If SB 862 passes, it’s time to play hardball. We can do so in two ways: a lawsuit challenging SB 862 or an effort to ban the casinos from using city water, sewer, police or fire services. Both ideas work for me, but I’m leaning toward the second. Continue reading
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
I couldn’t resist posting on the closing of CBGB, once I thought of the title of this post And, no, I’m not talking about CDBG–community development block grants. The first time I heard my friend Derek Greene talk, in his fast paced voice, about CDBG I couldn’t quite figure out what a club on the Bowery in New York had to do with housing programs in Philly. I actually didn’t go to CBGB that often. And I saw some so-so bands there: Dead Boys and Steel Tips, for example. But twenty years ago it was a fun place to hang out. And I saw one absolutely transcendant show there, Television in its prime. Verlaine and Lloyd already didn’t seem to care for one another. But they clearly enjoyed playing together, as they redefined what two lead guitars can do in a rock and roll band. Continue reading