Philadelphia Public Record

HYUNDAI AND KIA automobiles, seen here at the Philadelphia Regional Port

Authority’s Pier 98 Annex Automobile Processing Facility, have been major car-

goes at the Port of Philadelphia since they began arriving in 2010. This

“RO/RO” (roll on, roll off) shipping traffic is one of many success stories at Port

despite recession. Story page 10.

PhiladelphiaDaily Record

3ol. II No. 161 (321) Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia October 14, 2011

Ro Ro RowYour Boat

2 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 14 OCTOBER, 2011

T h e P h i l a d e l p h i a P u b l i c R e c o r d C a l e n d a rOct. 14-

State Rep. John Sabatina Golf Out-

ing at John F. Byrne G.C., 9550

Leon St., 4-Man Scramble, regis-

tration, registration 12 m., shotgun

1 p.m. $125 includes entry to all

events, 18 holes of golf, lunch, din-

ner, awards and after-party at 3

Monkeys Café, 9645 James St. For

info Steve Campanile (215) 460-

4697 or Sabatina Assoc. (215) 742-

8600.

Oct. 15-

W. Poplar NASC hosts Fall Fash-

ion Show & Luncheon at Zoar

United Methodist Ch., 1204 Melon

St., 2 p.m. Donation $20. For info

(215) 765-0960.

Oct. 15-

“Deep Roots – John Myers and

Germantown” celebration honor-

ing State Rep. John Myers’ birth-

day at 5547 Germantown, 6-9 p.m.

Tickets $50. For info Cornelia

Swinson (215) 740-8493.

Oct. 15-

State Sen. Anthony Williams

walks through Bartram’s Garden,

54th & Lindbergh Blvd., 10-11:30

a.m., as part oip f his health and

fitness program.

Oct. 16-

Sheriff Barbara Deeley and Team

Jewell Williams, Democrat candi-

date for Sheriff host Eagles vs.

Redskins Fundraiser for Sheriff

candidate Jewell Williams at Finni-

gan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden

Sts., 1 p.m. Beer, wine, hot and

cold foods. Tickets $50. Make per-

sonal checks only out to Citizens

for Jewell Williams, 2343 Smedley

St., Phila. PA.19132. For info (215)

919-1120.

Oct. 16-

State Rep. John Myers celebrates

his Birthday at 5547 Germantown

Ave., 6-9 p.m. Appetizers, drinks,

music and dancing. Tickets $50.

For info Cornelia Swinson (215)

740-8493.

Oct. 16-

St. Mary Cyclefest to benefit St.

Mary Medical Center Emergency

Dept. at Brian’s Harley Davidson,

6009 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Lang-

horne, Pa. Registration 9-11 a.m.;

ride ends at Core Ck. Pk., Lang-

horne, Pa. Advance tickets

$25/rider, $20/passenger; event day

$30/$25. For info (215) 752-9400.

Oct. 16-22

Mt. Zion Baptist Ch. hosts 97th an-

nual Church Anniversary kickoff

Concert at 50th & Woodland Ave.,

3 p.m. Revival will be held Oct.

19-21, 7 p.m. All events free and

open to public. For info (215) 724-

0619.

Oct. 17-

State Rep. Michelle Brownlee

hosts Older & Wiser workshop for

seniors on health care at University

Sq., 3901 Market St., 10 a.m.-12

p.m. For info (215) 684-3738.

Oct. 19- Reception in honor

of Council Ma Marian B. Tasco,

Majority leader of City Council, at

Estia, 1405 Locust st. 5:30 to 7:30

p.m. Gold $1,000, Silver $500,

Bronze $250. RSVP 215-437-

3294, Ext, 209.

Oct. 20- Fundraiser for State

Rep. Rosita Youngblood at Finni-

gan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden

Sts., 7:00-9:30 p.m. Dinner & open

bar. Tickets $75. For info (215)

745-4306.

Oct. 21-

26th Ward GOP Fabulous Fall Fes-

tival at Waterfall Rm., 2015 S.

Water St., 7 p.m. For info (215)

468-2300.

Translation/InterpretationArabic, Hebrew, English, French

For more information, call William Hanna

267-808-0287

When You Want Your Roof To Be Done Right The First Time

215-464-6425

2024 S. 10th St

Philadelphia PA 19148

215-468-5363

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CANDIDATES • POLITICIANSNews You Can Use!

