Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. III No. 40 (408)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

March 2, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

Boyling Hot!

SHOWING their support at Boyle brothers’ fundraiser at Hop Angel in Oxford Circle last night were Dan McCaffery, State House candidate William Dunbar, State Rep. Kevin Boyle, and long time-family friend Republican Ward Leader Bill Ivers. Kevin’s brother State Rep. Brendan Boyle was called away from event for pressing family reasons, but this dynamic duo’s broad based of backers “gave for two” regardless. Both Boyles are top fundraisers for Penna. Democratic Party.

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

The Philadelphia Public Record

When You Want Your Roof To Be Done Right The First Time

Calendar

215-464-6425

CANDIDATES • POLITICIANS News You Can Use! Boost Your Popularity, Win On Election Day! Tell Your Constituents To Read About All the Work You Do For Them On the

Philadelphiadailyrecord.com Email them a copy of this Publication!

Translation/Interpretation Arabic, Hebrew, English, French For more information, call William Hanna

267-808-0287

Meat & Deli Prego Pizzelle Baker Uno Panini Grill

29.99 $39.99

2|

Mar. 5Councilman David Oh celebrates birthday at Racquet Club, 215 S. 15th St., 6-8 p.m. Trustees $500, Supporters $250, Friends $100Checks payable to “Citizens for David Oh.” No corporate checks.RSVP Eunice Lee elee@zarwin.com or (215) 561-2000 by Feb. 27.

Mar. 10NIA-PAC’s Carnevale, 6 p.m. Union League. Vincent Papale, Master of Ceremonies. Formal dinner and auction.

Black tie preferred. Chair Hon. Amato Berardi. Individual seating $185. For details Judy Camiel (610) 668-1730.

$

2024 S. 10th St Philadelphia PA 19148

215-468-5363

Mar. 3Bill Brunkel hosts Irish Night With State Rep. John Taylor at McCullough Ha., 6309 Torresdale Ave., 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Ticket $30. Includes beer, soda, and food. BYOB and setups welcomed. Music: Celtic Connection. For info Paul Kiser (609) 774-1397, Fax (215) 739-7776.

Mar. 12Cocktail Event for State Rep. Tina Davis at Zia’s at Red Door, 110 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg, Pa. Tickets $50, $100, $500 and $1,000. For info Seth Skversky (215) 550-1186.

PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM •

Mar. 13Friends of Damon Roberts hosts fundraiser at S. Philly Tap Room, 1509 Mifflin St., 6-8 pm.

Mar. 15Councilman Jim Kenney’s St. Patrick’s Day Party at Galdo’s, 20th & Moyamensing Ave., 6-8 p.m. Tickets at door, $35 each.

Mar. 16-17- Programs for Teaching Educational Conference sponsored by Phila.

Federation of Teachers Health & Welfare Fund at Sheraton, 17th & Race. 50 topics. State Rep. James Roebuck, special guest speaker. For info (215) 5612722.

Mar. 17Pentecostal Clergy holds 12th-Anniversary Breakfast, at View, 800 N. Broad St., 7th fl., 7:30 a.m. Tickets $25. Full tables $250. Call Dorothy Sturgis (215) 991-9830.

Mar. 17State Rep. Mark Cohen , NAACP and AARP host Health Fair at Zion Baptist Ch., 3600 N. Broad St., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Screenings, workshops, pharmacist’s advice and more. For info Lenise Miller (267) 582-9489.

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Women’s Health-Care Backers Slam Pa. Sens.

Members of PA Health Care for Women, an ad hoc coalition that came together to fight for health care for women, issued the following statement after the vote yesterday in the US Senate tabling the Blunt Amendment.

basic, preventative health care plan. Contraception not only helps men and women plan their families, it is also used to treat or prevent many health conditions affecting women,” said the coalition.

“We are very pleased that the Senate voted today to table the Blunt Amendment. It is a major victory for health care for women. But we are disappointed that Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey (D) and Pat Toomey (R)voted with the minority in support of the amendment today,” coalition members said in a statement. The amendment, offered by Sen. Roy Blunt, (RMo.), would have exempted any employer from paying to insure any health procedure for his employees that violated his religious principles.

“Attacking vital health care for women was bad enough. But the Blunt Amendment was also a broad attack on health-care reform. By allowing organizations a moral or religious exemption from providing health-insurance coverage for specific medical conditions or treatments, the Blunt Amendment would have undermined health-care reform for all of us. Organizations or employers that have conscientious objections to maternity care for unmarried women; or treatment for HIV / AIDS; to or mental-health care; or to transfusions or who believe that those who are overweight or smoke are morally responsible for any disease that afflicts them, would

“The Blunt Amendment was an attack on the right of women to receive contraception as part of a

have been able to exclude these services from their health insurance.”

