The Next Mayor

From Michael Nutter, who held a press conference today to denounce the bill and released this statement:

"Philadelphia residents should be outraged by this back-door attempt to return to the shameful past that led to campaign finance reform...Philadelphia citizens should not be fooled by this legislation and they should not believe anyone who tries to spin it as 'reform.' And any Mayoral candidate who supports this legislation cannot claim to be a 'reformer.'”

Nutter took on the idea of changing the law after one poll, pointing out that the numbers involved border on the ridiculous, especially since the horse-race portion involves only 262 registered Democrats. "Fifty-eight residents expressed interest in one guy and all of a sudden, City Council wants to repeal years of effort to achieve campaign finance reform in Philadelphia," scoffed Nutter.

From Tom Knox, who also issued a brief statement:

"Philadelphia voters are smart enough to understand what’s happening here – the supporters of the status quo are circling the wagons."

Dwight Evans has called on council to reject the Kenney bill as well. But he has a idea to consider instead:

He thinks as a rich candidate pours more and more of his or her own money into the campaign, the limits on campaign donations should increase -- but not disappear.

From his statement:

“I was disappointed to learn that Councilman Jim Kenney has put forth a proposal to eliminate caps on political donations to candidates running for office in Philadelphia,” Evans wrote in the letter to Council. “Those who support such a proposal are signaling their support of the pay-to-play, machine-driven politics that reward the few at the expense of the many

And he explains his idea: "for example, if a candidate were to spend in excess of $2 million of personal resources in a campaign, then the limits on individual contributions should increase by a factor of four."

"Coupled with requirements for 24-hour disclosure of any donation over $1,000, this would move toward leveling the playing field while maintaining public scrutiny and preventing a return to the “Wild-West” days of old," Evans said.

One important thing to remember: Nutter and Evans both collected the money they have now from a large base. Evans from 1,300 donors and Nutter from 1,400 donors.

Opposition has grown all day to Councilman James Kenney's idea to lift campaign limits for mayoral candidates. So far today, Michael Nutter held a press conference and issued a statement to condemn the idea; Evans put out a statement opposing it (and suggesting an alternative) and Tom Knox, the guy who got this all started, put out a one-paragraph statement that...well, I'm not sure what it actually means, except obviously he's above the fray.

The issue is this: Tom Knox spent $2 million in ads, bought himself a big jump in the polls, and got everyone (particularly those who back Bob Brady) a bit freaked out and looking for ways to raise more money faster.

I've posted the candidates' responses all day. I also reached out to the Committee of 70, our partner in The Next Mayor and people who understand campaign finance well.

President and Chief Executive Officer Zack Stalberg said Seventy "believes the bill is extremely bad" and added that the good-government group "will oppose it when it comes to a hearing."

He's also sent letters to each of the candidates asking them to declare how they feel about the bill.

"Prior to the establishment of the donation limits Philadelphia was in a situation where public officials were bought and sold routinely," Zack said. "The current system may have some flaws. But it definitely reduced the size of a permissiable donation to a level where you can no longer buy influence. And that's good."

Zack said he wished it were possible to limit how much a candidate can spend of his or her own money, but the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that's not possible. But, in a case like Knox's, he pointed out: "At least it's his own money, and no one is buying him."

"Each of these candidates have gotten name recognition in their own way," he pointed out. Knox may have bought his, but he didn't have a high-profile public position where he could generate it for years before running for Mayor.

I asked Zack to explain how Kenney's bill, if it passed, would work with the pay-to-play legislation that is already in place. Which groups would be allowed unrestricted donations if Kenney's bill passed, and which wouldn't?

"My quick reading of this is that outfits or individuals that want city contracts would still be limited," Zack said. "But that leaves a world of idiots out there who are still trying to buy influence and favors."

He also pointed out that Kenney's bill would change the rules of this race in the middle of it, which has been enough of a problem with the campaign finance limits already.

"All of the candidates agreed to the ethics agenda," Zack reminded them, "which called for a review of of the rules after this election." Any candidate who supports the Kenney bill is "violating the spirit of the ethics agenda that they already agreed to."

Not to mention violating the spirit of reform that this city wants and has voted for, he added.