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Toomey Lobbies EPA

To Save Refinery Jobs

14 OCTOBER, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 3

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) met

Wednesday with the Environmen-

tal Protection Agency’s Region 3

Administrator Shawn Garvin.

The Senator spoke to Garvin about

a number of matters of importance

to Pennsylvania, including the fu-

ture of three refineries in Philadel-

phia, Marcus Hook and Trainer,

whose owners have announced

within the last month that they

plan to sell and, if no buyers are

found, close down.

Some of the biggest expenses fac-

ing the facilities are related to en-

vironmental compliance. At the

Trainer facility, the EPA may man-

date the Pennsylvania Dept. of En-

vironmental Protection to require

the installment of new cooling

towers, which will likely cost hun-

dreds of millions of dollars. The

EPA has also proposed new rules

on water intake structures that may

cost millions more.

If these refineries are forced to

close, more than 2,600 people will

lose their jobs. Another 5,000 to

6,000 workers – largely employees

of contractors and suppliers – indi-

rectly rely on these facilities for

their paychecks and would be im-

pacted by their closures. In addi-

tion, local townships and school

districts would be hurt by the loss

of tax revenue.

“I stressed to Mr. Garvin how im-

portant it is that the EPA works

with my office, the Pennsylvania

DEP and stakeholders to play an

appropriate role in this issue. Past

refinery sales, including one in

Delaware, were made possible be-

cause the EPA was willing to work

with State regulators and potential

buyers to find reasonable regula-

tory solutions that made those

sales feasible,” Toomey said.

Toomey has introduced the Em-

ployment Protection Act which re-

quires the EPA to release a

publicly available jobs analysis on

all proposed actions that will dis-

place more than 100 jobs or more

than $1 million in economic activ-

ity.

Casey Announces $20 Million For SEPTA Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) announced

two grants totaling $20 million from

the US Dept. of Transportation’s

Federal Transit Administration

going to SEPTA. Casey sent letters

of support urging the Dept. of

Transportation to approve the

grants, which will go toward restor-

ing the historic 33rd & Dauphin bus

facility and the replacement of

aging buses in SEPTA’s fleet.

“These grants will go a long way to-

ward helping SEPTA continue to

serve communities in Southeastern

Pennsylvania,” said the Casey.

“These funds will help revitalize the

Strawberry Mansion neighborhood

of Philadelphia and provide SEPTA

riders with more reliable buses.”

“Improving the 33rd & Dauphin

Bus Facility has long been a priority

for SEPTA and the Strawberry

Mansion community, and we are

pleased to have secured the re-

sources necessary to move forward

with the planned improvements,”

said SEPTA General Mgr. Joseph

M. Casey. “We look forward to

breaking ground and transforming

this facility into a welcoming transit

gateway for our riders and the resi-

dents of Strawberry Mansion.” He

continued, “The FTA’s State of

Good Repair program funds will

allow SEPTA to replace buses that

have exceeded their useful life.

SEPTA’s current fleet of nearly

1,400 buses already includes 472

diesel-electric hybrid buses, and we

welcome the opportunity to con-

tinue improving our fleet – with

more reliable and cleaner operating

vehicles – on behalf of our riders

and the communities we serve.”

SEPTA will get $5 million to restore

the bus facility and to $15 million to

replace vehicles.

With newly-released cargo statis-

tics showing a healthy 12% gain in

cargoes handled at the Port of

Philadelphia during the first eight

months this year compared to last,

cargo activity was only the latest

highlight among many successes

this year at Pennsylvania’s interna-

tional seaport.

Another notable advance has been

the acquisition of significant

acreage and facilities at the former

Philadelphia Navy Base, which

can be used immediately for vari-

ous port projects as well as be-

come a future component of the

Port’s ambitious Southport project,

the first major expansion of the

Port of Philadelphia in more than

50 years.

The port has also started a compre-

hensive capital program to make

significant improvements to virtu-

ally all Philadelphia Regional Port

Authority facilities along the

Delaware River, based on the rec-

ommendations of a 2009 Strategic

Facilities Assessment, a report

commissioned by PRPA to assist

the agency in charting its future.

The release of $15 million in State

funds by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom

Corbett last month to permit con-

tinued work on the Delaware

River Main Channel-Deepening

Project was a major coup. This

mammoth undertaking will permit

larger, more modern vessels to

reach the Port.

