|
|
|
"Patronage has its purpose," explains Inquirer-endorsed candidate for Sheriff
"Patronage has its purpose," says an Inquirer-endorsed candidate for (historically political) job of Philly sheriff.
"Patronage has its purpose," explains Inquirer-endorsed candidate for Sheriff
"Patronage has its purpose," says an Inquirer-endorsed candidate for the (historically political) job of Philly sheriff.
On April 24 — before a public debate (partly sponsored by Philly.com) had taken place, and well before candidates had submitted campaign finance reports — the Inquirer went ahead and endorsed State Rep. Jewell Williams for Sheriff.
Although the position is responsible for such seemingly normal city functions as transporting prisoners and overseeing sheriff's sales, it's been an independently elected position since the mid-1800s.
It's also a well-known bastion of patronage. And it's also been enmeshed in scandal after an audit by City Controller Alan Butkowitz found accounting ... problems.
Three candidates are running for the position: John Kromer, a former city housing director who has pledged to abolish the office if elected; state rep Williams; and Jacque Whaumbush, a former deputy sheriff.
Only one of them, however, was said to be "kind of a done deal" by the city's democratic machine; and only one of them recently told the Philadelphia Tribune that he supported hiring "exempt" employees who don't have to follow the rules (not not engaging in polictics) for other civil servants, and that "Patronge has its purpose," according to a write-up in the Tribune.
That would be Jewell Williams, the Inquirer's choice.
City Paper is not endorsing any candidates in this primary election — and we're sure that all three candidates bring valuable qualification to the table — but not, it seems, the ones the Inquirer itself has cited.
In the race for City Commissioners, after all, the Inquirer endorsed insurgents Stephanie Singer, Bernard Blair Talmadge and Al Schmidt, writing that its intent was not to support the incumbents and to "avoid candidates with the endorsement of local party bosses."
Similarly, its board editorialized against the re-election of Register of Wills Ronald Donatucci, calling him "The Prince of Patronage" and referred to a report by the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority calling for the elimination of that office — as well as the sheriff's — as independently elected positions.
By its own standards, it's hard to see why the Inquirer would endorse Williams, who was picked by party bosses, is comfortable with patronage, and who favors keeping the office elected. (The Daily News has endorsed John Kromer for the position).
Certainly all three candidates pledge to deliver reforms. But only Kromer (who also has a radical plan to revamp sheriff's sales) calls for what the Inquirer itself does — deep structural changes to the office.
Who do you endorse? Vote at CP's Ultimate Online Primary Poll. Don't know who's who? Check our Ultimate Primary Questionnaire!
- ActiVman
- adventures
- Arts
- Ask A Man-About-Town
- Award Tour
- Awards
- Bad Idea Factory
- Beer
- Below the Curve
- Bikes
- Booze
- Brian Hickey
- BRT
- Budget
- Budget Fuss
- Business
- Casinos
- City Council
- City Hall
- CouncilMANIC
- CP Abroad
- CP in the Community
- Criminal Justice System
- Day Tripper
- Death and Taxes
- Delaware River
- Design
- DROP
- Drugs
- Dubious Distinction
- Elections
- End of Days
- Environment
- Fashion
- Film Fest
- Financial Meltdown
- FrackTrack
- Free Library
- Gambling
- Gay Stuff
- Get Lit
- Greenstorming
- guns
- Hall Monitor
- Health
- Health Care
- Hello, Kitty
- Holidays
- Ice Cubes
- Iggles
- Immigration
- In Memoriam
- Labor
- Lawsuits
- Letters
- LGBTQ
- Maps
- Marcellus Shale
- Media
- MMA
- Mummers
- Music
- MUST READ
- Mysterious Mysteries
- Nation
- News
- Non Sequitur
- Opinion
- PA politics 2010
- Parking Wars
- Parks and Recreation
- People Send Us This Stuff
- Philadelphia Police
- Philadelphia Union
- Philaphemera
- Philly From Scratch
- philly madness
- Photos
- Poverty
- PPA
- President Obama
- Print Edition
- Prisons
- Protest
- Readers Write
- Real Estate
- Rock Bottom
- Schools
- Science
- Screwing Philly
- SEPTA
- snow
- So Lush
- Soccer
- Sporting Life
- Sports Complex
- State Politicians
- State Politics
- Street Art
- Strike
- Stuff We Like
- Taxes
- Taxi Drivers
- Tech Fetish
- television
- The Budget Crisis
- The City Paper
- The CLOG
- The Human Condition
- The Mayor
- The Phightin Phils
- The World
- Things that make you go hm
- Tinfoil Hats Off
- Under the Table
- Under the Tables
- Urban Development
- Urban Planning
- urban wildlife
- Video Poker
- We Call Shenanigans
- Weather
- Web Junk
- Weekend Omnibus
- White House
- What We've Found
- Women's Issues
- Flyered Up!
- How 'Bout That Weather?
- it's always sunny in philadelphia
- Stu!
- Shopping
- get out
- 10-track mind
- ArtsFlash
- Bloggity
- Bruce Being Bruce
- Colleges
- Comedy
- Gigantic Surprises
- Hello Canary
- Hello Puppy
- errata
- get lost
- Inside The Fishbowl
- Library Closings
- Local Support
- Movies
- Murder
- Night Moves
- Recycling
- radio
- Scientology
- Sex
- Sixers
- Skeeze Police
- State Politicians Screwing Philly
- That's a cool stencil!
- Theater
- Things We See
- This Week
- This Week in Oates
- University City
- WIN
- What we don't heart
- trailer!
- what we heart
- Feeling Guilty
- Askadelphia.
- Broke in Philly
- Contest
- Dance
- Dear Paper Doll
- Do A Good Thing
- Education
- Film Fest Schism
- G20-20 Vision
- Goodbye
- Gossip
- Great American Heroes
- PATCO
- Pearl Jam Week
- Puppy
- Stars of the Photostream
- sustainability
- Lower Merion Webcam-Gate
- The Cycle
- Equality Forum
- Bureaucrat of the Week
- Animals
- ElectionEar
- Photostream
