Vol. III No. 74 (438)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
April 23, 2012
Philadelphia Daily Record
Riding High
COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON hangs first new sign to pole along Woodland Avenue shopping district in S.W. Phila. on Saturday, crowning a successful campaign by Southwest CDC to spruce up area.
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Apr. 262012 Centennial Pk. Celebration honoring Joseph Manko, Ryan Howard and Vanguard at Phila. Horticultural Ctr., Montgomery Ave. & N. Horticultural Dr., 6 p.m. For tickets, etc. Arthur (215) 9889341. Apr. 26Black Tie Clover Club Dinner at Union League, 140 S. Broad St., starting 6:30 p.m. DA Seth Williams keynote speaker. Formal. Members seeking info call Clover Club Treasurer Mike Cibik (215) 735-1060 or sign on at www.cloverclub.org. Apr. 26Phila. Greens’ Presidential Caucus at Buzz Café, 1800 N. Howard St., 7 p.m. Free and open to all, but only registered Green voters may vote. For info (215) 2437103 or gpop@gpop.org.
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Apr. 26Committee to Re-Elect State Rep. John Taylor hosts Historical Site Cigar & Wine Tasting at Colonial Dames Of Phila., 1630 Latimer St. Tickets $250, $500, $1,000 and $2,500. For info (215) 5452244. Apr. 27Republican Women’s Luncheon at the Vesper Club at noon. No cost other than your lunch choice. To share ideas, thoughts, events that en-
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courage a more active role for women in the party. Call for reservations at (267) 246-6347 or email karenbrownmayor@yahoo.com. Apr. 28Rev. C.W. Gregory 1 Mile Walk & Mt. Zion 5K Walk/Run. Starting from Mt. Zion Baptist Ch., 50th & Woodland Ave., 8 a.m. For info Janice Bullock (215) 206-4627. Apr. 28Ducky Birts Foundation Health Fair, 12 m.-2 p.m. and Gospelrama, 2-5 p.m. at Zion Baptist Ch., 3600 N. Broad St. Sponsored by Keystone Mercy Health Plan. Apr. 28Bok Tech HS Reunion classes from 1970 to 1979 at Cannstatter Volksfest Verein, 9130 Academy Rd. Tickets $45. No ticket sales at door. Celebrating retirement of Tom DeFelice after 43 years of teaching and coaching. Former student Jeff Chandler will also be honored. For ticket info Eddie Everett (302) 561-1434. May 4Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Committee hosts annual Contest & Open House at Training Facility, 10401 Decatur Rd., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For info Director Charles T. Brock (215) 824-2300.
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Constitution Center Throws A Primary Party The National Constitution CenDesigned with the festive look ter is the place to be on Primary and feel of a political rally, the Day tomorrow as the Center Center’s Election HQ will excite throws a “Primary Palooza” party. and engage visitors with activities and programs about the ins and One game visitors can play is outs of the election process. “Address America: Your SixGuests can watch historical presWord Stump Speech”. Over the idential campaign ads, cast a vote years, presidential hopefuls have for their favorite presidential canspoken concise, memorable sixdidate in the Center’s gumball word phrases during stump poll, track primary results, create speeches delivered on the camcampaign buttons, register to paign trail. Using iPads, museum vote, and more! visitors will have the opportunity to share their ideas for our naA fun and unique way to get intion’s future via six-word stump formed before heading to the speeches. Entries will be pro- polls, visitors can experience the jected on displays in the Center’s Center’s brand new voting booth main exhibition, The Story of We exhibit – created in partnership the People. Six-word stump with fast-growing Internet startup speeches also can be submitted ElectNext. Like eHarmony for online beginning on Apr. 24 at ad- voters, the interactive technology dressamerica.constitutioncenter.or matches visitors to the presideng, where submissions will be dis- tial candidate who best aligns played in dynamic charts, maps with their views on key issues – and word clouds that reveal infor- and the results may be surprising! mation about election priorities Once matched with a candidate, across geography and party affil- visitors will have the opportunity iation. to cast a vote and watch as live re-
sults are displayed on a large screen in the exhibition. During the interactive “Can You Vote?” program, presented by the Center’s education staff, visitors will learn about the history of voting in America and how different groups fought to be included in this important civic responsibility. Participants in the popular “Hail to the Chief” trivia program will be quizzed about the most memorable elections in American history, including Thomas Jefferson vs. John Adams, George W. Bush vs. Al Gore, and more. Guests at the party can submit their best six-word stump speeches, play election-themed quizzo, watch the primary returns, and be the first to experience new election-themed exhibits from5:00 to 8:00 p.m. tomorrow at the National Center, 525 Arch Street, Independence Mall.