But it was recent cargo figures that

have provided the most immediate

good news for the region. With

1,424,710 metric tons of contain-

ers handled this year through Au-

gust compared to 1,302,386

metrics tons handled during the

same period in 2010, container

tonnage was up over 9%. Counted

as individual containers, the

205,221 containers handled year-

to-date in 2011 was a sizable 15%

gain over the 178,250 containers

handled during the same time in

2010.

Breakbulk cargoes, which include

palletized cargoes and other prod-

ucts not shipped in bulk or con-

tainers, also showed a healthy gain

year-to-date in 2011 compared to

the same period last year. Com-

prising cargoes such as steel, fruit,

forest products, cocoa beans, and

project cargo, breakbulk cargoes

were up over 7%, with 753,346

metric tons of breakbulk cargoes

handled at the Port in 2011 year-

to-date compared with the 701,936

metric tons handled during the

same period last year.

Particular highlights among break-

bulk cargoes included cocoa beans

(with 91,410 metric tons handled,


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up 15%), forest products (with

297,313 metric tons handled, up

19%) and project cargoes (with

32,565 metric tons handled, up

63%).

Virtually absent from Philadel-

phia’s working waterfront for

many years, automobiles returned

to the Port in spectacular fashion

in late 2010 with the arrival of

Hyundai and Kia, and their logis-

tics partner Glovis. Now regularly

offloading at PRPA’s Packer Av-

enue Marine Terminal thousands

at a time via modern, sophisticated

auto-carrying vessels, Hyundai

and Kia automobiles are now fa-

miliar sights at both PAMT and the

Pier 98 Auto Processing Facility

located across the street from the

sprawling South Philadelphia ter-

minal.

So far, 85,785 automobiles have

moved through the Port this year

compared to virtually none mov-

ing through the Port during the

same period last year. PRPA, with

the assistance of the Common-

wealth of Pennsylvania, made sub-

stantial improvements to both

PAMT and Pier 98 Annex to pre-

pare for and properly accommo-

date this substantial new

labor-intensive cargo by Hyundai

and Kia.

These improvements for the Port’s

auto cargoes complemented, in

fact, another major initiative at the

Port in recent months: the imple-

mentation of a major capital pro-

gram to upgrade and improve

PRPA’s maritime facilities, both to

enhance their safety and to im-

prove their cargo-handling effi-

ciency.

PRPA Executive Director James T.

McDermott, Jr. said, “This process

would suggest a budget and time-

line for the State’s investment in

the maintenance and improvement

of the Port’s facilities.”

Another piece of big news has port

officials, maritime industry profes-

sionals, and members of the Port’s

labor force looking with excite-

ment into the future: the recent ac-

quisition by the Port of

Philadelphia of significant new

lands on the Delaware River wa-

terfront.

Located adjacent to the Packer Av-

enue Marine Terminal, PRPA will

use this new land to construct, in

conjunction with the Common-

wealth and private sector in-

vestors, a new state-of-the-art

container terminal. The Southport

Marine Terminal will be the first

major expansion of the Port of

Philadelphia in over 50 years. It

has the potential to double the

amount of container traffic at the

Port of Philadelphia – if the chan-

nel-deepening project is com-

pleted.

This project, which began in

March 2010 and is currently un-

derway to deepen the Delaware

River from 40 to 45 feet, will per-

mit larger, more modern vessels,

with their increased loads of con-

tainers, to travel to and from the

Port of Philadelphia. The current

expansion of the Panama Canal,

which will also allow a wider vari-

ety of vessels to travel to and from

Philadelphia, will also create the

potential for significant new con-

tainer traffic at the Port. With the

addition of Southport, the Port of

Philadelphia’s facilities will be es-

pecially primed to take advantage

of this new cargo.

“In response to the challenging na-

tional economic downturn of re-

cent years, the Port of Philadelphia

chose to not simply wait things

out, but to become more aggres-

sive and proactive,” said PRPA

Chairman Charles G. Kopp. “Our

senior executives and our market-

ing team, working with our termi-

nal operators, worked hard to

attract new cargoes to Philadel-

phia, cargoes like the Hyundai and

Kia automobiles that now regu-

larly move through the Port.

Kopp concluded, “There is still

much work to be done for the port

to truly fulfill its potential. But

I’m very optimistic that the best

days for the Port of Philadelphia

are still in front of us.”


