|
|
|
ElectionEar
Today, Republican at-large candidate Malcolm Lazin is protesting outside of the School District's headquarters — marking his third protest in two months. He's calling for Superintendent Arlene Ackerman to resign.
For those following the race, you know this isn't the first time Lazin has staged a protest. In March, he protested outside of Councilman Frank Rizzo's office to rally for him to release his DROP application. This month, Lazin protested outside of Rizzo's office again, this time to call on District Attorney Seth Williams to investigate Rizzo's DROP application.
DROP and Ackerman have been widely critized during this election season — by both Republicans and Democrats, City Commissioner and at-large candidates, and hopefuls in the 1st, 2nd and 8th Council Districts, and elsewhere. So what makes Lazin different?
Not too much, really. But by making a very visible statement about these issues, Lazin has positioned himself as the most extreme at-large candidate against DROP and Ackerman — even if his views aren't all that extreme by themselves. Interestingly, this tactic has been used elsewhere — in a recent forum featuring 1st Council District candidates, Vern Anastasio said he was the only candidate to organize against SugarHouse as an activist — and the only one truly against DROP (except for police and firefighters).
His opponents, however, disagreed.
Check the ElectionEar for your election newsy needs. Have election tips to share? Get at electionear@citypaper.net.
A few hours ago, a rare tweet appeared on behalf of Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez promising a "surprise" and a "special guest" at an event on her behalf in Kensington tonight. Sanchez is facing a tough challege from ward leader Dan Savage, whom she defeated in 2007.
Just now, her re-election campaign confirmed that the guest of honor will be Mayor Nutter, who until now had not publicly picked sides in the 7th Council District race.
The campaign spokesman said that Congressman Chaka Fattah will appear tonight as well.
Check the ElectionEar for your election newsy needs.
The City of Philadelphia's Office of Information Technology, Technically Philly, WHYY, Azavea, NPowerPA, and launched today OpenPhillyData.org, a new website, designed by Azavea, that's full of city data — at least some of it made public for the first time. (Much, it should be said, simply links to data previously available; Philadox, the city's powerful real estate records search tool, is listed, for example — but remains a pay-only service).
Anyway, it's all part of Philly Tech Week, which ...
[ElectionEar note: ... which At-large Councilman Bill Green has made much to do about as he runs for re-election. Green recently sponsored a resolution recognizing Philly Tech Week and has been tweeting today's event like a madman (well, like a Councilman, anyway). ... ]
The idea is that more data x more public = more good. But data doesn't arrange itself into bad-ass charts and maps — nerds like you and I still have to do the dirty work, gentle reader.
Therefore we propose a challenge: Do something with the city data, submit it to us, and we'll try and get it online.
One note: whatever this new data does do, it doesn't allow for a simple way to search for property by owner, instead of by address — just like the Office of Property Assessment's website doesn't.
No, Hallwatch, the blog maintained by good government crusader Ed Goppelt, used to do that — but now it's gone. Is there a massive conspiracy to keep us from knowing who owns what? We're just not sure.
True, Philly Clout beat us to reporting a strange moment in last night's 7th City Council District debate between incumbent Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and challenger Dan Savage, a ward leader who briefly occupied the Council seat after former Councilman Rick Mariano went to jail for bribery.
But ElectionEar got it on video.
While answering a question about crime and drugs in the district — a major problem — Savage began to sing the praises of former mayor John Street, while appearing to blame present crime on "a relationship between [Sanchez] and the current mayor," who he says has presided over a "weaker" anti-drug policy.
"Under Mayor Street, those people were put in jail" said Savage to some applause, mostly from black audience members supporting him.
The 7th District is incredibly diverse, and Councilwoman Sanchez is popular among Hispanic voters but appears to have more opposition from black and white voters. It's a safe bet that Savage knew his remarks on John Street would appeal to black residents.
Then, Daily News editor Gar Joseph asked the audience whether they would vote for John Street for Councilman At-Large, a position which he could run for, having recently declared himself an Independent. While this drew some boisterous applause, I think the Daily News is a bit off when they describe "a hearty round of applause" from the audience. I noted a hearty cheer from a small portion of the audience. The older white folks near me, among others, remained noticeably silent.
In the second video, Savage and Sanchez debate small business policy — in particular, a bill introduced by Councilwoman Sanchez and Councilman Bill Green that would have shifted the Business Privilege Tax burden from net income, which out-of-city businesses don't have to pay, to "gross receipts" or total sales — which they do. The bill would have exempted the first $100,000 of gross receipts as well and would have completed eliminated business taxes for at least 30,000 businesses according to figures from the administration, which opposed it. The bill did not pass committee.