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Daily Waffles From Joe Sbaraglia (The Waffleman) WOODEN TROLLEY CARS- they creaked and groaned up and down the streets. Painted green and white they had a crew of two men: an operator and a conductor. The operator drove the trolley, stopping at designated locations. He opened the front doors, which unfolded. Wooden steps which extended out when
the doors opened, allowing the passengers to board. The passen¬gers had to pass the conductor, who was seated in the center of the car, to exit. The conductor collected your fare as you passed and operated the center doors allowing you to exit. You never exited from the front doors. These trolleys were dou-
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ble-ended. At the end of the line, the operator changed the ends of the car by lowering the trolley pole then in use and raising the other trolley pole. The operator then removed the operating crank from one end and moved it to the other end. There, he would operate the trolley car on its return trip to the other end of the line. The longest trolley route in the world, the #23, still originates in South Philadelphia. WOODSIDE PARK - was another great amusement park. Kids from South Philadelphia and elsewhere, went there for a day of thrills, games and junk food. Remember that gigantic wooden roller coaster? WOOT-IN-A- Would not have. For example: I woot-in-a done it like that. WUNST- Half of twice. For example: You are only allowed to do it wunst. X-RAY EYE GLASSESwere bought from a mail order coupon found in your comic book. I could never get my pair to work. How about you?
To buy a copy of this book E-Mail Dwaffleman@aol.com
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Education Voters Endorse Babette Josephs Education Voters Pennsylvania, the top public-education advocacy organization in the state, endorsed State Rep. Babette Josephs (D-S. Phila.) on Friday, praising her work with Gov. Ed Rendell to bring state funds to public schools. Education Voters PA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to informing the public about the needs and importance of our public schools, ensuring our political leaders adopt and implement a pro-public-education agenda, and holding those leaders accountable if they fail to do so. Education Voters PA has en-
dorsed less than a dozen State our economy and our communiHouse candidates in Pennsylvania ties,” said Education Voters PA thus far this year. Executive Director Susan Gobreski. “Rep. Josephs has fought “This is an organization that for strong public schools in her uncompromisingly serves the indistrict and for all children in the terests of the kids in our Commonwealth. We are so appreschools,” said Josephs. “Every ciative of having long-term champolitician talks about helping pions on these issues. Her support kids, but Education Voters PA has been important in getting looks at the record. It’s not more funding for schools during enough to talk the talk. They’ve the Rendell years and opposing endorsed me because I take action Gov. Corbett’s anti-publicand I don’t back down to the buleducation agenda and budget lies who are trying to dismantle cuts.” our public schools.” Public education is critical “to
Bishop Leads Cleanup On Lancaster Avenue State Rep. Louise Williams Avenue Cleanup, “Green” venBishop (D-W. Phila.) and other dors, and activities for children. dedicated constituents spent Sat“I was so excited to see so urday cleaning up their commumany people rally together to nity in honor of Earth Day. clean up our community,” Bishop Bishop, Lancaster Avenue Re- said. “I was especially pleased to vitalization Corporation, Green see children enjoying the day’s Eco and members of the Over- activities.” brook Arts Center hosted a dayGreen vendors provided attenlong event featuring the Lancaster dees with valuable information on
the benefits an eco-friendly lifestyle can have on the environment and one’s finances. “The day was a reminder that we must be kind to our environment so that generations to come can enjoy it,” Bishop acknowledged.
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Muhammad Asks AG To Investigate Roebuck In a letter dated Apr. 20, Kevin Greenberg, representing Fatimah Muhammad and her campaign for the 188th Legislative Dist., asks Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly and various leaders of the Pennsylvania House and Senate and Ethics Committees for an immediate investigation into the Friends of Jim Roebuck campaign.
