Middle income people, both black and white, are now interested in moving into (or back into) the city especially in neighborhoods near Center City. There is enormous potential in that movement. But there is enormous danger as well. Continue reading
I have seen the future of progressive politics in Philadelphia and her name is Cherelle Parker Cherelle won a special election for State Representative in the 200th district in September. Come see her tonight (Thursday, February 9) at her reelection campaign kick-off at 7:00 pm at Lakey’s Restaurant, 8215 Stenton Ave, Philadelphia, PA. Continue reading
The Budd Company site, at the corner of Wissahickon and Hunting Park Avenues, is one of four potential sites in the city for a gambling casino. Residents from the immediately adjoining neighborhoods, Nicetown and East Falls, have joined together to oppose gambling at this location. I believe that residents and community associations throughout the Northwest ought to join our neighbors in this fight. Continue reading
Thank You Councilwoman Marian Tasco It is time to ban smoking in restaurants and bars in Philadelphia. The health consequences for both patrons and staff are well-documented. And there is a better chance for this to happen soon, now that Marian Tasco has introduced smoking-ban legislation to Council. Councilwoman Tasco’s relationship with Mayor Street is not much more warm and fuzzy than Councilman Nutter’s. But getting the smoking issue out from under the ongoing tension between Street and Nutter has to be a help. Continue reading
Another Trolley Dustup in Mt. Airy We in Mt. Airy have been having one of our periodic dust-ups with SEPTA. Without giving us any warning SEPTA covered over the trolley tracks on a few blocks of Germantown Avenue. To add insult to injury, they did this right in front of our local eatery, the Trolley Car Diner. SEPTA argued that this was the most efficient way to fix the road bed around the tracks, whose deterioration has lead to a number of accidents in the last few years. When SEPTA covered over the trolley tracks, many of us in the Northwest got upset because we want our trolley back on Route 23, which was once the longest trolley line in America and, perhaps, the world. When buses replaced the trolley SEPTA committed itself to eventually bringing the trolley back. (That same commitment recently led to the restoration of the route… Continue reading
Activism and Serendipity I sometimes ask activists I know how they chose to get involved in a particular issue. Often the answer is serendipity. An activist had a friend who got them involved in an issue or were working for an organization that took a new issue. That is more or less how I got involved in public transit activism. SEPTA threatened to close the R8 train line, which is vital for West Mt. Airy and, at the time, I was the President of our civic organization, West Mt. Airy Neighbors. So I jumped into the frey not because I played with toy trains as a kid but because I had to do something to save the train line around which Mt. Airy grew. Continue reading
The Reforms We Need Now I wrote this essay in June 2005, as a way of delineating my vision of the goals of Neighborhood Networks, the grass roots political organization I helped found. I have revised it from time to time. But the basic thrust of the essay remains the same and is described in the first paragraph. I should add that the ideas in this essay have never been officially adopted by NN. But I do think they described why NN is devoted to a broad idea of reform. In light of the corruption scandals in Philadelphia, reform is in the air. But people mean very different thing by reform. As I see it, there are two kinds of reform we need in Philadelphia politics today. For want of better terms, I will call them progressive or good government reforms, on the one hand, and liberal or social justice… Continue reading
A few days after the November general election, and the tremendous victory for the Ethics Reform Charter Change, I started talking to other members of the Ethics Reform Coalition about public financing of our political campaigns. Many of us had talked on and off about public financing of campaigns as our ultimate goal. But few thought that we had any real chance of adopting this dramatic reform anytime soon. First there was the business of creating an independent Ethics Board and strengthening limits on campaign contributions for those who receive contracts and other benefits from the city. Legislation to accomplish these tasks was adopted by City Council in early December of last year. Even when that was done, most reformers thought we were in for a long wait before public financing of campaigns came to Philadelphia. Continue reading
Chestnut Hill Local, September 8, 2005 In a special election on Tuesday, September 13, voters in the 200th district will be electing a new State Representative to fill the seat of recently elected State Senator LeAnna Washington. I am writing to urge progressive and liberal citizens everywhere in the city to support Cherelle Parker. (Please note that I am writing for myself alone. Neighborhood Networks has not endorsed a candidate in this race.) I have never been as proud of the community in which I live as when I heard the three candidates for State Representative in the 200th district speak at the WMAN-EMAN Candidate’s Forum last week. All three are residents of Mt. Airy and all three have powerful and progressive voices. All three are also personal friends of mine, which makes it especially difficult for me to recommend one over the others. But I do think that Cherelle… Continue reading
Neighborhood Networks is a new political organization that aims at liberal political reform. Any time a new organization that talks about reform comes about, established groups get nervous. So I am grateful to the Public Record for giving me an opportunity to set the record straight about Neighborhood Networks. Continue reading