Brady: Save The Olympia With A Coin

This week, Congressman Bob Brady (D-Phila.) introduced a bill which would permit the US Mint, at no

cost to the taxpayer, to design and offer for sale to the public a commemorative coin honoring the

Cruiser Olympia. The proceeds from the sales of the coins will be utilized by the Friends of the Cruiser

Olympia for dry-docking and preserving the Cruiser Olympia as a ship museum. This legislation is one

of many efforts to restore and preserve the Cruiser Olympia. “This is a worthwhile project that will

help to ensure that this naval treasure remains afloat,” the Congressman said.

The Cruiser Olympia is an iconic

and national historic treasure

berthed at Penn’s Landing,

Philadelphia. It is the world’s only

ship museum from the early 20th

century beginnings of the United

States as a world power. The

Cruiser Olympia is a National His-

toric Landmark, a National His-

toric Engineering Landmark, and

is on the National Register of His-

toric Places.

The Cruiser Olympia is perhaps

best known in history as the Flag-

ship of Commodore George

Dewey in his 1898 victory at the

Battle of Manila Bay during the

Spanish-American War. In 1921,

the Cruiser Olympia was directed

by the President to carry an Ameri-

can Unknown Soldier from a

French battlefield cemetery honor-

ing American dead in WWI, bring-

ing the first Unknown Soldier to

Washington, D.C.

The Congressman is urging his

colleagues to cosponsor the bill

and support its passage, “so that

this national naval treasure can be

saved and restored.”


Fattah Congratulates Philadel-

phia NAACP On Its 100th

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Phila.) has extended

hearty congratulations to the NAACP Philadelphia

Branch as the third-oldest chapter of the nation’s

largest and oldest civil rights organization celebrates

its 100th anniversary.

Fattah issued a proclamation that cites the Philadel-

phia NAACP’s “long and productive history” includ-

ing the integration of Girard College and the Chester

City schools.

The NAACP Philadelphia Branch, established in

1911, two years after the national organization was

founded, will “celebrate 100 years of activism, moral

vision and impact” with a gala reception on Oct. 14.

The Fattah proclamation states that “as Congressman

for the 2nd Dist. of Pennsylvania and a native

Philadelphian, sharing the goals of racial justice and

full rights of citizenship, I salute and congratulate the

NAACP Philadelphia Branch upon its night of cele-

bration and for a century of leadership and success as

the civil rights game-changer of Philadelphia.”

Mayor Urges Citizens To Sign Po-

lice Commr.’s Petition

Mayor Michael A. Nutter sent the following letter

early last week to members of Mayors Against Illegal

Guns regarding HR 822, the National Right-to-Carry

Reciprocity Act of 2011:

“Right now, Congress is debating a law that would

eviscerate the ability of individual states to decide

who can carry a hidden, loaded gun. It would force

every state to honor concealed carry permits from

every other state, no matter how low they set their

standards.

“We need the Obama administration to send a strong

signal that it will side with America’s Mayors and po-

lice chiefs in preserving our ability to protect our

local communities.

“That’s why Philadelphia Police Commissioner

Charles Ramsey just launched a public petition on the

White House’s “We the People” website asking the

Obama administration to weigh in. If our petition gets

25,000 signatures, the administration has guaranteed

a response. Our opponents have already gathered

thousands of signatures on a petition in favor of this

dangerous law, so we must act immediately.

“Please join Commissioner Ramsey in telling the

Obama administration to preserve our states’ rights to

decide who can carry hidden, loaded guns.

“Note: You’ll be asked to create an account on the

White House website and confirm your registration

via email before you can sign the petition.

“This law (HR 822) would override the standards of

individual states and set a new standard at the “lowest

common denominator.” Dangerous people, including

sex offenders and domestic abusers, could get a per-

mit in one state and then carry hidden, loaded guns

nationwide.

“Commissioner Ramsey has worked in law enforce-

ment for the past 42 years, serving Chicago, Washing-

ton, DC, and now my home city of Philadelphia. He

knows as well as anyone in law enforcement that HR

822 would only make it harder for police to protect

their communities — and themselves.

“Here in Philadelphia, we’ve made too much progress

on tackling homicides and gun violence to have it un-

done by this law. It makes no sense for Washington to

make things easier for criminals, and harder for cities

that are trying to keep their streets safe.

“But this isn’t just about my city. This law puts us all

at risk, no matter what big city or small town we live

in. And that means it’s up to all of us to stand against

HR 822.

