Al Taubenberger at the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. File Photo/Morgan Zalot

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated with comments from incumbent Pa. Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-172nd).

State Rep. Kevin Boyle has already announced his re-election bid for the 172nd Legislative District.

And if Al Taubenberger accepts the endorsement the Republican City Committee has offered, the two will square off in the general election.

Taubenberger, of Burholme, told NEast Philly today he’s still considering the endorsement and weighing whether he’ll run. We spoke with him after the Public Record reported he’d already decided to enter the race. continue reading »

Klein JCC's Lisa Sandler accepts a citation from Seth Kaplan, chief of staff for Rep. Kevin Boyle. Photo/Klein JCC

Brothers Brendan, D-170th, and Kevin Boyle, D-172nd, have had a busy week in the Pennsylvania House. Amid the daily goings-on, they separately recognized a deceased Navy SEAL and a local meal delivery program.

Monday, Brendan Boyle authored a resolution that was passed by the House to honor fallen Navy SEAL Michael Strange. Strange, a Northeast resident, died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in August.

“[Strange] was a dedicated and valiant soldier who remains one of the City of Philadelphia’s hometown heroes,” Boyle said.  continue reading »

Tacony resident and former City Council candidate Sandy Stewart. NEast Philly file photo/Saleem Ahmed

Philadelphia City Council is considering keeping bars open one hour longer to help raise money for the struggling School District of Philadelphia.

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown has proposed letting bars stay open until 3 a.m. The ordinance would raise an estimated $5 million annually through the per-drink tax that’s allocated to the district.

But Tacony resident Sandy Stewart, who ran as a Republican in the 2011 6th District Council race, has asked that Council consider restricting the extra hours to entertainment districts. continue reading »

Dave Kralle at the November 2011 Parkwood Civic Association meeting. Photo/Shannon McDonald

If you go to your neighborhood civic association meeting, chances are you know Dave Kralle. Holme Circle, Bustleton, Parkwood – the residents there know the aide to Councilman Denny O’Brien by name. Before O’Brien’s election to Council, Kralle worked for him at the state level when O’Brien served the 169th Legislative District.

The rest of the city got to meet Kralle earlier this year during O’Brien’s campaign for Council-at-large. Average height, on the thin side and always in a suit and tie, Kralle is as recognizable to district constituents as O’Brien is. That’s likely to work to his advantage if Kralle enters a bid for the now-vacant 169th District seat.

“Denny wants me to run for his old seat in the House of Representatives,” Kralle announced at last night’s Holme Circle Civic Association. continue reading »

Just a year after taking state office, Rep. Kevin Boyle has announced his re-election bid for the 172nd District seat.

6th District Councilman Bobby Henon in an April 2011 interview with NEast Philly. Photo/Saleem Ahmed

When asked back in October if he’d accept a city-issued car if re-elected to City Council, 10th District Councilman Brian O’Neill said he would.

“I need it more than anyone,” he said, because of the district’s distance from City Hall. He added that he’d support legislation to remove car privileges for all city employees.

O’Neill, who was re-elected, still has his car and the pool car assigned to his staff. So do Northeast incumbents 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and 9th District Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco. continue reading »

Pennsylvania capitol building. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy received an endorsement Thursday for his state attorney general campaign from someone with a local tie.

Murphy, a Northeast native who attended Archbishop Ryan High School, now has the support of Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, whose 13th Congressional District includes parts of the Northeast.

“I’ve worked with Patrick, and together we’ve fought for our constituents and for all Pennsylvanians,” Schwartz said in a release. continue reading »

New Philadelphia Councilman-at-large Denny O'Brien and 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez

Some things won’t be changing in Philadelphia City Council. Tenth District Councilman Brian O’Neill retained his seat as a Republican despite a challenge from Democrat Bill Rubin, and O’Neill also still holds his seat as minority leader.

But other things will change. With six new members and a new president, council had some committee holes to fill as newcomers Denny O’Brien, Bobby Henon, David Oh, Cindy Bass, Mark Squilla and Kenyatta Johnson were sworn in. continue reading »

Pennsylvania's redistricting map shows the current location of the 169th District (in green) and its new location (in blue).

Just like the City of Philadelphia’s councilmanic district, Pennsylvania moves it legislative districts around every 10 years. This time around, the Northeast stands to lose an entire district.

The 169th Legislative District, currently represented by Rep. Denny O’Brien, will move to the growing York County under the new plan. O’Brien, who told NEast Philly back in November, ”This redistricting proposal is not good for the Northeast or the Republican Party,” will no longer hold the House seat, anyway. He’s been elected to hold one of the Republican City Council-at-large seats in Philadelphia.

In the video below, see O’Brien’s aide Dave Kralle explain to the Parkwood Civic Association how the transfer will affect some of O’Brien’s former constituents.