“Freedom of religion has never been understood to give individuals or groups an exemption from general laws that serve the good of everyone. The dispute on the Blunt Amendment today was about health care and especially women’s health care, not freedom of religions. Thus while we are extremely pleased that the Amendment was defeated, we are disappointed that our Senators turned their backs on the women and men of Pennsylvania today.”

Members of this coalition are Kathy Black, Coalition of Labor Union Women; Janice Rael, Delaware Valley Americans United; Marc Stier, Health Care for America Now; Sari Stevens, Planned Parent PA Advocates; Kati Sipp, SEIU Healthcare PA.

• PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM

|

3

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Fattah, Nutter Join HUD Secretary At Penn Congressman Chaka Fattah (DPhila.) joined with Mayor Michael Nutter and two highranking Obama Administration officials for The White House Community Partnership Summit at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the Univer-

sity of Pennsylvania this morning. The Summit is focusing on strategies to aid borrowers and repair the housing market.

The Dept. of Housing & Urban Development and the General Services Administration is host-

ing the Summit that features HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and General Services Administration Administrator Martha Johnson. Donovan and Johnson will lead a discussion on a number of issues including key aspects of the President’s plan to

LIVE AUCTIONS EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 5PM (Preview 3PM) LIVE AUCTIONS EVERY SATURDAY AT 11AM (Preview 9AM) LIVE INTERNET AUCTION EVERY SATURDAY AT 4PM AT:

www.capitalautoauctions.com To Register & To Bid 3 BIG SALES WEEKLY

4|

PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM •

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD help responsible borrowers and heal the housing market. Contained in this proposal is a broad based refinancing plan to help responsible borrowers save an average of $3,000 a year, implementation of a “homeowners bill of rights,” and increasing incentives for modifications that help Americans rebuild equity in their homes.

ing plenary session at which the Congressman and the Mayor Nutter delivered remarks, followed by a set of open-space dialogs. Participants set the agenda and will identify action steps with officials throughout the afternoon. The open-space dialogues will facilitate in-depth discussions on topics from housing and health care to education to jobs and the economy.

The summit in Philadelphia is the second in a series of White House Community Partnership Summits that will provide an opportunity for senior Administration officials to discuss Administration policies with community leaders, small business owners and state and local elected officials across the country over the coming months.

The summit began with a morn-

Speaker Smith Sets Elections He Rues Pennsylvania House Speaker Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) released the following statement about scheduling special elections for vacant House seats, as he had been ordered to do by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court: “‘It can be of no weight to say that the courts, on the pretense of a repugnancy, may substitute their own pleasure to the constitutional intentions of the legislature. This might as well happen in the case of two contradictory statutes; or it might as well happen in every adjudication upon any single statute. The courts must declare the sense of the law; and if they should be disposed to exercise WILL instead of JUDGMENT, the consequence would equally be the substitution of their pleasure to that of the legislative body. The observa-

tion, if it prove any thing, would prove that there ought to be no judges distinct from that body.’

–Federalist Papers #78 Jun. 14, 1788 “The opinion by the majority of the court seems intent on creating a constitutional collision between two of the three constitutionally created coequal branches of government. Make no mistake, they are tipping the scales of power in their own favor.

“In establishing their position, the majority of the court has added new language to the Constitution without the authority to do so. They have ignored US Supreme Court rulings, as they ignored their own precedent in the recent reapportionment ruling. They also issued an order

that tramples state and federal law. Notably, they did all of this without briefs being issued and without listening to any oral arguments. It appears that their minds were made up before the complaint was verified.

“While the court rightly expresses concern for those citizens of the six districts that are currently vacant, it showed no concern for the thousands of voters deprived of equal representation, many of whom have special minority status under the Voting Rights Act, in its order on the reapportionment plan recently discarded by this same majority.

That decision requires elections to be held in districts that, based on the 2010 census numbers, are wildly and undeniably unconstitutional.

• PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM

|

5

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD “How the citizens’ rights to equal representation in these six districts outweighs the rights of Hispanic and Latino citizens and those citizens who currently live in legislative districts that are 20,000 to 30,000 people over the lowest populated districts is unexplained by this same majority of the court. The solution that was legally consistent, and made common sense, was clearly articulated in the dissenting opinion of Justice Saylor which, if endorsed by the majority of the court, would have avoided this crisis.