“Sign Police Commissioner Ramsey’s petition to the

Obama administration and help keep hidden, loaded


guns out of the hands of criminals.

“The gun lobby and their allies in

Congress think they can bully their

reckless bill directly into law, and

we won’t notice or fight back.

Let’s give them the fight of their

lives.

“Thanks for taking action,

“Michael A. Nutter

Mayor of Philadelphia”

4 Goode Bills Pass Council On Jobs,

Economic Opportunity

City Council has approved Coun-

cilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr.’s

Earned Sick Leave Standard Bill

by a 15-2 margin to add an earned

sick leave requirement to his Liv-

ing Wage & Benefits Law. Cov-

ered employers shall provide to

each full-time, non-temporary,

non-seasonal covered employee at

least the number of earned sick

leave days that the employer

would have been required to pro-

vide to such employees if the pro-

visions of Bill No. 080474-AA, as

passed by Council on Jun. 16,

2011, had been enacted into law

rather than vetoed by the Mayor.

All City agencies, departments and

offices are covered. So are for-

profit service contractors, which

receive or are subcontractors on

contracts for $10,000 or more from

the City in a 12-month period, with

annual gross receipts of more than

$1 million. Nonprofit service con-

tractors who do up to $100,000 a

year of City business are covered.

Recipients of City leases, conces-

sions, or franchises, or subcontrac-

tors thereof, which employ more

than 25 employees, are covered, as

are City financial aid recipients.

Public agencies which receive con-

tracts for $10,000 or more from the

City are in the net as well.

“The health and livelihoods of all

Philadelphians are compromised

when working people are forced to

go to their jobs when they’re sick,”

said Marianne Bellesorte, senior

director of policy at PathWays PA.

She said studies in other cities

show both businesses and employ-

ees benefit from earned-sick-days

policies. Businesses save money

from higher productivity and lower

turnover, and workers use paid

sick leave responsibly and often do

not use all of the time offered to

them. A study of San Francisco’s

paid-sick-days law shows many

business concerns about job loss

were unfounded, with six in seven

employers saying that paid sick

days have had no negative effect

on their profitability.

In June 2011, City Council passed

a bill that would give all Philadel-

phia workers an opportunity to

earn paid sick days at work. Mayor

Michael Nutter vetoed that bill at

the Chamber of Commerce. A sec-

ond bill is planned to be intro-

duced next year.

Goode’s Living Wage & Benefits

Law already requires those City-

supported employers to pay at least

150% of the federal minimum

wage to its employees. It also man-

dates if the employer provides

health-care benefits to any of its

employees, the employer shall pro-

vide equal benefits to all other full-

time employees. There is an

exemption for small businesses.

Another Goode bill sets up a re-

view committee to oversee en-

forcement of the Living Wage &

Benefits Law.

A third measure, the Economic

Opportunity Transparency Bill, re-

quires contractors, developers and

recipients of financial assistance

shall submit copies of an eco-

nomic-opportunity plan for posting

on the City’s website.

The fourth measure, the New CDC

Tax Credit Agreement Bill, offers

up to 35 businesses that enter into

a contribution agreement with the

City under which the business

agrees to contribute $85,000 in

cash per year for 10 consecutive

years to a qualifying CDC desig-

nated by the business.


Council Calls For Lawsuit

To Stop FrackingAll 17 members of Philadelphia’s

City Council voted in favor of a

resolution which joins the City of

Philadelphia as a Friend of the

Court, together with lawsuits al-

ready filed by the Attorney Gen-

eral of the State of New York, the

Delaware Riverkeeper Network,

and other parties, in suing the

Delaware River Basin Commis-

sion. Philadelphia is joining these

lawsuits to require, according to

the resolution passed yesterday,

“that no drilling of Marcellus

Shale take place until a full envi-

ronmental analysis is completed.”

The resolution, sponsored by

Councilman Curtis Jones and

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds

Brown, and co-sponsored by

Councilwoman Maria Quiñones

Sánchez, passed unanimously after

a physician, a rabbi, a landowner

with property in “shale country”

and two activists testified in favor.

About 30 supporters inside City

Hall held up signs affirming, “Pro-

tect Our Water” and “Don’t Drill

the Delaware.” Councilman

O’Neill, the only Council Member

not present for the vote, had cast

his “aye” vote before leaving the

chambers.

