Thursday, June 30, 2011
State Budget Passes PA House
Pennsylvania House passes state budget
HARRISBURG - The Pennsylvania House on Wednesday night approved a $27.15 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins Friday, setting the stage for Gov. Corbett to sign the document into law before the official deadline.
Corbett got most of what he wanted - deep spending cuts and no new taxes on natural gas or anything else - on a day when his administration pushed through a controversial last-minute Senate measure to shift control of billions in welfare funding from the legislature to his administration.
The Republican governor is about to make history with his first budget: It will be the first in nine years to be completed on time, and the first in two decades to reflect a decrease, roughly 3 percent, from the previous budget.
The 109-92 vote was mostly along party lines, although two Philadelphia Republicans, Reps. Dennis O'Brien and John Taylor, crossed those lines to vote "no" with Democrats. The Senate approved the budget Tuesday.
Corbett's welfare secretary said budget needs necessitated the last-minute change in welfare legislation. "We have a savings target to meet, and we can't wait months and months to do it," Gary Alexander told The Inquirer Wednesday night.
But the measure set off alarms among advocates for the poor, who portrayed it as a power grab by the executive branch that would shred the safety net for hundreds of thousands of people - most of them women and children - who depend on government assistance.
Richard Weishaupt, a lawyer with Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, said past administrations had been given temporary authority over a narrow range of welfare services, but nothing so sweeping as what the Corbett administration is seeking.
"It is unprecedented that a state agency is given this kind of discretion without any checks and balances," Weishaupt said.
Alexander said that the change was not meant to circumvent public input and that the administration would make certain that the public and those affected by any changes got a chance to weigh in.
"Anything we do will be done in an open fashion, with stakeholder input and with public comment," he said. "We wouldn't do it any other way."
He added: "The executive branch never has blanket authority to make law."
Alexander said that Pennsylvania's rule-making process could be long and drawn out and that the change would simply let his department speed things up, particularly as it tries to make the hundreds of millions in cuts that next year's budget will require.
He said he could not yet say what changes in benefits, if any, the department would make.
"The budget hasn't even passed yet," Alexander said as the House debated the measure Wednesday night. "Until then, we won't be able to make a definitive statement."
The amendment to the welfare code would let the welfare department change benefit rates, including reducing cash assistance payments, and increase co-payments for child care and health care.
The measure passed, 35-15, with five Democrats joining the Republican majority and is expected to receive final approval Thursday. The bill then goes to the House for consideration and could take effect as soon as Friday, the first day of the fiscal year.
The vote came just before the House took up the state budget, with deep cuts to the welfare department as part of the House GOP's effort to restore some education funding.
For the umpteenth time in recent days, minority Democrats warned that the budget would hurt the most vulnerable citizens while letting the natural-gas industry off the hook by not enacting a levy on Marcellus Shale drilling.
"The Republicans are continuing to practice their mantra of 'close your eyes and authorize,' " said Rep. William Kortz (D., Allegheny). "They're ignoring the role education and welfare play in economic development and in taxpayers' everyday lives."
But members of the House's GOP majority said holding the line on taxes would ease the burden on taxpayers and businesses and boost employment by spurring commerce.
"We're sending a signal to taxpayers and workers in the Commonwealth that we are interested in becoming a business-friendly environment," said Rep. Glen Grell (R., Cumberland).
The last-minute welfare change reaches into the complex territory of who decides how much public aid the poorest Pennsylvanians can obtain.
A number of programs run by the welfare department - such as Medicaid for the disabled and Medical Assistance for the poor, much of which goes to health care for low-income children and elderly - are federally controlled, but states have some leeway over cash assistance grants and some health benefits.
For instance, federal law establishes minimum income criteria for various Medicaid-eligible groups, but states can opt to expand the income requirement. Pennsylvania, for one, has expanded eligibility so more people can get Medicaid coverage.
Some medical aid is federally mandated, but states have wiggle room to add optional benefits, such as mental health and prescription drugs.
Notwithstanding Alexander's promise of public input, critics said the bill would allow his department to largely bypass the extended public-comment period on welfare rule changes and would eliminate legislative oversight.
