Just six Philadelphia City Council members attended the 2012 budget hearing in the Northeast. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Philadelphia City Council members will be in the Northeast Monday to give community members a chance to express budget concerns.

The hearing is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Lincoln High School. Those who sign up to testify at the hearing can weigh in on things like quality of life issue, property taxes, education, union contracts and more. continue reading »

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) has yet to announce she’s running for governor, but several prominent Democrats in the state are vying to take her place in the U.S. House. NewsWorks photo/Emma Lee

A couple of the likely candidates to succeed U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz in Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District are two of the funniest people in local politics.

Montgomery County State Senator Daylin Leach is known around the capitol as an accomplished stand-up, and former Philadelphia City Controller Jonathan Saidel is a natural cut-up who routinely breaks up crowds with winning Borscht Belt schtick. continue reading »

Someone take a photo for a firefighter of Vice President Joe Biden during his speech at the Pennsylvania Convention Center July 25. Photo/Michelle Alton

Vice President Joe Biden was in Philadelphia Wednesday to address the national firefighters union on behalf of the Obama administration.

“You folks are special,” he said to the firefighting crowd. “You really are; you’re just special. I think I know you guys.We should be cutting your taxes and helping cities and states maintain their fire service.”

continue reading »

"We’ve gotten out of hand," Fox Chase resident Mike Dowd said of the Affordable Care Act health mandate. "People should take personal responsibility for health care." Photo/G.E. Reutter

The pundits and politicians have had their say over the Supreme Court ruling on Health Care for over a day now. How about the regular folks? I took a walk around the 18 bus loop in Fox Chase today to gauge how people were feeling about the ruling. This was non-scientific and folks were chosen at random but, offered up opinions that seem to reflect the mood nationwide.

“From what I’ve read, I think it’s fine if it keeps me from paying for other people,” Fox Chase resident Nancy Schmidt said.

“The mandate/tax is preposterous,” Tasjae Moore of Fox Chase said. “People should always have a choice.”

And so it went this morning in Fox Chase, where opinions did abound. continue reading »

This is a follow-up story to our  coverage in “District 172: The Politics of Change after State Rep. John Perzel,” a collaborative effort with Philadelphia Neighborhoods funded by J-Lab.

If any assumption was ever made about the Northeast, by any Philadelphian, it would be its position as a younger brother to Center City Philadelphia, not unlike Philadelphia in comparison with New York. However, Mayfair Civic Association President Joe DeFelice said that was an image his neighborhood aimed to defy.

One year ago, after and extreme fundraising effort, DeFelice met with NEast Philly to discuss the renovation and reopening of the Mayfair Memorial Playground. At the time, Mayfair was struggling with the recent political changes caused by the indictment of Pennsylvania House 172nd District’s Rep. John Perzel. The indictment, coupled with a downturned economy, forced the district into a difficult era.

State grants, which were freely given in previous years, dried up. Pennsylvania voted in a Republican governor and a Republican majority who created serious budgetary constraints. In the 172nd District freshman Rep. Kevin Boyle was elected in 2010. continue reading »

Photo/Shannon McDonald

Currently, the children of police and firefighters who’ve died in the line of duty receive a service credit on their qualifying exams to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th, has proposed expanding that benefit to the grandchildren of deceased police and firefighters. continue reading »

From left: City Council members Maria Quinones-Sanchez, Mark Squilla, Kenyatta Johnson, Marian Tasco, Darrell Clarke and Bill Greenlee. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Can a City Council budget hearing be called such if only six members attend? Last night was Northeast Philadelphia’s turn in a series of meetings Council is holding to take public testimony about the Fiscal Year 2013 budget.

President Darrell Clarke led the hearing and was joined by a mostly silent but present 1st District Councilman Mark Squilla, 2nd District Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, 9th District Councilwoman Marian Tasco and Councilman-at-large Bill Greenlee. continue reading »

Philadelphia’s City Council members will be in Northeast Philadelphia tonight for a public hearing on the city’s budget.

The doors of St. William’s parish hall, 6234 Rising Sun Ave., will be open to the public, and residents are encouraged to give their public testimony.

“Please come and show your interest,” Councilwoman Marian Tasco, D-9th, encouraged attendees of the March Lawncrest Community Association meeting. Though held in Lawncrest, residents and business owners from all over the city are invited to the meeting – the only neighborhood budget hearing scheduled in the Northeast.

Philadelphia’s City Council members will be in Northeast Philadelphia next week for a public hearing on the city’s budget.

The doors of St. William’s parish hall, 6234 Rising Sun Ave., will be open to the public, and residents are encouraged to give their public testimony.

“Please come and show your interest,” Tasco encouraged attendees of the March Lawncrest Community Association meeting. LCA meetings typically draw 80 to 100 impassioned residents, many of whom Tasco has been working with on specific neighborhood improvement projects. The meeting will be open to the general public and starts at 6 p.m. continue reading »

This is part of ongoing coverage in “District 172: The Politics of Change after State Rep. John Perzel,” a collaborative effort with Philadelphia Neighborhoods funded by J-Lab.

The self-professed architect of a Pennsylvania House Republican scheme to pay for political campaign computer software with taxpayer dollars is headed for jail.

The former state House Speaker, John Perzel, has been sentenced to up to five years in prison. He also was ordered to pay $1 million in restitution, as well as thousands in fines. continue reading »