“Perhaps someday, the agenda of this activist majority will be unveiled. In the meantime, this order compromises the election process because candidates for these special elections will need to be selected and certified,

counties will need to set up for the special elections in an abbreviated time frame and those who vote by absentee ballot, especially military personnel serving overseas, will have their opportunity to vote placed in jeopardy.

must split municipal and county lines, yet this court chose to invalidate a ‘better’ map while pretending it can achieve the perfect map. That decision is what triggered the legal quandary we are now facing.

“This order is not a setback for Republicans, nor an advantage for Democrats for that matter, since it will not affect the overall makeup of the House. It is, however, a setback for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians because these elections should be called in districts that comply with the Constitution.

“That being said, and in the face of an over-reaching court, my refusal to call these six special elections will only insure a constitutional crisis not of my making. Therefore, in an attempt to avoid that crisis, I will issue the writs of election. However, let me be clear, the court’s majority has re-written the Constitution, ignored the clear intention of the law to exercise its own will and advanced its own veiled agenda at the expense of thousands of citizens of the Commonwealth.”

“Understanding that there are competing mandates in the Constitution, it is impossible to establish a perfect map. The more equal one makes the population of each district, the more one

Penna. Ranks High In Biz Expansions Gov. Tom Corbett announced yesterday a national publication has ranked Pennsylvania among the nation’s top states for new or expanded corporate facilities in 2011.

“I am committed to putting Pennsylvania back on track by creating a pro-business environment that encourages new investment and job growth,” said Corbett. “This new national 6|

recognition verifies we are moving in the right direction.”

Site Selection magazine, a publication specializing in the corporate real-estate and economic-development field, ranked Pennsylvania third in the nation with 453 new or expanded corporate facilities in 2011 – an increase of over 100 projects from 2010. The ranking is based on new corporate-loca-

PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM •

tion projects that met at least one of the following criteria: involved a capital investment of at least $1 million; created at least 50 new jobs or added at least 20,000 square feet of space.

Pennsylvania also received recognition for successful projects in metropolitan areas throughout the state. Pittsburgh ranked third in tier-one areas with a total of 141 projects.

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD Three Pennsylvania tier two metropolitan areas broke the top 10, including the Lehigh Valley with 28 projects, Harrisburg-Carlisle with 27 projects and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with 23 projects. Altoona, Johnstown and Williamsport all finished in the top 10 for tier-three areas.

“When government works with the private sector and our economic-development partners to support job-creating projects, the

economy grows,” Corbett said.

“Growth equals low unemployment, vibrant and prosperous communities and a commonwealth that is built to succeed for generations to come.”

decisions around the world. The magazine’s 2011 Governor’s Cup has recognized top-performing states for more than 30 years.

The rankings are considered a benchmark by corporate real-estate analysts.

Site Selection, the official publi-

cation of the Industrial Asset Management Council, is published six times annually and distributed to over 44,000 executives responsible for site selection and facility planning

For more information on the analysis, and the full list of rankings, please visit www.siteselection.com.

Brownlee Named Philly Law Chair State Rep. Michelle Brownlee (D-N. Phila.) has been named subcommittee chairwoman on first-class counties on the House Urban Affairs Committee for the remainder of the 2011-12 session.

The committee position will give Brownlee oversight on legislation directly affecting Philadelphia, the Commonwealth’s only first-class county.

“The committee process is the heart of the legislative process and where most of the work on bills is completed, so I am espe-

cially pleased to have been given greater influence over legislation for Philadelphia,” Brownlee said. “Our city is one of the largest in the nation, and has unique needs in education, social services, safety, tourism, and many other areas. This appointment will help me better represent the needs of my constituents and Philadelphia specifically.”

Earlier this month, Brownlee also was appointed to serve as the only Democratic freshman representative on the House Appropriations Committee.

Brownlee said the committee is critical in examining the scope of the Governor’s budget proposal and how it will affect people in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. Gov. Corbett announced his budget proposal on Feb. 7 and House budget hearings for the 2012-13 state budget will continue through March.

Brownlee also serves on the House Human Services, Children and Youth and Policy committees.

• PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM

|

7

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Parker Rakes Forced Ultrasound State Rep. Cherelle L. Parker (D-Northwest) said proposed legislation claiming to provide health information to women is “offensive, demeaning and completely unnecessary.”

Parker, who chairs the Philadelphia Delegation in the State House of Representatives, said HB 1077, purported to be the “Women’s Right to Know Act”, is “nothing of the kind. Its intent has nothing to do with the protection of women but has everything to do with the subjugation, degradation and control of

women in order to prevent them from making critical, intensely personal decisions about themselves and their families.”