When I'm not spending time as an avid philatelist, I like to think that I know a thing or two about cartography. So imagine my surprise and excitement when I heard this story on NPR today. Of course, it hurts a little that it was done by an NPR reporter and not an 'HYY reporter for NPR, but that's a different story.

This story has everything. It combines my weird fascination with maps (probably stemming from my desire always to be somewhere besides where I am), supermarkets in the inner city (if I haven't mentioned that already on this blog, don't worry, I will), and politics. It even mentions Dwight Evans.

Give it a listen, it was a pretty fascinating piece. And to think, all of this great work being done at Penn, right under our noses. Does anyone know if there's a connection between them and the City (Planning or otherwise) so that they could actually put these maps to use?

(edited to add) Here's some more information about mapping projects being done at Penn. When I get some time, I'll have to dig through it.

And the wording of the link is so great that I have to list it:
www.BobBradyWorks.com

Can be found at Michael Nutter's Web site.

And there's a hint that this issue may show up in the City Council races. From YPP's Dan (though we added the emphasis):

Dear Councilpeople Greenlee, Reynolds-Brown, Tasco, DiCicco, Kenney, Miller and others:

You all have a chance to make this go away. You have a chance not to hand your opponents a huge stick to whack you with. You have a chance to show that you listen. You have a chance to show that when only one-quarter of Philadelphia thinks we are on the right track, that you will not make nakedly bold moves to preserve that status quo.

Make this law go away, and, we can forget it happened.

Not only is this morally wrong, you are hurting your chances to keep your own jobs, and you are going to show yourselves as out of touch. Get ready for ads and fliers from every single one of your opponents detailing that you are on the side of the well connected, and the status quo.

Chaka Fattah Thursday introduced a plan to help Philadelphians buy homes and stay in them when times get tough.

His housing plan features a tax credit for first-time homebuyers of up to $4,000, calls for increasing the Housing Trust Fund by devoting expiring tax abatements to it (which the campaign says could be worth $43 million by 2015) and calls for creating a $10 million Philadelphia Homeowners' Emergency Assistance Program to loan money to Philadelphia homeowners facing foreclosure. The last initiative is modeled on a state program that Fattah helped create.

A tax credit for first-time homebuyers is particularly attractive, since transfer taxes in the city are an expensive surprise for anyone who doesn't have some equity built up.

And the Housing Trust Fund is an essential program for affordable housing in the city; it steps in to help make affordable housing projects possible, to help pay for home repairs for low- and moderate-income families and, in extreme cases, help people on the brink of homelessness.

It may be increasingly needed as PHA attempts to sell its scattered-site housing and more Philadelphia families are forced to find new homes to live in.

Michael Nutter has now sent a letter to supporters encouraging them to sign his online petition opposing the James Kenney bill. The letter can be read here; the petition, here.

Whew, Fattah pouring out the policy papers. He says he will introduce his small-business plan Monday. Announcement after the jump.

In case I haven't mention it, The Next Mayor is on Youtube. So far, most of the videos are excerpts from our series of Community Forums that we held here at WHYY but there are also some of our "I Am Philadelphia" videos in which we got a people at various events to tell the next mayor (the guy, not the project) what they want him to do when he gets into office.

I plan on putting a whole lot more of those up as well as more Zack's corner (starring Committee of Seventy's Zack Stalberg) and our Counter Intelligence videos.

If you have a Youtube account (which is free to get) you can click here to subscribe so that every time I put a new video up you'll get it.

So far we haven't had any George Allen-esque youtube moments, but it's early yet.

A new comment came in regarding this post by Wendy who pointed out a "dirty trick" campaign sign that appeared about 90 minutes after Congressman Brady entered the race.

Here's the comment from "Mook":
In reference to the Bob is shady poster found on the ground in City Hall, Bob Brady is the type of person that will give you a definite answer, either yes or no. You will know were you stand with him. He brings people to the table and does not play the shell game with them. He lays it out clear and plain before your face so there is no misunderstanding him or the situation and he gets results. If that is "shady" we need more of that today.

Personally I like dealing with someone that gives you the facts and does not dance around the issues.

Earlier today, a WHYY News reporter went to a press event that Congressman Brady conducted with some health care executives to discuss the closure of Graduate Hospital. The media advisory can be found here. The event itself was destined to be a real snoozer but the way the game is played, a good journalist will go to any event that a candidate has in an effort to get them on the record about the hot topic of the day. The 'HYY reporter was just about the only one there.

