Category: Philadelphia

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Some wins and losses: update on SB862

  By Casinos, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

A little while ago the House adopted an amended version of SB 862 by a vote of 161-30. Some of the most objectionable features of SB 862 have been removed. Under the bill, the Gambling Control Commission will not be able to give away riparian rights to casinos and Philadelphia codes governing building, fire, water and sewer (but not smoking) will remain in force. The new zoning rules proposed in the Senate version of SB 862 have been eliminated. Instead, the Philadelphia zoning code as of the passage of Act 71 in July 2004 will remain in effect. The bad news is that the bill still preempts the city’s authority to revise and enforce zoning regulations. Continue reading

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Entering Las Vegas: The Disaster of SB 862

  By Casinos, Philadelphia

Those of us who care about the Delaware riverfront have been saying for years that we need a comprehensive plan for its development. After a long delay, Mayor Street recently created a good planning process for the Delaware Riverfront, that includes both community representatives and one of the best team of planning professionals in the city. However, that planning process may become moot because the future of the Delaware Riverfront may be determined in the next five legislative days in Harrisburg when Senate Bill 862 is considered by the House of Representatives. And it looks like the sponsors of SB 862 have had a plan for the waterfront all along, to recreate the Las Vega Strip on it. If we all act now, we can stop it. Continue reading

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Help stop SB862

  By Casinos, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Those of us who care about the Delaware riverfront have been saying for years that we need a comprehensive plan for its development. After a long delay, Mayor Street recently created a good planning process for the Delaware Riverfront, that includes both community representatives and one of the best team of planning professionals in the city. However, that planning process may become moot because the future of the Delaware Riverfront may be determined in the next five legislative days in Harrisburg when Senate Bill 862 is considered by the House of Representatives. And it looks like the sponsors of SB 862 have had a plan for the waterfront all along, to recreate the Las Vega Strip on it. If we all act now, we can stop it. Continue reading

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Progressives, Nutter, and Crime

  By Criminal Justice, Philadelphia, Progressive Politics, Urbanism

One of the themes of my political work over the last few years, and of my campaign for a council at large seat, has been that we Philadelphians have consistently failed to look outside the city limits to learn about innovative public policies adopted in other cities in the US and around the world. Some recent posts by progressive on crime—including Ray Murphy’s harsh critique of Michael Nutter’s crime proposals—show that this is a problem of the left as much as the right. Continue reading

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Community Based Economic Development Strategies II

  By Economic Development, Philadelphia, Social Justice, Taxation

In the first post in this series I argued that we need an economic development strategy that no only creates middle and upper incomes jobs for educated workers but that leads to a rebirth of troubled communities. In this post I want to point out some of the key differences between what I will call a community based economic development strategy and a tax cutting economic development strategy. Continue reading

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Individuals and systems in Philadelphia politics

  By Philadelphia, Progressive Politics, Ward politics

Some people who read my entry praising Bob Brady wondered whether I was giving up on my efforts to change politics in Philadelphia. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is important to distinguish between individuals and political systems. As I pointed out, many of us who met with Congressman Brady were impressed with him. (I met him a few years ago and have been talking to him from time to time since the Neighborhood Networks organizing conference, so I’ve been impressed for a while.) But that doesn’t mean I’m impressed with the Democratic Party he chairs or the government that is controlled by members of the Democratic Party. I begin my campaign speeches by saying that politics in Philadelphia is broken. I’m not going to stop saying that just because I happen to like Congressman Brady. And I’m not afraid to say that at ward meetings. There is… Continue reading

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Community Based Economic Development Strategies I

  By Economic Development, Philadelphia, Social Justice, Taxation

I have been writing here, and talking on the campaign trail, about developing a “community based economic development strategy.” I want to explain in a little detail what I mean by that phrase and why it is different from, though perhaps partly complementary to, other strategies for economic growth, such as the tax cutting strategy. Continue reading

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Our breakfast with Congressman Brady

  By Philadelphia, Progressive Politics, Ward politics

News that a group of progressive activists (and some bloggers) from Neighborhood Networks, Philly for Change, the African American Heritage Coalition, the Latino community and Philadelphians Against Santorum, met with Congressman Bob Brady on Friday is beginning to appear on some blogs. I considered the meeting off the record, so I’m not going to report on it in detail. But I do think I can give my general impressions of the meeting without violating any confidences, on either side. The first thing to be said is that, in a different kind of setting, Congressman Brady’s performance would have received a standing ovation. Over the last few years I have met most of the leading politicians in the city. There are politicians in this city who can give a better speech, politicians who are better organizers of issue movements, and politicians who have more visionary ideas about public policy. But there… Continue reading

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I'm in

  By A political memoir, About me, My 2007 Campaign, Philadelphia

My absence from the blogosphere has been noticed far and wide—my mother called me the other day to ask if I’m feeling well. Actually I’ve been surprised by how many people have asked me about what happened to my blog in the last few weeks. The explanation is quite simple. After I got back from a brief vacation at the end of August, and got my classes rolling at Temple, I was first distracted from the blog by the effort to get Neighborhood Defense.org off the ground. And then, I did some speaking on public transit issues both in general, and as they affect the proposed casinos. I’ll be blogging about this very soon. But the main distraction is my nascent campaign for City Council. Continue reading

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Take action to repeal Act 193

  By Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Urbanism, Zoning

About two months ago I blogged about Act 193. Now is the time to take action to repeal it. Act 193 threatens the rights of Philadelphia community groups to protect our neighborhoods from harmful development. Community associations—and city-wide groups like SCRUB and the Preservation Alliance—rely on zoning to prevent bad development that undermines our quality of life. We fight zoning variances that would allow new developments that is out of character with our communities. And, if we lose at the Zoning Board of Adjustment, we appeal their decisions to the courts and win there. Continue reading