Jonathan Stein, general counsel for Community Legal Services, said the bill would give Alexander "powers that no other welfare secretary in state history has had. He can issue a fiat."
The late amendment offered by the Corbett administration caught the sponsor of the larger welfare bill unawares; she found herself suddenly forced to defend it.
Sen. Pat Vance (R., Cumberland), who chairs the Health and Welfare Committee, said she did not like the language giving greater power to the executive branch.
"I'm not overly fond of it; I don't like to give anybody expedited rule-making, but we have to save $600 million," she said.
Vance was referring to the welfare cuts that Corbett and GOP legislative leaders have agreed to, in part to restore a portion of the deep cuts that Corbett had initially proposed in state education aid.
She said the change would expire in a year and would permit public comment. Critics said they saw nothing to that effect in the amendment.
"This is the kicking out the most vulnerable. It makes them invisible, like their ideas and lives don't matter," said Mariana Chilton, a professor at Drexel University's School of Public Health and one of the nation's leading experts on hunger.
Meanwhile, eleventh-hour negotiations over a proposal to create student tuition vouchers - a move Corbett has supported - failed when the House and Senate could not reach agreement. But voucher advocates are sure to revive the issue later in the year.
Contact staff writer Amy Worden at 717-783-2584 or aworden@phillynews.com.
Inquirer staff writer John Manganaro contributed to this article.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Latest news on the City budget
Council OKs $3.5B budget, 3.85% property-tax hike
LIKE IT OR NOT, a temporary property-tax hike is on the way for a second year in a row.
City Council concluded its final session before its summer break yesterday by passing a $3.5 billion budget that included a temporary 3.85 percent property-tax increase to collect $37 million for the cash-strapped school district.
Additionally, Council will reduce the city's surplus-fund balance and raise parking-meter fees for a total of $53 million to restore yellow-bus transportation, maintain reduced class sizes for K-3 classrooms, preserve accelerated schools at the same level as this year and restore 270 slots for students in an early-education program.
Last year, Council and Mayor Nutter hiked property taxes by 10 percent. The temporary real-estate-tax hike passed yesterday with an 11-6 vote.
"You can say that children and families won in the short term, but in the long term we still recognize that there are serious management and competency issues over in the school district," said Councilman Bill Green, who voted for the measure. "This body and the state and others will have to be vigilant to make sure that next year we're not in the same situation."
But Council President Anna Verna voted against it, saying that she couldn't support yet another property-tax hike.
"We raised property taxes last year," Verna said. "We're asked to raise property taxes this year. . . . When does it stop?There are many people, many people in my district that are saying they cannot afford it, and I'm inclined to agree with them - many people can't."
Nutter's budget includes funding for a few new items, including a police class and a citywide literacy program, as well as increased funding for the recently created Office of Property Assessment.
Finance Director Rob Dubow said that the city is still watching for the conclusion of the state-budget process, to see if that forces any changes to the plan. After that, the city will submit its five-year financial plan to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, which must approve it.
In other news:
* Council passed legislation introduced by Frank DiCicco and Jim Kenney approving the use of electronic signs on Market Street, between 7th and 13th, to attract more business. The signage bill requires building owners to make at least $10 million in improvements to their properties before they can install larger signs.
* Council approved the sidewalk-behavior bill introduced by DiCicco that maintains safeguards for the homeless while allowing police to arrest those being disorderly. The measure will include Councilman Darrell Clarke's 5th District, which was previously exempted.
* Council approved a bill introduced by Clarke that will make the Health Department responsible for controlling raccoons and removing them from homes.
Staff writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report
City Council concluded its final session before its summer break yesterday by passing a $3.5 billion budget that included a temporary 3.85 percent property-tax increase to collect $37 million for the cash-strapped school district.
Additionally, Council will reduce the city's surplus-fund balance and raise parking-meter fees for a total of $53 million to restore yellow-bus transportation, maintain reduced class sizes for K-3 classrooms, preserve accelerated schools at the same level as this year and restore 270 slots for students in an early-education program.
Last year, Council and Mayor Nutter hiked property taxes by 10 percent. The temporary real-estate-tax hike passed yesterday with an 11-6 vote.