Clearly, the hot topic today is the Kenney Bill, aptly named by Wendy "The Brady Relief Act." After receiving different stories from Brady's handlers about whether he would answer questions about his position on the Kenney Bill (he is for it), the reporter asked Brady directly about the bill. Brady refused to even open his mouth and say "yes" or "no" lest his voice be recorded for use in the story. Apparently he just shook his head and steamed right through. Again, notice from the advisory that, "There will be a media availability immediately following the meeting." It seems that by "media availability" they meant, "a quick, silent run through the media."

Granted, Brady's not the only politician that has used such a tactic and I'm sure he won't be the only competitor in this race to do it. I bring this up because the commenter above is pretty typical of the general feeling about Brady. He's a "straight shooter." He "tells it like it is." He doesn't "dance around the issues."

But it appears, that at least in this case, that the label "straight shooter" is a little off target.

From today's Inquirer:

Councilwoman Marian Tasco, a ward leader who is backing Evans, said she signed on as a cosponsor because the city needs a "conversation" about flaws in the 2003 limits.

"We were responding to 'pay-to-play' and the pressure of the media" following the City Hall corruption probe, Tasco said. "I actually didn't pay any attention to the bill."

Does this anyone else reminded of the scene from Fahrenheit 9/11 where Michael Moore asked whether our elected representatives in Congress actually read the entire USA PATRIOT Act and Representative Conyers replied:

Sit down son, we don't actually read most of the bills.

Philadelphia City Council, Craptastic since 1951.

While not quite as incendiary as the "race card" or dumb as the "flip flopper card," the "Fumo card" can be just as damaging in this mayoral race. We find in today's Metro that at least one reporter actually made it to the candidate forum last night at Congregation Rodeph Shalom, and for his efforts he was rewarded with this primo quote:

“He’s been supported by Vince Fumo for years and that’s why he’s in power,” Knox said of Kenney last night at a mayoral forum at Rodeph Shalom Synagogue attended by all of the candidates except Brady. “Vince Fumo wants to see Bob Brady elected mayor so he can continue his grip on our economy."

Gee, and Knox seemed like such a nice guy from those $2 million dollar commercials. While we've heard third party commentators mention the Brady-Fumo connection and several of the stories about Kenney's bill also made that connection, this seems to be the first time that a candidate has come out and laid the that four-letter "F" word at the foot of one of his opponents. Methinks Congressman Brady has some choice "F" words for Mr. Knox.

The gloves, gentlemen, are off.

On Monday, 11 a.m., outside the (!) federal court building. Media alert below the jump.

You can sign up the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and Philadelphia Forward as opposing the attempt to repeal the campaign finance limits.

Congressman -- not candidate, in this story -- Chaka Fattah has launched an hotline for tips on illegal guns. And the program, through the Citizens Crime Commission, offers rewards of $1,000 for tips that lead to seizure of guns and arrests of the person who has them.

That number, boys and girls: 215-546-TIPS. It's 24/7.

That reward is more than the usual gun buy-back program (you'll remember that, earlier this year, Fattah launched an effort to trade guns for grocery cards, and the max there was about $400). But the point is not just to get guns off the street but to arrest the person who has them illegally.

Unfortunately, many gun charges do not result in long jail stays.

Still, as Fattah's partner in this effort, state Sen. Vincent Hughes, said, the point is to do what they can, since the state legislature won't strengthen gun laws in the city.

Check out the letter (mentioned first in today's Daily News ) that Dwight Evans and Tom Knox wrote to Bob Brady:

Dear Chairman Brady:

I was dismayed to read the recent article in the Philadelphia Daily News in which you stated your intention to continue as chairman of the Democratic City Committee while you continue to serve as a congressman and seek the Democratic Party's nomination for Mayor in the May primary. The issue is not, as the article suggests, whether you have the time to serve in all three capacities or whether you would violate the City's ethics or campaign laws by doing so. The issue is your disregard for the obvious conflict of interest presented by your continuing to preside over the party and to control its apparatus while you are a candidate.

And the letter concludes:

I therefore respectfully request that you immediately step down as party chairman as you pursue the Democratic Party’s nomination for Mayor.

You can read the whole letter at Evans' Web site.

