Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. III No. 41 (409)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

March 5, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

ALOHA!

OUR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Bonnie Squires and Nicholas DeBenedictis, CEO of Aqua America, admire the 30-foot waterfall at one major exhibit at this year’s Hawaiian-themed Phila. Flower Show opening. Flower Show runs through Sunday, Mar. 11, and expects close to 300,000 visitors this year. More pictures page 3.

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Mar. 5Reception honoring Council President Darrell Clarke hosted by John J. Dougherty and Charles M. Gibbs, Esq., at Route 6, 600 N. Broad St., 5:30-7:30 p.m. For info RSVP Marita (215)-410-9200.

gan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden Sts., 5-7 p.m. Contribution: $35 for committeepersons and Young Democrats, $100 Friend and $250 Sponsor. RSVP Aliyah (484) 557-3758 or afurman@bobcasey.com.

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. 5- Councilman Bob Henon hosts Public Safety Forum at Mayfair Community Ctr., Souder St. & Longshore Ave., 7-10 p.m. For info Lisa Deeley (215) 686Council 3444.Mar. 7of Spanish Speaking Organizations, Inc. (Concilio) will host Homeownership and Financial Literacy Workshop at Concilio Ballroom, 705 N. Franklin St., 5-8 p.m.

Mar. 9, 23, 30Earlymorning workout exercise sessions with State Sen. Vincent Hughes at Salvation Army, 4200 Wissahickon Ave., 5:30 to 6:30 a.m Call (215) 879-7777.

Mar. 8Hon. Ron Donatucci honored as Public Servant of Year at Waterfall Rm., Snyder Ave. & Water Sts. Ticket $50. Open bar, buffet. For info John David (215) 755-2000, (267) 2596654.

Mar. 9US Sen. Bob Casey hosts 4th annual St. Patrick’s Toast at Finni-

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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.

Mar. 10Green Night Out features Prof. Heather Thompson discussing “Why Mass Incarceration Matters” at Singapore Restaurant, 1006 Race St., 7 p.m. Kosher Chinese food. Attendance $25. Open to public. RSVP (space is limited) (215) 243-7103 or gpop@gpop.org.

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.

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VIPs Check Out The Lei Of The Land PHILA. International Flower Show, with its Hawaii theme this year, attracted 2,500 patrons and sponsors to VIP preview reception and dinner Saturday night. Seen here are, from left, Dr. David Schwartz and his wife Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, with former Penna. Treasurer Robin Wiessman and her husband Ken Jarin, Esq. Photos: Bonnie Squires

JIM BROWN, 2nd from right, Chief of Staff for Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr., and his wife Lynne joked about being seen with their friends the Whites.

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FRANKLIN INSTITUTE’S CEO Denis Wint and his wife Ann like to support all other cultural attractions in town.

Wint is gearing up for his upcoming Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit.

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JOHN SALER, of Stradley Ronon, and his wife Christina, join attorney Maria Wing and her husband Albert J. Motley, Jr. Salers cochaired Academy Ball recently, so they were “just” sponsors of Flower Show Preview Party.

Casey Finds Business Chances Fighting IEDs US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) cohosted a workshop this morning to help Pennsylvania companies benefit from opportunities to protect US troops from roadside bombs, the largest killer of troops in Afghanistan.

Casey, a Senate leader in the effort to combat roadside bombs, or Improvised Explosive Devices, will partner with Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, to give Pennsylvania companies an

overview of business opportunities associated with the effort to protect US troops from IEDs. The workshop was held at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Old City.

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Toomey Opposes Containment For Iran US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) cosponsored a bipartisan resolution (S. Res. 380) expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of preventing the Iranian government from acquiring nuclear weapons capability.

Sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the resolution strongly rejects any policy that fails to prevent the Iranian government from acquiring a nuclear-weapons capability and settles for future efforts to “con-

tain” a nuclear weapons-capable Iran. It urges President Obama to reaffirm the unacceptability of an Iran with nuclear-weapons capability and to oppose any policy that would rely on containment as an option in response to the Iranian nuclear threat.

The measure calls for continued and increasing economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran until it agrees to the full and sustained suspension of all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, complete cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency on all outstanding questions related to its nuclear activities including implementation of the Nu-

clear Non-Proliferation Treaty Additional Protocol, and the verified end of its ballistic missile programs.

