Think you've got your finger on the pulse of Philly politics? Put your prediction skills to the test in our 2017 Municipal Elections Pool! The person who comes closest to guessing the results of the May 16th election will win a $25 gift card to Reading Terminal Market. Continue reading

In which Darrell Clarke and Mark Squilla schedule a hearing about parking based on some questionable assumptions; Jannie Blackwell introduces what appears to be her first neighborhood-wide zoning remapping bill for Mantua, and approves a buffered bike lane for 11 blocks of Chestnut Street in University City. Continue reading

(Spagnolo Group Architecture) With Center City, University City, and the Navy Yard expected to continue their moderately strong recent growth, there's increasing interest among local elected officials in pivoting the City's attention toward stoking job growth outside of these places. Continue reading

(Council President Darrell Clarke) This Tuesday, Philadelphians awoke to scenes of arson and vandalism. After weeks of a campaign warning of impending “direct action” against “gentri scum”, the outside agitators acted. Dressed in all black, wielding weapons, and attacking indiscriminately, they burned homes in Point Breeze, broke windows in South Kensington, and continued their pattern of vandalism across the city. Continue reading

  ("Better off as a vacant lot than a triplex" - Darrell Clarke, probably | Photo: Flickr/Jukie Bot) We've got a cool event coming up on May 11th that we're partnering on with Urban Land Institute, where we'll be talking with some local experts about what happened in the 5 years since Philly passed zoning reform. The discussion will be focused on neighborhood commercial corridors in particular, since corridor retail has emerged as a major priority area for Mayor Kenney, at least rhetorically. Continue reading

(St. Benjamin Brewing | Photo: Drink Philly) Last year, the Pennsylvania legislature passed some changes to the state liquor code that had the (perhaps unintended) consequence of making R liquor license prices rocket to queasy new heights.  Continue reading

Former Governor Ed Rendell is on something of a 'No Fucks Left to Give' tour lately.  Continue reading

At the end of Claudia Vargas's piece on Ed Rendell's endorsement of Rebecca Rhynhart for Controller, incumbent Controller Alan Butkovitz previewed a devastating new line of attack on his primary challenger: she's too good for this! Continue reading

(Philadelphia Less Beautiful Than It Could Be Without Discoverable Block Captains | Photo: AxisPhilly) Imagine if Philly held thousands of elections for hyper-local seats like committeepeople or board of elections, but then refused to let anybody know who won. Continue reading

(Congressman Bob Brady | Photo: Philadelphia Inquirer) This week former Governor Ed Rendell gave Democratic City Committee chairman Bob Brady some unsolicited advice about cleaning up the city's party organization via an article at City & State--advice that didn't go over so well.  Continue reading