Wow, Brady's having a rough week. Knox is publicly calling him on the Fumo connection (and, with a federal investigation of Fumo heating up, the timing on that could be awkward). The people of this city who aren't on City Council have been appalled at the brazen attempt to boost Brady's coffers with the Jim Kenney-sponsored Brady Relief Act (and, actually, I didn't name it, that was a very clever pundit at the paper where I work). And now Brady running a Democratic primary as Democratic party chair and getting called on it.

Fact is, this race was doing pretty well before the threatened machine got defensive. We were talking issues and beginning to talk about how many of the promises of change were realistic and affordable.

The stuff swirling around Brady this week was particularly disheartening because it was so old-fashioned.

So it's good to see the pols themselves -- especially Evans, who is no newcomer when it comes to the game of politics -- speak out against it.

Did you see Brady's own response to the Kenney-bill fracas, in the editorial section of today's Daily News?

Here it is.

No one ever got cut on the corners of a square deal. But when it comes to spending in the Philadelphia mayor's race, voters are beginning to see that it's anything but a square deal.

Here's the REAL deal: In an attempt designed to level the playing field for ordinary candidates and millionaires, City Council actually made the playing field anything but level.

This is pay to play for millionaires only.

Growing up in Overbrook, I didn't know many millionaires. My friends and I understood that having money gave some people an advantage when it came to buying things. We just didn't know City Hall was one of them. Maybe we were naïve. But no mayoral candidate from John Street to Frank Rizzo bought their way into office.

Jim Kenney is a smart guy. This is not about the individual millionaire who tries to buy City Hall. The U.S. Supreme Court, under the free speech clause of the Constitution, protects the right of any millionaire to spend his money on a run for political office. So here's my bottom line:

• Report all contributions on-line within 24 hours.

• Provide electronic copies immediately to the Committee of Seventy.

• Encourage news organizations to publish contributions daily.

These simple steps are designed to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Philadelphia voters are smart enough to figure it out from there.

I keep reading it, but I am not sure I get it, so please comment if you do.

Kenney's bill would provide Brady (and all other mayoral candidates) with access to a lot of campaign money, and he seems to be suggesting transparency as a way to keep track of it. Which, of course, means that we'd all know it was big checks from PACs and labor that paid for all that television advertising, and I guess that would make the commercials less successful?

I don't buy that for a minute.

And you thought it would be the casinos! (Might still be, actually.)

Please go check out Young Philly Politics, which has a complete compendium of the sentiment on the Kenney bill, including a look at each of the City Council co-sponsors and their vulnerability to motivated opponents. Directly quoted from Dan U-A:

CoSponsors:

1)Frank DiCicco (strong opponent running, who opposes this)
2)Dan Savage (strong opponent running, who opposes this)
3)Donna Miller (strong opponent running, who opposes this)
4)Carol Campbell (strong opponent running, who opposes this)
5)Marian Tasco (very disappointed in this. Generally a very good Councilperson. Now that Evans is opposed, it is important to see what she does.)
6)Darrell Clarke
7)Juan Ramos (at large candidate, with many strong candidates)
8)Joan Krajewski

And Dan concludes: "102 days till election day. Do you really want to do this?"

(ETA: Irv Ackelsberg, a candidate for the 8th council district (that would be Donna Reed Miller's seat) has sent out his statement opposing the Kenney bill and asking Miller to reconsider her support. Read it here.)

And this one, e-mailed in response to the campaign finance controversy, is from John Karr, political director of the Libertarian Party of Philadelphia.

"So called Campaign Finance Reform is a farce. Both parties are corrupt and they’re both writing the rules that are supposed to make them less corrupt."

Read more after the jump...

Chris Brennan, the Daily News' Urban Warrior, has an interesting column Monday that reveals Mayor Street is unlikely to fill 70 jobs he promised in neighborhood health clinics.

Chris also asked the Democratic candidates what they'd do. All but Brady and Evans said they would fill the jobs.

Brady didn't answer. Evans said he wasn't prepared to commit to it, and added that he'd want to make sure that the city wasn't overlapping with the governor's recently announced health plan.

That seems like an honest answer. The one thing about campaign promises now is this: The next mayor is going to walk into a financial mess the day he steps into office. The reason Street likely won't fill the jobs is because he's having to cut all city department budgets (except for the cops).