"You can say that children and families won in the short term, but in the long term we still recognize that there are serious management and competency issues over in the school district," said Councilman Bill Green, who voted for the measure. "This body and the state and others will have to be vigilant to make sure that next year we're not in the same situation."
But Council President Anna Verna voted against it, saying that she couldn't support yet another property-tax hike.
"We raised property taxes last year," Verna said. "We're asked to raise property taxes this year. . . . When does it stop?There are many people, many people in my district that are saying they cannot afford it, and I'm inclined to agree with them - many people can't."
Nutter's budget includes funding for a few new items, including a police class and a citywide literacy program, as well as increased funding for the recently created Office of Property Assessment.
Finance Director Rob Dubow said that the city is still watching for the conclusion of the state-budget process, to see if that forces any changes to the plan. After that, the city will submit its five-year financial plan to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, which must approve it.
In other news:
* Council passed legislation introduced by Frank DiCicco and Jim Kenney approving the use of electronic signs on Market Street, between 7th and 13th, to attract more business. The signage bill requires building owners to make at least $10 million in improvements to their properties before they can install larger signs.
* Council approved the sidewalk-behavior bill introduced by DiCicco that maintains safeguards for the homeless while allowing police to arrest those being disorderly. The measure will include Councilman Darrell Clarke's 5th District, which was previously exempted.
* Council approved a bill introduced by Clarke that will make the Health Department responsible for controlling raccoons and removing them from homes.
Staff writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Inquirer: Center City gets younger
More folks in their 20s, 30s have been settling there.
The beat of a lively downtown is evident in full tables at restaurants such as El Vez, in lines to see movies at the Ritz theaters, and even in the strut of the dog walkers who traverse Rittenhouse Square.
That energy is no illusion.
An explosion of 20- and 30-somethings is changing the look of Philadelphia - and helping to drive a dining, shopping, and arts scene that thrives in the face of a dismal economy.
New census figures document the youth movement:
Northern Liberties had dramatic growth in the number of people in their 20s and 30s, up 77 percent in 10 years. The neighborhood gained 2,500 more young adults - who now constitute a majority, leaping from 37 percent to 53 percent of neighborhood residents.
The neighborhood with the largest percentage of young adults in Philadelphia, according to data released Thursday, is Manayunk. Today, 59 percent of residents there are in their 20s or 30s, up from 43 percent in 2000.
Southwest Center City mirrored the growth in Northern Liberties. The young-adult population there grew by 65 percent, and that share of the population jumped from 35 percent to 53 percent.
"It's perfect," gushed Sandra Clark, 33, who moved to Center City four years ago, and who was out for a walk Wednesday near 16th and Pine Streets. "It's in the middle of everything."
The two neighborhoods with the highest percentage of growth in young adults also had the most growth in wealth.
Average household income in Southwest Center City rose from $42,677 in 1999 to $68,644 in the five years from 2005 to 2009 - a 61 percent increase. Income in Northern Liberties rose 57 percent, from $50,730 to $79,476, according to estimates from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The figures are adjusted for inflation to represent 2009 dollars.
Citywide, however, average household income from 2005 to 2009 declined 5 percent, to $51,037.
Philadelphia now has six neighborhoods where young adults constitute majorities: Manayunk, Northern Liberties, Southwest Center City, University City, Center City, and Fairmount/Spring Garden.
The section of North Philadelphia west of Broad Street near Temple University had a dramatic rise in people in their 20s - up 74 percent. They now account for 21 percent of all people living in the area, up from 12 percent in 2000.
Citywide, the increase in young people was not as dramatic. The percentage of residents in their 20s and 30s grew 7 percent between 2000 to 2010. As a percentage of the total population, younger people increased from 30 percent to 32 percent.
Center City and the ring of surrounding neighborhoods were happening places, with growth among all age groups. And many young people who don't live in Center City make it their playground.
Graham Shapiro, 25, walked out of the Apple store on Walnut Street on Wednesday, holding a bicycle helmet in one hand and a Barnes & Noble bag in the other. He lives in West Philadelphia, but Center City is where he comes for fun.
