May7
Updated: 9:37 a.m. 5/8/09
By Shannon McDonald
NEastPhilly.com and WHYY partnered last night to host a debate for the city’s three Democratic candidates for city controller, Alan Butkovitz, John Braxton and Brett Mandel. The debate was moderated by WHYY’s Chris Satullo and took place in the John Perzel Community Center, where the Mayfair CDC operates. Among the hot topics were real estate taxes, department audits and the day-to-day duties of Philadelphia’s city controller. WHYY has audio and video clips from the debate, courtesy of Alan Tu.
Audience Question: How would you most effectively serve as City Controller
*Alan Butkovitz: “There has to be a sense of good faith that you’re really solving something.”
*John Braxton: “Impact is the most important. It’s not enough to audit.”
*Brett Mandel: “You have to develop a relationship that’s not a gotcha relationship.”
Tension was high at last night’s debate for the three Democratic candidates for city controller. Incumbent Alan Butkovitz joined his opponents Brett Mandel and John Braxton at a table in the front of the community room at the John Perzel Community Center in Mayfair, where insults flew back and forth and compliments were few.
On more than one occasion, moderator Chris Satullo had to reign the three men in, at one point commenting that the atmosphere had “gone from zero to nasty.”
A common theme of the night seemed to be Braxton’s and Mandel’s questioning Butkovitz on annual audits, the focus of previous debates between the men. Mayor Michael Nutter’s endorsement of incumbent Butkovitz also came up multiple times.
The two challengers took several shots at Butkovitz regarding what they considered his neglect for a major duty of the city controller position.
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May6
By Shannon McDonald
NEastPhilly.com and WHYY will co-host a debate for the city’s three Democratic candidates for city controller tomorrow night. Two of the candidates, incumbent Alan Butkovitz and one of his opponents, Brett Mandel, have ties to the Northeast.
The city controller oversees Philadelphia’s finances, so this year’s election is especially important, and everyone from the NEast should take interest, since it’s fairly rare for two candidates for a major public office to be from the Northeast.
The debate will take place at 7 p.m. in the community room of the John Perzel Community Center, home of the Mayfair CDC. Come early, as seating is limited. If you cannot make the debate, e-mail us your questions for the candiates by noon tomorrow, and they will submitted along with audience questions during the debate.
Apr30
By Shannon McDonald
NEastPhilly.com and WHYY will cohost a debate for the city’s three Democratic candidates for City Controller, two of whom have ties to the NEast.
On Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m., Chris Satullo of WHYY will moderate the forum between incumbent City Controller Alan Butkovitz and his opponents Brett Mandel and John L. Braxton. The event will be held in the John Perzel Community Center and hosted by the Mayfair CDC.
This event is open to all civic organization leaders, and the public is encouraged to get involved. If you’d like to come, get there early, as seating is limited. If you have questions for the candidates regarding their campaigns for the city controller position and how their plans will affect you and your community, come and get involved.
For those who can’t make it next week, we will post a place for you to ask your questions, which we’ll then compile into a list for the debate night. Minutes from the forum will be inlcuded in a follow-up story on NEastPhilly.com after the debate.
This is a great opportunity to make a bigger name for the NEast within the city. This is the first of two city controller debates in the city, which was spearheaded by our Web Editor, Chris Wink. The Democratic primary election is Tuesday, May 19. To make an informed vote, get the answers you’re looking for straight from the candidates at our debate next Thursday.
Continue reading to see the official press release.
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Mar24
The Devon Theater in Mayfair has seen a renaissance. It reopens this Friday.
By Christopher Wink
The Devon hasn’t gotten this much attention in generations. Perhaps neither has Mayfair.
But now that the Frankford Avenue institution has made the long transition back to prominence, opening this weekend as the Devon Center for Performing Arts. It will mark another measure in the long transition from 1946 first-run movie theater to adult-film movieplex in the 1970s to second-run theater and to abandoned eyesore.
After a gala and private screening on Friday, with a possible appearance by Mayor Michael Nutter, the Devon opens on Saturday with a sold-out performance of Nunsense, a musical comedy.
“We’re in an Irish-Catholic neighborhood,” said Michael Pickering, the Devon’s artistic director. “Nunsense was a no-brainer.”
But don’t be fooled by the Devon’s location, far from the glitz of Center City’s Avenue of the Arts or the established arts scene of Old City. The Northeast is about to get its first professional performing arts center, by way of a decidedly working-class neighborhood.
The Devon is an all-union house, including its paid, professional actors, some from Philadelphia’s growing dramatic community. Still, its long-term strategy for success in the Northeast is heavy on community.
Read more, see video and other photos after the jump.
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