Philadelphia's 2019 municipal primaries are happening in just a few months on May 21st, and if the past two election cycles are any indication, the political mood both nationally and locally seems likely to remain unusually favorable to upstart political candidates independent from the traditional party structure. Is that trend going to hold this year? We're still more than a month away from the petition period to get on the ballot, but here's what we already know about the 2019 field.

(Republican At-Large Councilmember Al Taubenberger | Image: Tom MacDonald, WHYY)

The Auditor General's report on the Philadelphia Parking Authority looks terrible for the PPA Board, as it makes clear that board members knew about former Executive Director Vince Fenerty's 2015 sexual harassment settlement, and they chose to let him stay on the job instead of terminating him.

(3rd District Councilmember Jannie Blackwell)

Auditor Eugene DePasquale released the results of two audits his office conducted of the Philadelphia Parking Authority this morning, in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal that brought down former Executive Director Vince Fenerty. 

(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. 

(Former DA Seth Williams, in oil painting form)

Alan Greenblatt at Governing Magazine has a new article holding Philly up as a national example for how to prevent political corruption. Yeah, about that. 

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.

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

In which Derek Green proposes giving the Human Relations Commission the ability to shut down repeat civil rights offenders; Mark Squilla and David Oh propose capping their electric vehicle charging station moratorium at 2 years; and Councilmembers Cherelle Parker, Maria Quinones-Sanchez, and Blondell Reynolds-Brown introduce a bill requiring developers to provide more project information (or ammunition, depending how you look at it) to Registered Community Organizations when they seek zoning variances.

In which Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Bill Greenlee (for Darrell Clarke) introduce some changes to American Street, including new bike lanes; Bill Greenlee (on behalf of Darrell Clarke) proposes allowing a digital accessory sign on 1900 Market along with some planters; Bobby Henon (for Clarke) proposes allowing the City to make Capital Expenditures on buildings it doesn't own; Brian O'Neill makes a populist point about the City's poor track record of shoveling the sidewalks around public properties after snowstorms; and David Oh and Mark Squilla propose still more regulations for installing electric vehicle charging stations, including Art Commission approval.

In which David Oh and Council Republicans introduce a resolution honoring Patrick Blessington--one of the attorneys on those Porngate email chains--to seething opprobrium; Allan Domb and others resolve to hold a hearing on why reassessments are still all messed up even after the Actual Value Initiative; Domb and crew also back a resolution promoting Earned Income Tax Credit participation for eligible residents; and Curtis Jones, Jr., Kenyatta Johnson, and Brian O'Neill get serious about hazardous intersections.