City Takes Small (But Useful) Step Toward Open Block Captain Data
The Streets Department's new CleanPHL site for Mayor Kenney's Zero Waste initiative quietly throws a small bone to neighborhood civic groups, and for the first time ever, allows residents to look up whether their block has a block captain.
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Council Report Card: Week of October 16th
In which Blondell Reynolds Brown proposes better compliance monitoring of the City's Economic Opportunity Plans; Bill Greenlee and Darrell Clarke propose a new demolition fund for blighted properties funded by a $15 fee on property sales; Mark Squilla legalizes encroachments from planters and bike racks for the new "sneckdown" treatment at 12th and Morris; and Reynolds Brown and Clarke respond to the confederate sticker on the squad car story with a bill banning offensive messages on city-owned property.
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At Voting Access Hearing, Officials Consider PA's Systemic Voter Registration Problems
(City Commissioners | Photo credit: Emma Lee, WHYY)
Two weeks ago, City Commissioner Al Schmidt released information about the impact of a flaw in PennDOT’s Motor Voter program that allowed non-citizens to register to vote. That’s clearly a problem, but the bigger issue is everything else.
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Jimmie Moore's Lawyer Says There are More Recordings in Brady Investigation
Dave Davies flagged a juicy detail from Judge Jimmie Moore's hearing this week, in which Moore pleaded guilty to accepting a $90,000 payment from Congressman Bob Brady's campaign to abandon a primary challenge against the incumbent. According to Moore's attorney, the feds have really been sniffing around Brady.
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Chris Rabb on Running a Ward like a Decent Civic Organization
(State Rep. Chris Rabb | Photo: Kentucky Educational Television)
In an interview with Inquirer columnist John Baer, first-term Rep. Chris Rabb (HD-200) discusses how he operates in Harrisburg as someone who got elected without the support the Democratic Party machine, and how he plans to run the 9th ward as a reformer:
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Council Report Card: October 2nd
In which Darrell Clarke proposes rezoning some North Philly industrial properties to residential use, except for the Quaker Building; Blondell Reynolds Brown proposes fixing the green roof density bonus; most Councilmembers want to address recent squatting concerns; and Curtis Jones and several co-sponsors propose designating October 1-8 as the second annual Legacy Week, which is not the Founders' Day bash Philly needs.
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PA Booze Reforms Bringing in More State Revenue
(Civilization failing to end as wine sold in PA supermarkets | Photo: Jon Geeting)
Charles Thompson at the Patriot News reports that Liquor Control Board sales revenues are up in the year since the state legislature dipped a toe into liberalizing alcohol retailing laws with Act 39:
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How Can the City Make Life Easier for RCOs?
(Photo: Jon Geeting)
Five years ago, Philly created the Registered Community Organization (RCO) system as the official channel for citizens to be involved in the zoning and land development process.
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SEPTA: Stop Worrying About Uber and Make Transit More Convenient
(The 48 bus | Photo: Philadelphia Magazine)
We're over at the Inquirer op-ed page today, laying out some customer-friendly changes SEPTA can make to their bus network to stop bleeding ridership.
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Council Report Card: September 25th
In which Derek Green (At-Large) proposes to clean the detritus from out the City Code; Jannie Blackwell (3rd District) proposes extending the lives of eighteen West Philly Keystone Opportunity Zones as a carrot for Amazon; and Mark Squilla (1st District) and Darrell Clarke (Council President, 5th District) propose rezoning some large industrially-zoned properties in South Kensington and Olde Richmond (and notably neglect sprawl repair opportunities on Aramingo and York.)
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