“Today was a great day for democ-

racy, science and human health in

Philadelphia,” said Alex Allen, as-

sociate director of the lobbying

group Protecting Our Waters, after

the vote. “Our representatives in

City Council chose to unani-

mously look out for the interests of

the people while resisting the per-

sistent lobbying of the industry.”

Dr. Walter Tsou, President of

Physicians for Social Responsibil-

ity, past president of the American

Public Health Association and for-

mer health commissioner of

Philadelphia, also testified. “As a

public-health physician, I have

grave concerns about public health

and environmental consequences

of hydraulic fracturing in the Mar-

cellus Shale region,” he said. “A

cursory list of the chemicals used

in hydraulic fracturing includes

known carcinogens like diethyl en-

zene, ethyl benzene, formalde-

hyde, petroleum distillate (paint

remover) and ethylene glycol, oth-

erwise known as antifreeze. Add to

that methane [migration into

groundwater] and flowback

[drilling wastewater] contaminated

with radioactive isotopes.... Politi-

cians have explicitly avoided the

public health question because if

they were really confronted with

it, they would stop hydraulic frac-

turing.”

The resolution demands both a

Delaware River Basin-specific cu-

mulative impacts study and the

EPA national study of the risks

high-volume hydraulic fracturing

poses to drinking water, includes a

clause which appears to lay the

groundwork to do just that for the

Delaware River Basin, which sup-

plies Philadelphia with 100% of its

drinking water (the Schuylkill

River is also in the Basin).

“Whereas, If the combined results

of both a national EPA study and a

Delaware River Basin-specific cu-

mulative impacts study, show the

potential for catastrophic risk, po-

tential costs, and the inherent and

cumulative risks to water, air, cli-

mate, farms, food, economy, fish

and wildlife, human health, scenic

value, and the tourism base, the

City of Philadelphia will deter-

mine whether it is advisable to call

for the entire Delaware River

Basin to be kept off limits to un-

conventional gas drilling tech-

niques,” the resolution states.

Aaron Birk, a resident of West

Philadelphia, commented, “Jannie

Blackwell made several really

moving comments; she made a

prayer for the occupiers, the sick

and homeless and struggling peo-

ple, and spoke in praise of the Oc-

cupy movement. She encouraged

Council to respond to their con-

stituents who are out in the street

with serious concerns.” Birk said

Council did just that, standing up

to the fracking industry because,

he said, “even if dollars did flow

into the city, they’d dry up from

public-health costs and we’d be

left with poisoned water.”

Late in the day on Wednesday,

several Council Members indi-

cated they’d been hearing a great

deal from constituents in favor of

passing the resolution to forbid

fracking and sue the DRBC. A

spokesman for Green said, “We

are receiving a lot of calls in favor,


and we are documenting every-

thing.” A spokesman for Council-

man Frank Rizzo said, “We’ve

gotten a lot of calls about that ... I

believe he’ll go that way [a yes

vote].”

The Delaware River Basin Com-

mission has stated that they expect

to vote on Nov. 21 on ending the

current moratorium and opening

the Delaware River Basin to frack-

ing, the controversial technique

used in deep shale using large vol-

umes of water mixed with “mys-

tery” chemicals, which the

industry is not obliged to disclose

due to exemptions from federal

law.

Schmidt Pledges Personal Pay Cut,

Refuses Taxpayer-Paid Car

Al Schmidt, Republican candidate

for City Commissioner, pledged

yesterday to take a voluntary 10%

pay cut for the duration of his

term if elected, and to increase

that cut to 25% in election years

when Commissioners are not al-

lowed by law to perform all their

duties as they are seeking reelec-

tion.

“Taxpayers across Philadelphia

are hurting and our leaders should

set an example,” said Schmidt. “I

am happy to join those in City

government who have reduced

their salaries and to do my part to

help our great City.’

While every other elected official

and other highly-paid City offi-

cials throughout city government

have taken voluntary pay cuts to

help address the City’s fiscal

woes, the three current Commis-

sioners are the only elected offi-

cials who have refused to reduce

their six-figure, taxpayer-paid

salaries.

In addition, the three current

Commissioners continue to take

their full salary even in election

years when they are limited in

their activities because they ap-

pear on the ballot. Good govern-

ment advocates in Philadelphia

have called on them to change this

practice to no avail.