“Make no mistake: Iran is determined to acquire nuclear weapons and will not be deterred by hollow warnings,” Toomey said. “We need to make it clear to the Iranian regime that we are committed to ensuring it ceases its enrichment and reprocessing activities. A nuclear-armed Iran is an unacceptable proposition, and, as President Obama said in his State of the Union address, ‘all options must remain on the table’ when it comes to stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”

Josephs: Pa. Needs Marriage Equality Act State Rep. Babette Josephs (D-S. Phila.) said it is time for Pennsylvania to stop being outsmarted and outnumbered by its border and northern states when it comes to marriage equality.

Josephs said with Maryland now joining New York in extending marriage equality to all of its citizens, and New Jersey not far behind, it is time for the House to take up her legislation (H. 1835) that would put same-sex relationships on par with heterosexual couples in Pennsylvania by 6|

allowing them to marry here, as well as recognize their marriages performed in other states.

“Pennsylvania may soon be known as the island of inequality and insufficiency if we don’t start recognizing what other states are doing to improve the lives of their citizens,” Josephs said. “The time has come for Pennsylvania to join its neighbors and shed itself of the backward and bigoted view that marriage should be limited to heterosexual couples. Loving in-

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dividuals desiring to marry their life’s partner, regardless of their gender, should be celebrated and encouraged, rather than discriminated against.”

Maryland became the 10th state to allow same-sex marriage when Gov. Martin O’Malley signed that legislature’s bill into law on Thursday. With that inclusion, Josephs said, Maryland will see a boost to its economy, from increased state and local sales-tax collections and marriage-license fees, to additional

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD hotel occupancy-tax revenue in the state.

New York extended marriage to same-sex couples in July. According to the Independent Democratic Conference of the New York State Senate, the state expects to see as much as $391 million in increased economic activity in the first three years of the law.

“I think that’s a pretty enticing figure for any entrepreneur looking to start a business to choose Maryland, New York, and even Delaware and New Jersey where civil unions are recognized, over Pennsylvania, especially when Pennsylvania also continues its antiquated approach to a host of social issues,” Josephs said.

“When a stagnant economy and the Commonwealth’s lack of willingness to protect and support all of our citizens are combined with this year’s

devastating cuts to Pennsylvania’s most-basic needs, including education, health care and human services, our reputation only worsens. We need to reverse this sad decline and work to restore Pennsylvania’s rightful place as a state that is both in time with the modern world and the current century.”

Josephs’ bill remains stuck in the House Judiciary Committee.

That committee’s Majority Chair, Darryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), is a staunch social conservative.

At Thursday’s City Council session, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown introduced a resolution in support of HB 1828.

The bill seeks to add domestic partners to the list of relatives who are currently exempt from paying state inheritance taxes.

Currently, property jointly

owned between husband and wife is exempt from state inheritance tax and couples who are not registered as civil partners upon death must pay a full 15% state inheritance tax. HB 1828 specifically proposes that surviving domestic partners would pay zero percent for estates transferred upon the passing of their loved one.

“While City Council does not have a vote in Harrisburg, we do have the power of our collective voice as a legislative body representing 1.5 million Pennsylvanians. We have learned from past experience that when we put our support on record, whether people agree or not, they do pay attention,” said the Councilwoman. “We hope that advocacy organizations can use this as a tool to start a dialogue in municipalities across the state.”

The resolution passed unanimously.

K. Boyle Shoots For Dozen Union Endorsements Democratic incumbent State Rep. Kevin J. Boyle (D-Northeast) is proud to already be the endorsed candidate of nearly a dozen unions for the 172nd House Dist. This is just the initial round of union endorse-

ments. Boyle expects to be the choice of many other unions and other Democratic interest groups.

support Boyle: Sprinkler Fitters 692, Plumbers 690, Steam Fitters 420, Bricklayers 1, Boilermakers 13, District Council 47, IBEW Local 98, Roofers 30, and the Sheet Metal Workers.

The following unions officially

Boyle commented on his support

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD by saying, “I am grateful to labor for their support. I have never shied away for my support for them. The American middle

class exists because of the strength and resolve of organized labor. I strenuously oppose any effort to weaken unions because

I know that the end result is a poorer middle class American.”

Off The Air….

AFTER DISCUSSING discussing serious subjects on air, taking time for some light banter are, from left, E. Steven Collins, Radio One director of urban marketing and external communications; Comcast Newsmakers Host Jill Horner; and State Rep. Jim Roebuck, Democratic chair of the House Education Committee. They were all at Comcast Columbus Boulevard television studio.

Photo: Bonnie Squires

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