HB 1077 would require all women seeking an abortion to be subjected to a mandatory transvaginal ultrasound at least 24 hours in advance. It requires the ultrasound screen to be aimed toward the woman’s face but “permits her to avert her eyes” and also requires that she deliver a print of the image to her physician in order to have the procedure.

“This is being promoted by people who otherwise decry the intrusion of government into personal matters,” Parker said.

“They have lost all sense of proportion on what is or is not intrusive.”

The Pennsylvania Medical Society and other medical organizations are opposed to HB 1077.

The bill could be considered by the full House as early as next month when it returns to session.

2 Goode Bills Stamped ‘Good’ By Council City Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr.’s “New Job Creation Tax Credit Bill” has been approved by City Council. 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.

8|

From the inception of the program in 2003 through the end of 2011, 109 businesses have applied to participate in the program; 81 firms were approved for participation in the program, promising the creation of 5,235 jobs. To date, 1,047 jobs have been verified as new job creation, resulting in the issuance of $1,661,890 in tax certificates, of which $1,526,408 has been claimed.

PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM •

City Council also approved Goode’s Economic Opportunity Review Committee Bill. The Economic Opportunity Review Committee will be established as an agency of Council. The Committee’s purpose shall be to review the implementation, effectiveness and enforcement of economic opportunity plans and to make recommendations to Council regarding the adoption of resolutions calling for debar-

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD ment of certain contractors concerning noncompliance. The Committee shall meet at least

quarterly. All meetings shall be open to the public. At each meeting, an opportunity shall be pro-

vided for public testimony on matters relating to economic opportunity plans.

Bank Helps UAC Teach Money Management

CITIZENS BANK Foundation presented a $50,000 grant to Urban Affairs Coalition to support its Community and Economic Development Department’s Financial Advancement Network Club program. FAN Club program offers workshops designed to teach people how to improve moneymanagement habits and pursue financial goals. Check presentation was held at Thurgood Marshall School. From left are Keith Arrington, school principal; Sharmain Matlock-Turner, executive director of Urban Affairs Coalition; Dan Fitzpatrick, president and CEO of Citizens Bank; and Bill Smith, senior VP of community investments for Citizens Bank.

• PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM

|

9

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

The Arc Celebrates Developmental Disabilities Awareness Yesterday marked the beginning of National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and The Arc of Philadelphia will be joining with individuals across the country to raise awareness about issues facing people with disabilities. Over the last 60 years, The Arc and its network of more than 700 chapters across the country have made tremendous progress in promoting and protecting the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is due greatly to the advocacy efforts of The Arc that President Ronald Reagan officially declared March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in 1987.

To celebrate this month, The Arc of Philadelphia will be hosting a series of events and activities in the community. Kicking off the month, the First Friday Dance Party, held tonight, is an opportunity for families, friends and neighbors to come together in a fun and festive way to connect with each other on the dance floor.

10 |

For the fourth straight year, 20 University of Georgia students will spend their Alternative Spring Break at the Arc of Philadelphia working one-onone with program participants and completing week long service projects. The Arc/PDDC Spring Art Exhibition, in collaboration with the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy, will be on display Mar. 5 through May 4 at City Hall celebrating the transformative power of the arts.

Finally, high-school volunteers from the local buildOn organization will spend the last Saturday in March participating in spring cleanup. The goal of these events is to promote and protect the rights of individuals with I/DD. Many individuals with I/DD live and work in our community and they are valued members the Philadelphia community.

“We have been dedicated to raising awareness about issues facing people with disabilities since 1948, and our longstanding com-

PHILADELPHIADAILYRECORD.COM •

mitment to programs and supports that promote independence, choice and inclusion remains constant,” said J. Bruce Hulick, executive director of The Arc of Philadelphia.

In this pivotal election year, The Arc of Philadelphia is joining national efforts to raise awareness about disability related policy on the campaign trail. In 2008, only 46% of people with I/DD who were eligible to vote actually did so. Together chapters of The Arc nationwide are working to improve voting rates in I/DD community for 2012 and educate candidates about the issues that matter most to the I/DD community. Individuals with disabilities have the right to vote, and the goal of the campaign is to encourage them not only to vote but to speak out about the topics that are important to them.

By supporting The Arc’s “We’ve Got The Power!” campaign, The Arc of Philadelphia is working to engage voters and candidates throughout Pennsylvania during the crucial months leading up to Election Day.