Asked about his pledge to reduce

his taxpayer-paid salary by 25% in

election years if elected,

Schmidt stated, “If you don’t do a

full day’s work, you shouldn’t get

a full day’s pay. The fact our cur-

rent Commissioners are prohibited

from performing 100% of their

duties but still take 100% of their

salary is wrong. I won’t do that.”

Schmidt also pledged he would

not take a city-owned, taxpayer-

paid vehicle (and the gas that

comes with it).


PHA: Let The Auction Begin!

MAX SPANN REAL ESTATE & AUCTION CO.’S CEO Max Spann, Jr., PHA Executive Director

Michael Kelly, State Rep. Michelle Brownlee and Councilman Darrell Clarke raise the gavel to formally

announce PHA will auction off more than 400 scattered-site properties on Nov. 16.

More than 400 properties owned

by the Philadelphia Housing Au-

thority are being put on the auction

block in November, the first time

the agency has taken such a step.

The announcement came on the

3000 block of Cambridge Street in

North Philadelphia, where five

PHA houses will be included as

part of the auction.

Max Spann Real Estate & Auction

Co., the nation’s premier auction

house, has scheduled the

auction for 1 p. m. on Nov. 16 at

Philadelphia Housing Authority

Greater Grays Ferry

Estates Site, 1800 S. 32nd Street in

South Philadelphia.

A wide range of properties is

available, from town homes and

building lots to multi-unit

buildings. The properties are being

offered individually as well as in

groups of up to 25. A

detailed listing of the properties is

available at www.maxspann.com.

“There is something for everyone

at this auction,” said Bob Dann,

COO of the firm. “This is a great

opportunity for homeowners,

builders and investors to invest in

Philadelphia. These are affordable

opportunities to rebuild and reno-

vate.”

The properties are the Housing


Authority’s Scattered Sites. They

are located throughout the city

on blocks from Rocky Balboa’s

neighborhood to the great North-

east. “We are excited to be

chosen by the Housing Authority

to manage the sale and be a part of

the revitalization of

Philadelphia. Putting these proper-

ties in the hands of individuals that

can return them to

productivity will put people to

work, provide housing, and get the

City and the country back on

track,” said Dann.

Auction information sessions have

been scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. at

the Greater Grays

Ferry Estates office building on

Oct. 19, the Warnock Village Com-

munity Center on Oct. 26 and

Greater Grays Ferry again on Nov.

2. Lists of the properties, how to

bid instructions and the terms of

the sale will be distributed.

The auction is being ordered by the

PHA, the nation’s fourth- largest

housing authority, providing hous-

ing for more than 81,000 residents

of Philadelphia. It is the biggest

landlord in Pennsylvania.

“These properties are part of a

large inventory not being used and

we felt that an auction was the

best way to put these homes and

lots into the hands of those who

can make productive use of

them, and return them to the City’s

tax rolls,” said PHA Executive Di-

rector Michael Kelly. “By

using an auction we will sell the

parcels for what the market is will-

ing to pay for them.”

Those interested in learning more

can visit Maxspann.com for an en-

tire list of the properties and

a property information package, at-

tend the auction and bid. You can

also follow Max Spann on

Facebook/MaxSpann and Twit-

ter/MaxSpann or call (888) 299-

1438.

School Dist. Chief Hails Labor Agreement

Dr. Leroy Nunery, Acting Superin-

tendent OF THE Philadelphia

School District, released the fol-

lowing statement on the vote by

teachers to endorse the PFT col-

lective-bargaining agreement:

“The School District of Philadel-

phia would like to thank the mem-

bers of the Philadelphia Federation

of Teachers for approving modifi-

cations to their collective bargain-

ing agreement. I would also like to

thank PFT President Jerry Jordan

for his leadership through this

process. In response to reductions

in state and federal funding, and as

part of the District’s budget gap

closing plan, the District sought

necessary concessions from each

of its bargaining units. This agree-

ment with the PFT represents a

significant step towards achieving

needed savings for this fiscal year.

“The agreement with the PFT ex-

tends the collective bargaining

agreement for an additional year

through Aug. 31, 2013. During the

2012-2013 school year, there will

be no across-the-board increases in

salary or changes in benefits. In

addition, the PFT and the District

have agreed to substantially re-

structure payments to the PFT’s

Health and Welfare Fund, which

will allow the District to address

the current budget shortfall with-

out adversely impacting the qual-

ity of benefits to PFT members.

“The School Reform Commission

is scheduled to act on the proposed

contract extension at its Oct. 26

Philadelphia Public Record

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