On the other hand, I imagine these 70 jobs are a pretty cheap way to prevent and treat illness in the neighborhoods.

Stay posted for Michael Nutter's ethics policy paper and Chaka Fattah's small business plan, both coming Monday...

How often do you think we'll be seeing this response to legitimate questions from the print, radio and television media?

[Insert candidate name here] did not respond to requests for comment.

In this case the candidate was Bob Brady responding to Chris Brennan's column about the 70 public health clinic positions that are likely to be cut soon. I've already referenced Brady once regarding avoidance of media questions, but this is an equal opportunity post.

There's been a number of instances in which Chaka Fattah has deflected from questions by assuring us that "he'll be releasing a position paper" soon. Tom Knox gets to play the outsider's "I don't have access to the numbers" card, which is fair enough but then he should also give up his "I knew enough to balance the budget under Rendell" card.

If anyone wants to help out on this and has access either to Lexis/Nexis or wants to comb through our site, the blog and headline archives, feel free to point out instances of "question avoidance" that have already happened. It's something I'll be trying to keep track of as we move forward.

As I said in a recent comment to another post, I'm a big believer that how one campaigns is a good sign of how they'll govern. If the press can't get answers to legitimate questions on a timely basis (ie by deadline time) while someone is seeking votes, what chance does Joe Rowhome have in getting answers or action when that candidate becomes mayor?

On the flipside, if a candidate is responsive, well-versed on issues, and able to chat intelligently with the press and constituents about a variety of different issues, that may be a sign that he or she (I'm not giving up hope for a woman mayor and this applies to council candidates) will be the architect of a responsive government.

Did you happen to notice in today's Daily News a letter to the editor from Mrs. Linda Knox?

RE THE Jan. 31 column "Can this guy actually win?" where John Baer said mayoral candidate Tom Knox has the "charisma of a catfish."

Linda Knox, Philadelphia

Talk about staying on message.

The era of the wives of campaign aides signing fake names to letters to the editor is over!

Does anyone remember to which infamous moment from the 2003 campaign (a campaign with many infamous moments) I am referring? Click on "Continue Reading" for a link to the answer.

Can be read here. It's interesting...he wants to kill MBEC, for example. I will post a write-through after I get a couple of questions answered.

Can be read here.

He wants to convene an independent panel to review all current laws on campaign contributions and spending.

I spent a little time poring over Fattah's small business plan, which he announced today during a roundtable discussion with small business leaders (the attached photo comes courtesy of the campaign).

Some thoughts:

*The plan does not address the number-one issue of business development in the city: Taxes. Fattah himself acknowledges this up front, saying in his plan that he'll announce a tax plan later in the primary and calling the city's tax system "overly complex." But it's impossible to talk about real business growth and assistance without talking about the city's tax structure. It's also out of order: Shouldn't we start the city budget with what we have to spend, and then talk about how we're going to spend it?

OK, that point aside.

As has been the case with many of Fattah's plans, this one is studded with some really good ideas. Among the ones that struck me:

*He wants to tear up MBEC, the city's useless at best and corrupt at worst Minority Business Enterprise Council. He'd put the responsibility for making sure that minority and women owned businesses get contracts with the city with the city procurement department, which is where it should be.

*He wants to create an independent non-profit to give small businesses free advice. This is a really great idea. Law firms have an ethic of pro-bono work. Why not consulting firms? I suspect many do it now anyway, so this way they'd get a little applause for it from the government.

*He wants to pursue joint procurement opportunities among city departments. This idea is just plain common sense.

*I liked the idea to give businesses whose cash flow has been devastated by government projects a bit of a tax break. We can call this the Market Street El Reparations Initiative, since that disaster is undoubtedly behind this point to some degree. SEPTA's El project has restricted traffic and destroyed businesses along West Market, and it seems to have gone on forever. True, he doesn't say how the city should give them a tax break -- it can't be a special rate, so it have to be some kind of tax credit, on the BPT perhaps? -- and true, it would be difficult in practice to decide which businesses get the break and which don't. Still, it's very good to see that someone noticed the suffering down on West Market and in similar locations elsewhere.

*He's big into loan funds, creating or expanding no-interest emergency loans for small businesses in crisis and for businesses that want to move to a new location in the city. He says these loans would be paid for in part by fees on the loans.