Rep. Jim Roebuck and members of his staff that violate Pennsylvania law, including theft of services and misapplication of entrusted property and property of government or financial institutions.”
Several incidents are cited and include instances where official state literature was distributed at campaign events, state workers were seen working on or at camThe letter states, “The Muham- paign events, a reduction of state mad campaign has learned of an office hours in favor of campaign extended series of actions by State office hours, repeated use of a
state vehicle for campaign activity and issuing official press releases using state resources that list campaign workers as contacts. The letter concludes with a request that both the Attorney General and House Ethics Committee launch an immediate investigation into the improper use of state resources and that Speaker Smith and Leader Dermody direct Roebuck and his official state staff to cease all illegal activity.
Businesses Cry Victory Over Water Dept. Charges The Unified Business Owners Association, a collective group of Philadelphia non-residential property owners, has achieved yet another milestone in their fight to curb radical increases in stormwater fees imposed by the Philadelphia Water Dept.
to City Hall. The result: an invalidation of the independently sanctioned and sole authority of PWD in regards to their right to mandate water rates in the city of Philadelphia. Through City Council legislation, a bill was voted out of committee forcing a change to the home-rule charter that would Six members of the UBOA and create an independent ratemaking representatives from the Philadelbody to set PWD rates, therefore phia Water Dept. took their case 6|
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dismantling an inherent conflict of interest that has resulted since the 1950s. The original policy for taxing businesses on water usage based on the size of their land and how much it was impervious to drainage, a parcel-based system, has had devastating results on more than 1,000 businesses. Such operations have experienced as
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much as a 1,000% increase on their water bills due to new storm water runoff fees imposed by the PWD. The new tax, imposed as a fee, threatened to drive companies out of the city, which equates to fewer jobs and less spending in Philadelphia. These exorbitant increases in water fees inspired a group of local business owners in the city of Philadelphia to join forces and fight back. Recognizing the potentially devastating impact of this bill, UBOA Chairmen Stuart Parmet (American Box & Recycling Co.) and Co-Chairman Jeff Allen (Allen Brothers Wholesale Distribution) took action. After countless emails and phone calls to the City went unanswered, the two Philadelphia stalwarts rallied together to initiate a grassroots movement aimed at generating awareness. Recognizing the need for a united front, Parmet and Allen formed what is now recognized as an influential advocate for business rights in the city of Philadelphia, UBOA. Thanks to their efforts, hundreds of local business owners, representing over 10,000 jobs operating in the city of Philadelphia,
banded together to form a powerful organization. As a result, City Council passed legislation Thursday to take the power away from PWD to independently set rates for stormwater and water usage. Legislation that was introduced by freshman Councilman Bobby Henon initiates the process of ensuring rates are regulated like in every other city. No longer will PWD have the right to set costs independent of a rate-making body.
Allen added, “Anyone could see that a 1,000% increase in water billing was not only absurd, but such a financial imposition that it would drive business out of the city. With the help of City Council, we will now ensure this never happens again.” Parmet and Allen recognize that this fight has not been easy. “We’ve spent almost two years battling PWD, and our voices have been heard,” said Allen.
Following today’s ruling, both Parmet and Allen acknowledge the accomplishments of the UBOA would not have been possible without the support of some very influential members of Philadelphia’s political hierarchy. According to the UBOA CoChairmen, “Alan Butkovitz, City Controller, has been a strong supporter of our cause, and we owe him a great deal of gratitude.” The two were also quick to point out the efforts of Philadelphia City According to Co-Chairman Jeff Council, especially Councilman Allen, “The strength of this group Bobby Henon and President Darwas built on family business peo- rell Clarke. ple and industrial land owners, who employ the neighborhood working men and women of a city that we all take great pride in...” Stuart Parmet, Chairman of the UBOA, was elated following the ruling. “No agency, at this point in time, should be self-governing and feel they are above consequence and isolation,” Parmet said. “Through the concerted efforts of government officials, local business owners, and City Controller Alan Butkovitz, today’s ruling was a redeeming moment for the city in regards to its fairness and equality.”
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