"Everything is close together, the restaurants, and it's walkable," he said.
His girlfriend, Lior Levy, 31, could instantly name her favorite Center City venue.
"Rittenhouse park," she said. "The movement of the people, the variety, the green. It's nice to have that oasis in the middle of the city."
In Center City, the population of all age groups grew 18 percent over the decade, an increase of 9,016 people. Of those, 5,175 were in their 20s and 30s.
Another long-recognized trend - the move of older, empty-nesters to Center City - is documented in the census.
Tax abatements on new condominiums, enacted in 1998, helped increase the number of residents 65 and older by 17 percent in Center City, from 7,046 to 8,250. Across Philadelphia, the opposite was true; that age group dropped 13 percent as older people left or died. Of the city's 56 neighborhoods, 44 lost seniors.
An earlier Census Bureau release showed that Philadelphia grew slightly during the last decade, adding 8,456 residents to a city now numbering 1,526,006 - but more important, halting a 50-year population decline.
The growth suggests Philadelphia's population may have stabilized after decades of drops that began when Harry S. Truman was president.
Ted Coyle, 64, has lived 30 years on Rittenhouse Square and watched Center City change.
"It's a great city," he said Wednesday as he sat in Rittenhouse Square Park. "Plenty of eateries, theater, art, a lot of nice people - and not so nice people. . . . The park attracts everyone, the richest to the poorest, every race and color. It's neat."
As he talked, a guitarist set up to play to passersby. Older people sat with their dogs, hipsters drank iced coffee with friends, and nannies pushed strollers that carried the babies of the well-off.
"It's just amazing," said former Center City resident Anita Dudzek, who was visiting the Rittenhouse area with her husband, George. "I miss the people."
They now live near Ocean City, N.J. It's nice, they say. But it's not the city.
"Any evening we didn't know what to do . . .," George began.
". . . he'd sit on the stoop, and watch Philadelphia go by," Anita finished.
That energy is no illusion.
An explosion of 20- and 30-somethings is changing the look of Philadelphia - and helping to drive a dining, shopping, and arts scene that thrives in the face of a dismal economy.
New census figures document the youth movement:
Northern Liberties had dramatic growth in the number of people in their 20s and 30s, up 77 percent in 10 years. The neighborhood gained 2,500 more young adults - who now constitute a majority, leaping from 37 percent to 53 percent of neighborhood residents.
The neighborhood with the largest percentage of young adults in Philadelphia, according to data released Thursday, is Manayunk. Today, 59 percent of residents there are in their 20s or 30s, up from 43 percent in 2000.
Southwest Center City mirrored the growth in Northern Liberties. The young-adult population there grew by 65 percent, and that share of the population jumped from 35 percent to 53 percent.
"It's perfect," gushed Sandra Clark, 33, who moved to Center City four years ago, and who was out for a walk Wednesday near 16th and Pine Streets. "It's in the middle of everything."
The two neighborhoods with the highest percentage of growth in young adults also had the most growth in wealth.
Average household income in Southwest Center City rose from $42,677 in 1999 to $68,644 in the five years from 2005 to 2009 - a 61 percent increase. Income in Northern Liberties rose 57 percent, from $50,730 to $79,476, according to estimates from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The figures are adjusted for inflation to represent 2009 dollars.
Citywide, however, average household income from 2005 to 2009 declined 5 percent, to $51,037.
Philadelphia now has six neighborhoods where young adults constitute majorities: Manayunk, Northern Liberties, Southwest Center City, University City, Center City, and Fairmount/Spring Garden.
The section of North Philadelphia west of Broad Street near Temple University had a dramatic rise in people in their 20s - up 74 percent. They now account for 21 percent of all people living in the area, up from 12 percent in 2000.
Citywide, the increase in young people was not as dramatic. The percentage of residents in their 20s and 30s grew 7 percent between 2000 to 2010. As a percentage of the total population, younger people increased from 30 percent to 32 percent.
Center City and the ring of surrounding neighborhoods were happening places, with growth among all age groups. And many young people who don't live in Center City make it their playground.