Like our coverage? Use this handy link to read more from the ElectionEar
Crime, Drugs, and John Street:
Small business policy:
Over 60 people packed into Mt Zion church in Point Breeze to hear a public debate between the 2nd City Council district hopefuls (the 2nd is currently represented by Anna Verna, who is retiring): Tracy Gordon, Kenyatta Johnson, Barbara Capozzi, and Damon Roberts answered a line of questioning prepared by various point breeze community organizations including the Point Breezew Pioneers and South Philadelphia H.O.M.E.S.
Candidates rattled off answers to concerns about everything from the environmental impacts of fracking to air impacts form the local Sunoco refinery — but budget cuts and grant funded projects were hot topics.
Environment
State Representative Kenyatta Johnson noted that he just signed a bill to stop fracking in Pennsylvania calling it an issue "that's really going to contaminate the water that we drink."
Gordon wants to meet with Sunoco officials, and CSX the railroad company about garbage and pollution on their tracks. "They say their in the transportation business, not the trash business." She also wants to address what she calls 'psychological environmental issues' she says, "those vacant houses and lots? They're brownfields for the kids psyche that we gotta walk by these dirty houses abandoned for years and years."
Roberts called lakes at FDR park a disgrace, "There used to be a time when you could swim and roll and do all kinds of different things there, now you don't even want to put your pinky finger into the lakes because it's just so dirty," he said taking a jab at Capozzi, who was the secretary of that committee. "Well you might need to do a better job next time."
Undaunted, Capozzi said that in 2005, her neighborhood successfully forced out a car crushing business that was oozing toxins everyday. "I lead that coalition," she said.
Budgets and government
Gordon said she is ready to shake up local government. She wants to ask for funding from the baseball stadiums, saying the owners are "making billions of dollars in our councilmanic district." She asked the audience, "where is it trickling down?"
"Show me the money" she added with regard to Kenneth Gamble's recently being awarded $31 million for revitalization of Point Breeze. "He needs to be having meetings so we can plan this neighborhood together," she said.
Damon Roberts stood up about budget cuts and boasted, "I'm the only candidate sitting here that fought for the pools to stay open." Both Gordon and Capozzi chimed in "Not True."
"I was at the forefront of the coalition to save the libraries and the pools," Roberts said.
Capozzi said she wants to see City government to start using facebook and twitter to communicate with citizens instead of flyers which can be a waste of money and paper. "We need to tell people what's going on, especially if there isn't much going on so then they can complain about it."
Neighborhood revitalization
"Nobody wants to come to point breeze if people are selling dope on the corner." said state representative, Kenyatta Johnson. He wants to bring in money from the state for small businesses and increase police patrols.
"I don't believe in teddy bears, not guns. I believe in jobs not guns," said Gordon. She wants to target big business players in Philadelphia and have them contribute more to neighborhoods and hire locally.
Gordon, a block captain, also complained about politicians asking block captains' help to elected and then neglecting them. "When its time to pass out flyers and its time for us to volunteer, we're the first ones they call," she said. "But when its time to hire we see all these prissy people around them. And they're getting these six figures and such."
When asked about state and local funding for Community Development Corporations, some candidates were fired up.
Johnson said the money should be equally funded between all community groups and wants to bring back as much money as he can.
But Gordon said some CDC's should be eliminated. "I really don't see how some of these CDC's have really been effective."
She cited organizations that she said had been shaving off public funds for their own economic gain, like Germantown Settlement in Northwest Philadelphia. "It was one of the most horrendous acts done in Philadelphia in it's history," she said.
Roberts agreed, "We need to see which CDC's are working for the community, not funded because of their political connections.
The 7th City Council District isn't just gerrymandered (intentionally carved into an odd shape to include or exclude certain voters) — it's super-gerrymandered.
Encompassing parts of Kensington and Eastern North Philly, then mysteriously narrowing to the width of (literally) as little as a couple of blocks in some places, it eventually winds its way up to parts of to the diverse neighborhood of Frankford. It's worth nothing that the 7th and other abutting districts have been carved up in such a way as to prevent the city's large and growing Hispanic community in North Philly from voting as a bloc.
The district is extremely diverse — not just racially (though it is racially diverse, encompassing white, black, and Hispanic neighborhoods), but also economically.
It is a very difficult district to represent — and, last night, it showed. Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez is fighting for her political life against challenger Dan Savage, a Frankford ward leader who briefly inherited the seat after former Councilman Rick Mariano went to prison on bribery charges. Savage ran to take the seat, but was defeated by Quinones-Sanchez, who is now the only Hispanic representative on Council.
The contest is white hot and bitter. In a church on Tioga Avenue & B Street last night, supporters loudly applauded their candidate and (especially on the part of Savage supporters) jeered at the opponent.
