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 »

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 »

City Councilman Brian O’Neill was victorious in yesterday’s election, retaining his spot as the only Republican District representative on Council. O’Neill handily defeated Democratic challenger Bill Rubin.

The race for the Northeast’s 10th Councilmanic District was seen as one of the most competitive in Philadelphia, with O’Neill fighting to keep the seat he’s held since 1979.

Democrat Bill Rubin attempted to tie O’Neill to the controversial DROP retirement program, even though the incumbent has said he will not take advantage of it. O’Neill thinks that tactic hurt his challenger. continue reading »

It was 9:30 on election night and about 50 people were waiting for Bill Rubin in a bar that smelled like hot wings.

The Sternos were keeping the food hot at the Red Rooster Inn, and sitcoms played on the flatscreen as accommodating bartenders surfed the channels for results. Rubin was trailing with 47 percent of the vote in the 10th Councilmanic District. The Democrat was challenging incumbent Republican Brian O’Neill, who’s represented the district for 32 years. This was the first serious challenge to O’Neill in his three decades at the helm.

“Vote for my dad Bill Rubin,” read the navy and white shirts his son and daughter wore. His wife, parents, brother and sister had similar tops, while his other supporters donned their general pro-Rubin shirts over long sleeves with “push button 227″ on the back. continue reading »

Photo by Flickr user kristib2pea

It’s election day in Philadelphia and polls are open until 8 tonight. You have until then to get to your voting place and elect the candidates of your choice.

In the Northeast, 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and 9th District Councilwoman Marian Tasco are the shoe-in candidates, having defeated their challengers in the primary.

In the 6th District, Democrat Bobby Henon and Republican Sandy Stewart will face off to replace Joan Krajewski, while incumbent Republican Brian O’Neill and Democrat Bill Rubin will go head-to-head in the 10th. continue reading »

Okay, crazy time is here.

If you’re running a competitive political campaign, there comes a point in the closing days of the race, when you realize that this is, or could be really close, and any little thing could make the 100-vote difference, and somebody is putting out some scurrilous crap that could cost you this thing, which by the way you’ve been working 18 hours a day on for so long you don’t remember what clean laundry even looks like, and you’ll be damned if you’re going to let them get away with it and….lord only knows what will follow.

In the Northeast Philadelphia City Council race, incumbent Brian O’Neill’s campaign has filed complaints with the city board of elections, the city board of ethics and the District Attorney’s office about mailings that have reached voters touting the candidacy of his Democratic opponent, Bill Rubin.

You can read the O’Neill campaign’s complaint by clicking here.

O’Neill’s folks are steamed because the mailer doesn’t say who paid for it – a violation of the state election code – AND because the mailer has the wrong hours for voting on November 8th. As you can see above, it says that polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m..

You can read the rest of this blog post from Dave Davies on NewsWorks.

The re-opening of the Holme Avenue Bridge was one of the main discussion points at the October Holme Circle Civic Association meeting. Photo by Stephen Schultz.

The Holme Circle Civic Association held its annual “Meet the Candidates Night” during its monthly meeting on Wednesday at St. Jerome’s School Hall.

The local candidates in attendance were City Councilman Brian O’Neill and Democratic challenger Bill Rubin; Democratic at-large Councilman Jim Kenney represented by his aide, John DelRica; Republican candidates Denny O’Brien and Michael Untermeyer; and Republican candidate for City Commissioner Al Schmidt represented by his aide, Steven Boc. Each candidate was given five minutes to expound on their platforms culminating with questions from the 40 member audience. continue reading »

Legislation proposes red-light cameras for Woodhaven and Knights roads and Bybyerry and Woodhaven roads.

AAA-Mid Atlantic today announced its support for legislation that would bring two additional red-light cameras to the Far Northeast.

Two city bills sponsored by 10th District Councilman Brian O’Neill would add cameras to Worthington Road and Byberry Road, and Woodhaven Road and Knights Road.

“AAA Mid-Atlantic supports red light camera locations based on crash data, which is the case for these two intersections,” says a release from the agency. ” continue reading »

Democrat Bill Rubin (L) and incumbent Republican Brian O'Neill (R) at the 10th District City Council debate

It was about halfway through last night’s 10th District City Council candidate debate when Carol Kessler stood up to ask a question. But this wasn’t an audience participation type of event.

As League of Women Voters President and debate moderator Rachel Lawton explained ahead of the hour-long debate, there’d be no audience questions. Also part of the rules: incumbent Republican candidate Brian O’Neill and Democratic challenger Bill Rubin both had one minute to answer each question and 90 seconds to close their arguments.

Kessler had many questions for the two men, and though she spoke loudly and entered the aisle to make herself heard, Lawton continued with her questions as planned, leaving many of Kessler’s queries unanswered.

O’Neill and Rubin did have answers for Lawton, though some were vague and some were more swipes at each other than they were promotions for their campaigns. continue reading »

About a dozen protesters gathered Sunday outside St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church Sunday to oppose a zoning variance. Photo by Maureen Greene.

Bustleton resident Maureen Greene sent us the following update from Wednesday’s Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing, at which Tacony Academy Charter School was was set to request a zoning variance to send kindergarten and first-grade students to St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church at 608 Welsh Rd.

“The hearing for the variance to allow a charter school to rent parts of St. Thomas Church was continued on Wednesday without a date for a new hearing.

The attorney for the Church confirmed that the charter school withdrew from their plans and the Church had to evaluate what they were going to do. continue reading »