Graham Shapiro, 25, walked out of the Apple store on Walnut Street on Wednesday, holding a bicycle helmet in one hand and a Barnes & Noble bag in the other. He lives in West Philadelphia, but Center City is where he comes for fun.
"Everything is close together, the restaurants, and it's walkable," he said.
His girlfriend, Lior Levy, 31, could instantly name her favorite Center City venue.
"Rittenhouse park," she said. "The movement of the people, the variety, the green. It's nice to have that oasis in the middle of the city."
In Center City, the population of all age groups grew 18 percent over the decade, an increase of 9,016 people. Of those, 5,175 were in their 20s and 30s.
Another long-recognized trend - the move of older, empty-nesters to Center City - is documented in the census.
Tax abatements on new condominiums, enacted in 1998, helped increase the number of residents 65 and older by 17 percent in Center City, from 7,046 to 8,250. Across Philadelphia, the opposite was true; that age group dropped 13 percent as older people left or died. Of the city's 56 neighborhoods, 44 lost seniors.
An earlier Census Bureau release showed that Philadelphia grew slightly during the last decade, adding 8,456 residents to a city now numbering 1,526,006 - but more important, halting a 50-year population decline.
The growth suggests Philadelphia's population may have stabilized after decades of drops that began when Harry S. Truman was president.
Ted Coyle, 64, has lived 30 years on Rittenhouse Square and watched Center City change.
"It's a great city," he said Wednesday as he sat in Rittenhouse Square Park. "Plenty of eateries, theater, art, a lot of nice people - and not so nice people. . . . The park attracts everyone, the richest to the poorest, every race and color. It's neat."
As he talked, a guitarist set up to play to passersby. Older people sat with their dogs, hipsters drank iced coffee with friends, and nannies pushed strollers that carried the babies of the well-off.
"It's just amazing," said former Center City resident Anita Dudzek, who was visiting the Rittenhouse area with her husband, George. "I miss the people."
They now live near Ocean City, N.J. It's nice, they say. But it's not the city.
"Any evening we didn't know what to do . . .," George began.
". . . he'd sit on the stoop, and watch Philadelphia go by," Anita finished.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Community Meeting
A meeting has been set to hear a proposal for a new bar and possible strip club located at 1520 Arrott, formerly Primo's Sports Bar. The meeting is open to the public. Questions and Comments are welcome.
Date: Thursday, June 30
Time: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Aria Hospital, 4900 Frankford Avenue
Date: Thursday, June 30
Time: 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Aria Hospital, 4900 Frankford Avenue
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Philadelphia zoning-code update on hold for now
Philadelphia zoning-code update on hold for now
Watershed decisions on modernizing the city's zoning code will wait until the fall, as City Council on Wednesday tabled further action on a plan proposed by the city's Zoning Code Commission.
The commission, formed after approval in a 2007 referendum, has worked since then on a consensus to update the city's antiquated and confusing regulations.
Last month, the 29-member commission finally approved its draft proposal for Council - a streamlined 384-page code, compared with the 650-page existing code.
A new zoning code is a central piece of Mayor Nutter's platform, meant to simplify the building and permitting process and create sensible, predictable zoning.
"The system is so broken that there is virtually no expectation on the part of residents or developers that the zoning code can support a predictable development process," said Alan Greenberger, deputy mayor for economic development and chairman of the commission.
The City Charter required Council to hold a hearing within 45 days of the commission's action, and it did just that on Wednesday, taking testimony from developers, architects, neighborhood groups, and city planning officials.
But Council is weighed down with pressing questions about its budget and funding for the Philadelphia School District. In a predetermined move, after three hours of testimony, the Committee of the Whole recessed until a to-be-determined date in the fall.
Some members of the Zoning Code Commission have cautioned that delay could derail changes. But this week, community groups and Nutter administration officials said the end of the year was a more realistic deadline.
Councilmen Brian J. O'Neill and Bill Green have questioned aspects of the plan, particularly how it would be rolled out in neighborhoods. Council members currently have great say on development because the code almost always requires variances or zoning changes for major projects. The new zoning code would reduce their role.
On Wednesday, some neighborhood groups expressed concern that the code did not adequately protect the character and history of neighborhoods. Others called the code a significant step forward that would attract developers currently unwilling to navigate the city's process.