While the event was framed as a debate, this race (as is true of most, if not all, of the races in the upcoming primary) is less a contest between different plans and policy positions than between greater, deeper forces. This is a battle of neighborhoods, demographics, and politics.
Neighborhoods and demographics: Savage can win only with a strong vote from Frankford, — especially white voters who live there, (although last night saw a smaller contingent of black residents supporting him.) Some of the Frankford residents who showed up to support Savage last night said that Sanchez has neglected their neighborhood — "None of the people I spoke to even know her," said Tony Peron, a committeeman volunteering for Savage's campaign.
Quinones-Sanchez, on the other hand, can win only with a strong showing from the district's large Hispanic population, especially in Kensington and the Centro de Oro section of North Philly. Most of her vocal supporters last night were Hispanic, and applauded her with visible passion.
Vivian Ortiz, a Quinones-Sanchez supporter whose father lives in the Norris Square neighborhood said that she saw Sanchez doing a lot for that neighborhood and didn't appreciate Savage's many attacks on Sanchez. "I am not a person for negativism," she told CP. " [Savage] persuaded me that I will not support him."
Politics: Politically, the fix is in. Quinones-Sanchez is not being supported by ward leaders (very unusual for an incumbent) or by other power brokers, like State Rep. Angel Cruz. Philadelphia is a city dominated by machine politics, and the machistrene has decided not to support Quinones-Sanchez. Why is unclear.
The issues: As in any district, but especially in this one, crime ad drugs are a major issue. Savage attacked Sanchez last night on the issue, saying the latter hadn't done enough to improve crime. "The 7th District is number one in narcotics ... there has been no reduction, it's still number one."
Sanchez touted her work with police on various community policing initiatives, including a pilot program called Philly Rising and an increased police presence York St.: "We reduced crime in that area and didn't have a shooting in almost 18 months," she said to applause.
Savage also blamed the continued high crime in the district on Sanchez' relationship with Mayor Nutter, saying that things were better under former mayor John Street — a line that won him some applause, especially among black audience members. [Watch the video here]
Savage also attacked Sanchez on her (and Councilman Bill Green's) efforts to change the Business Privilege tax. Sanchez' bill would have shifted the tax burden from income to "gross receipts," or sales, exempting the first $100,000 of business — a tax which would have increased the tax burden on large, out-of-state corporations which do not pay income tax, and helped small businesses — all points which Savage disputed, calling her bill a "job killer."
View galleryLarry Mendte moderating, Republicans admitting they voted for Obama and support collective bargaining, a controversial mayoral candidate not showing up, Councilman Frank Rizzo leaving (very) early — last night's GOP candidates debate was a ball!
Seriously, folks — I'm looking at you, gentle, but skeptical Dems — it was fascinating.
Let's break down the event's highlights, shall we?
Controversial No-Shows: The biggest news of the night were the two "no-shows": Rizzo briefly introduced himself and then left, citing other obligations. He's been in the hot seat recently for being enrolled in DROP — and his own party has failed to endorse him. But who really came under fire for skipping the debate? The controversial Karen Brown, a mayoral candidate who's caught flack from some Republicans because she was a longtime Democrat (and ran for office as a Dem this year), then switched parties, and yet won the support of the Republican City Committee.
Host Kevin Kelly was none too pleased about Brown not showing up. He said she "has no business running for mayor." Lots of people called her a "coward" throughout the night. Rizzo, meanwhile, was frequently the butt of jokes: When it came time for the candidates to ask each other questions, At-large hopeful Steve Odabashian quipped, "I had a question prepared for Councilman Rizzo!" The crowd then burst into laughter. Mendte, the fiesty moderator, said his first question to Rizzo was going to be about the meaning of the word "irrevocable." And At-large candidate Malcolm Lazin boasted about protesting outside Rizzo's office.
Republicans for Obama?: At-large candidates David Oh and Odabashian said they voted for Barack Obama. Michael Untermeyer said he wasn't comfortable saying who he voted for in the presidential election.
Republicans for collective bargaining?: A few At-large candidates said they supported collective bargaining. But for some reason, Oh seemed to get the most heat for it. Mendte, referring the campaign donations Oh has received from unions, asked him, "Which came first — the chicken or the egg?" Kelly, meanwhile, said the problem was that politicians take campaign money from unions and then sit down to negotiate with them on behalf of voters. "If you don't understand that," said Kelly, "that's a real problem!"
Republican candidate admits he's got no chance: GOP mayoral candidate John Featherman conceded that he can't win, save for "an act of God." That didn't go over well.
Dissing on Ramsey: The At-large candidates were split on whether it's a good thing that Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey is staying in the city. Only one candidate there — Denny O'Brien — said he supported Ramsey's $60,000 raise.
