Month: October 2006

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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