO, said Kelly has done a lot to make it easier for landlords to resolve issues, some of which have been going on for years.

“We really appreciate his willingness to listen and do something about it,” Pinckney said. He recalled the group’s first meeting with Kelly saying, “Before we could put our complaints out, he was addressing ’em.”

Pinckney also had high praise for Lanier who had asked the landlords’ group to work with him and the agency to clear up outstanding issues including damage caused by residents, rental rates, and the servicing of landlords’ accounts.

“Our Landlord Data Center made everything pretty much transparent,” he said. “It allows them to look at the results of their inspections and to look at the appointments for recertification and inspection.”

In addition, the agency has set up a Facebook page where landlords can ask questions and get tips, and established a direct call center for landlords.

PHA has also contracted with a private firm to study rental rates in the city and make recommendations.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program serves over 16,000 families in Philadelphia.

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Flower Show Will Bring Paradise To Town

WHAT ELSE but color “green” can bring together so many movers and shakers for a kickoff press conference of 2012 Flower Show. Green is not just color of plants and grass and trees, but also color of $61 million economic impact which Flower Show has each year, bringing 300,000 visitors to Philadelphia during that week. And “Hawai’i: Islands of Aloha”, this year’s theme, promises many exciting new attractions. Guests at kick-off press conference enjoyed Hawaiian music and authentic dancing. Photos: Bonnie Squires

AT LOEWS HOTEL yesterday, Mayor Nutter spoke glowingly of importance of Flower Show, as he thanked major sponsors, including (seen here with Mayor Nutter) Tom Woodward, president of Bank of America, Pennsylvania, which is exclusive sponsor of the Flower Show this year.

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THERE WOULD BE no Phila. International Flower Show without major sponsors, so Drew Becher, center, welcomes warmly Dean Evans, senior VP of Subaru of America (left), and Tom Woodward, President of Bank of America.

AHMEENAH YOUNG, of Civic STEVEN L. SIVAK, MD, chairman of Einstein Healthcare NetCenter, which hosts spectacular work, which is a new sponsor of Flower Show, enjoys meeting Dr. Phila. International Flower Show, Seuss’ Lorax, who will be at show, Mar. 4-11. chats with Paul Steinke, of Reading Terminal Market, which also benefits greatly from show’s presence.

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