The Pledge of Allegiance, Arlene Ackerman and other interesting tidbits: At the start of the debate, the audience rose to pledge allegiance. ... Superintendent Arlene Ackerman was a hot topic, and there was lots of support for booting her. ... O'Brien positioned himself as an education candidate throughout the night, even voicing concern over Gov. Tom Corbett's education cuts. ... Featherman said he'd cut the ethics department to save money, noting that it is "not enforcing much of anything." He also called L&I "corrupt." ... An audience member criticized At-large candidates Elmer Money and Untermeyer for saying they'd back Bill Green for Council president. ... Odabashian, perhaps recalling the words of Christine O'Donnell, said he was running because he's "one of you."
Still hungry for more? I live-tweeted the event — @hollyotterbein.
This article is part of our new, expanded coverage of this year's exciting election season. Grab this link for more "ElectionEar" pieces and look for the new column in our print edition.
Yes, CP's own @hollyotterbein is live-tweeting the City Council At-Large Republican forum. Check her out and check in tomorrow for more.
And lest you be tempted to sit this one out, gentle Democrat reader, we'd point out that Philly's republican races are downright fascinating this year.
Andrew Lofton (running for the 8th Council District seat), Tracey Gordon (2nd Council seat), Mike Jones (At-Large), Warren Bloom (City Commissioner) and Lewis Harris (Traffic Court) are all against the city's new campaign finance law — because of its timing, they say.
The candidates put out a press release this morning, in which they say they support the Mayor and City Council for passing the bill, which closes a loophole that allowed PACs to make several contributions to one candidate. But they argue the timing is "an example of abuse of power and conflict of interest," says the release.
They are asking Council to consider repealing the law until after November's election.
This article is part of our new, expanded coverage of this year's exciting election season. Grab this link for more "ElectionEar" pieces and look for the new column in our print edition.
Last week, City Paper attended (and live tweeted!) a 1st Council District forum in South Philly.
It was quite a South Philly affair: It mostly consisted of white (and all-male) South Philadelphian candidates talking to white, South Philadelphian residents. The four candidates vying for the seat now occupied by Councilman Frank DiCicco are Mark Squilla (from the Whitman neighborhood), Jeff Hornstein (Queen Village), Vern Anastasio (Bella Vista) and Joe Grace (the only odd one out, from Port Richmond).
Squilla even attended high school in the very place the forum was being held: Neumann-Goretti.
The big issues at the forum were casinos, waterfront development, trash and Superintendent Arlene Ackerman.
Hornstein called SugarHouse "awful." Grace said he was against a second casino and the expansion of SugarHouse. Anastasio claimed he was the only 1st candidate who fought as a community organizer against SugarHouse, but later, Squilla said he did too.
Trash was a topic that kept coming up throughout the debate: Squilla called dog poop that's not cleaned up a "big issue!" Anastasio argued that his civic organization funded litter cleanup, and the city should follow suit.
Several candidates also spoke out against Ackerman. Anastasio said she ought to step down, and Grace called the Philadelphia School District's leadership "authoritarian."
Unsurprisingly, some candidates tried to make DROP a big issue — even though no 1st candidate is enrolled in DROP.
Anastasio claimed to be the only first candidate completely against DROP (except for firefighters and police). However, earlier in the race — when DiCicco was still running — Grace positioned himself as the anti-DROP candidate.
At the forum, Grace acknowledged that the four candidates agreed on a number of things, and indeed, there's been speculation that they aren't dissimiliar enough. So the question is: What is this battle about, exactly? Not race. Since all the candidates are white, it's hard to say which, if any, will attract minority voters.
Is it a battle between neighborhoods? Perhaps. Squilla is president of the Whitman Council; Hornstein has a following in Queen Village and NoLibs; and Anastasio is founder and president of the Bella Vista United Civic Association. Grace, meanwhile, can lay claim to being the only candidate not from South Philly, in a district that encompasses everything from Chinatown to NoLibs to parts of Center City.
Or is it a battle that pits political insiders against newcomers? Yesterday, Mayor Michael Nutter endorsed Squilla. Grace was a city spokesman under former Mayor John Street. Anastasio, on the other hand, has painted himself as an outsider and a community organizer — on his Facebook, he's called longtime politicians "hacks of the past." And Hornstein has positioned himself as a man of the people, too: He was an organizer for the Service Employees International Union.
Later today, look out for Isaiah Thompson's report on the 2nd Council District forum, which took place a few blocks away from the 1st.
This article is part of our new, expanded coverage of this year's exciting election season. Grab this link for more "ElectionEar" pieces and look for the new column in our print edition.
- 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