Contact staff writer Jeff Shields at 215-854-4565 or jshields@phillynews.com.
The commission, formed after approval in a 2007 referendum, has worked since then on a consensus to update the city's antiquated and confusing regulations.
Last month, the 29-member commission finally approved its draft proposal for Council - a streamlined 384-page code, compared with the 650-page existing code.
A new zoning code is a central piece of Mayor Nutter's platform, meant to simplify the building and permitting process and create sensible, predictable zoning.
"The system is so broken that there is virtually no expectation on the part of residents or developers that the zoning code can support a predictable development process," said Alan Greenberger, deputy mayor for economic development and chairman of the commission.
The City Charter required Council to hold a hearing within 45 days of the commission's action, and it did just that on Wednesday, taking testimony from developers, architects, neighborhood groups, and city planning officials.
But Council is weighed down with pressing questions about its budget and funding for the Philadelphia School District. In a predetermined move, after three hours of testimony, the Committee of the Whole recessed until a to-be-determined date in the fall.
Some members of the Zoning Code Commission have cautioned that delay could derail changes. But this week, community groups and Nutter administration officials said the end of the year was a more realistic deadline.
Councilmen Brian J. O'Neill and Bill Green have questioned aspects of the plan, particularly how it would be rolled out in neighborhoods. Council members currently have great say on development because the code almost always requires variances or zoning changes for major projects. The new zoning code would reduce their role.
On Wednesday, some neighborhood groups expressed concern that the code did not adequately protect the character and history of neighborhoods. Others called the code a significant step forward that would attract developers currently unwilling to navigate the city's process.
Contact staff writer Jeff Shields at 215-854-4565 or jshields@phillynews.com.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Frankford Gazette covers our first "Second Saturday" event!
Check out this great coverage of the Frankford CDC's first "Second Saturday" arts festival in the Frankford Gazette! http://frankfordgazette.com/2011/06/15/frankford-second-saturday-festival/
Thanks again to everyone who came out to enjoy the day with us, and everyone involved with planning and organizing the event!
Thanks again to everyone who came out to enjoy the day with us, and everyone involved with planning and organizing the event!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Pictures from our first "Second Saturday"!
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Frankford CDC's first arts festival of the season this past Saturday - and a special thanks to the artists and performers who participated, as well to Quicky Mart Express for generously donating the food and the use of their parking lot! Below are the great photos we have from the event.
And be on the lookout for more information about our upcoming arts festivals (or "Second Saturdays")! The dates can be found here: http://frankfordcdc.com/second-saturdays.html. Also, if you're an artist or performer and want to participate, or if you know any artists or performers who would like to participate, please email Michelle Feldman at mfeldman.fcdc@gmail.com or give her a call at 215-743-6580!
And be on the lookout for more information about our upcoming arts festivals (or "Second Saturdays")! The dates can be found here: http://frankfordcdc.com/second-saturdays.html. Also, if you're an artist or performer and want to participate, or if you know any artists or performers who would like to participate, please email Michelle Feldman at mfeldman.fcdc@gmail.com or give her a call at 215-743-6580!
Shades of Green performs!
Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez poses with a Frankford Avenue business owner!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Camp Expos Right Here in Frankford!
Be sure to take advantage of two different camp expos taking place right here in Frankford! The Expo's will be an opportunity for Frankford families to come out and enjoy a day at their neighborhood recreation center/playground and learn about various summer programming and activities for youth. The details:
1. Saturday, June 18th, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at McIlvain Recreation Center (5200 Penn St.)
2. Saturday, June 25th, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. located at Gambrell Playground (4800 Ditman St.).
Contact Jimmie Sanders at the Managing Director's office for more information: 215.686.8419 & jimmie.sanders@phila.gov
1. Saturday, June 18th, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at McIlvain Recreation Center (5200 Penn St.)
2. Saturday, June 25th, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. located at Gambrell Playground (4800 Ditman St.).
Contact Jimmie Sanders at the Managing Director's office for more information: 215.686.8419 & jimmie.sanders@phila.gov
Monday, June 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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