with Christina Michaels and Daniel Hunter
Ever turned onto a highway only to find yourself driving the wrong way? The road goes on for miles without a turn, taking you further and further away from the right path. Suddenly, up ahead, there’s a u-turn – your chance to finally head back in the right direction.
That’s what the May primaries will be about. Our City government leadership has been heading the wrong direction. And up ahead, is the possibility of a u-turn and the chance to get back on course.
Already in the fight against slots parlors and campaign “un-finance” reform we are seeing some glimmers of the u-turn to come.
Council Inaction
It’s no secret there are problems with our city. In the recent Economy League of Greater Philadelphia poll, seventy-six percent said city government was “pretty much run by a few big interests looking out for themselves.” Most think city officials are corrupt and waste a lot of money.
The Mayor has gotten a lot of that heat, with forty-two percent rating him negatively. And since this May 15th is a Mayor’s primary, due attention is being placed on that opportunity for of our city.
But the problems of our city should not only be laid at the Mayor’s doorstep. Council, too, has too often excluded city residents’ voices, refused to address fundamental problems in how the city runs, and grown accustomed to corruption.
When we talk about problems like jobs, education, and crime – we can lay many of these on a City Council that has refused to come up with innovative policies or stand up for our city.
But help is on the way – the May 15th election is for Council, too.
The U-Turn In Action
Election seasons are fun to watch because, so it seems, that’s when politicians begin working for the people, performing their own kind of u-turn. Politicians go door-to-door and again ask people what they think; or others at least hire other people to do that for them. Sometimes even innovative policies get written down (though rarely implemented).
This election season, we’re seeing even more substantial u-turning.
Already we’ve seen the shooting down of the most inappropriately named “campaign finance reform” bill. That bill would have taken a step back by increasing the amount individual donors could give, giving them more power and influence in government. Councilman Kenny did the right thing by withdrawing it, but the wrong thing by ever introducing it.
And now Council is finally addressing casinos. Just last week a Council committee voted six-to-zero to move a citizen-initiated referendum onto the ballot.
But with a few exceptions, most councilmembers have up until now refused to come anywhere close to the issue. Only with the signatures of 27,254 voters pressuring for a referendum –which I helped design and initially came up with – are they starting to address the two riverfront proposals for slots parlors.
Now that council has been made to address the issue, through this citizen-initiated referendum, they have strong words to say about “defending democracy” and “protecting the people.” But where were they four months ago when citizens were getting arrested trying to battle the PA Gaming Control Board? (I was there, by the way.) Or eight months ago when people were testifying at hearings? (I was there, too.)
Soon Council will be voting on this referendum, which would potentially place casinos at least 1,500 feet away from residential neighborhoods, schools, and places of worship. And that’s a good thing for all of us who care about a strong city with safer neighborhoods and strong neighborhoods.
But the real cause of the u-turn is a thoughtful movement of neighborhood defenders, citywide activists, and union members. The same thing with the defeat take-a-step-backwards campaign finance reform bill – an active movement stopped it from becoming reality.
Both movements and others supporting a u-turn in city government are movements I am proud to be both part of and represent. They represent the hope for this city in people getting more involved in politics and refusing to act out of the fear that said “done deal” and you can’t win.
So, this May, let’s complete the u-turn already beginning and get our city back on track