*I did like the idea of expanding the van pool program that helps Philadelphians get to suburban jobs. It might seem like SEPTA should do that, but a big regional transit system can't answer all the region's needs, and the truth is that a lot of people have to take several buses and trains to get to their jobs -- which is lousy both for them and for businesses that need those employees.

*And he would grow "green" business in a way that the city should, by buying their services. He's also talking about wage-tax credits for green businesses.

Other things in the plan...he has some interesting points about a need for regionalism in business development -- though he's duplicating some of the efforts that have gone before. He wants to create a regional small business development agency -- though it might make more sense to have Select Greater Philadelphia involved in that mission. And he wants to identify the top ten industries in which Philly has an advantage over other cities -- though that work has already been done incredibly well by the cluster study conducted by Innovation Philadelphia in 2003.

I would have appreciated more information on where the money for these plans (such as the loans and grants) will come from. Those fees won't cover all of it.

And there are a couple of ideas that sound good but actually codify into government something that was designed to be a stop-gap solution to dealing with government. Case in point: a Special Service District Liasion to "take the politics out" of creating special service districts. But aren't those districts just a way for businesses to pay for things that the city should do for them anyway, such as litter control and safety? So do we need a permanent post to make sure that we run our stop-gap solutions without politicking?

I have a similar concern about the "one stop shop" for small businesses that need to do work with the city. It would be called the Office of Small Business Development. How about instead of creating another office, we fix the ones we have?

Finally, one note on the idea to provide a preference to Philadelphia Businesses in city contracting: The charter was changed to allow that last year, and guess who led the charter change effort? Michael Nutter.

All that said --

This is another interesting plan that shows off some strengths: Fattah is a little bit of an outsider of sorts (or, he was an insider of another system) and he uses that to propose new ideas. He does think regionally -- and he knows how to use the feds for what he wants.

The latest in this story, from the Daily News' Dave Davies:

Faced with growing opposition, City Councilman Jim Kenney is now considering alternatives to his proposal to suspend campaign contribution limits in the mayor’s race.

Kenney’s bill lifting the contribution limits in races where a self-funded mayoral candidate kicks in $2 million or more has been condemned the Committee of Seventy, the Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia Forward and a number of city Council candidates.

Kenney said in an interview he’s now drafting a new bill which would mirror the “millionaires exception” to contribution limits found in the McCain-Feingold federal election law.

“The original bill was a starting point for discussion of this phenomenon we’ve never encountered before,” Kenney said in an interview. “There is an inequity here, and if this isn’t an acceptable solution, we’ll look for another one, or we may decide we have to just roll the dice and see if Tom Knox can buy this election.”

Kenney introduced his bill after the Daily News/Keystone poll showed previously-unknown businessman Knox vaulting into second place in the race after $ 2million in TV ad buys.

The McCain-Feingold law provides for higher contribution limits when U.S. House and Senate candidates face self-funded opponents. The amended limits vary between the House and Senate and depend on the level of millionaire spending as well as the fundraising disparities among the candidates.

Depending on the circumstances, contribution limits may be up to six times higher in Senate races and three times higher in House races.

Kenney said hopes to see both his original bill and the new one debated in a public hearing on Valentine’s Day.

And for good measure, Kenney said he plans to introduce a bill for public financing of municipal campaigns, which would apply to future elections.

And here are some thoughts on Nutter's ethics plan.

First of all, it's a vivid reminder that Nutter was responsible for much of the progress the city has made in in ethics reform lately -- and not just because the plan is written to make sure you don't miss the point. Hey, the guy did introduce the legislation that created the Board of Ethics.

Much of the plan borrows from the Committee of 70's ethics agenda -- with full attribution and thanks (this is an ethics plan, after all). Still, there were some things in the plan that I thought deserved special attention.

One, for sheer chutzpah: He wants to conduct "random financial audits" of elected and senior appointed officials every year and post them on the city's Web site. Whoa! One, the potential entertainment value is staggering. Two, the fear factor that this would create, if it ever had a chance of happening, is also staggering. Three, how in the world do you do this?

Two, for an idea that is important but may be premature: He wants to work with the Philadelphia District Attorney to increase funding for city corruption investigations. He'd also have the DA work more closely with the feds.

I'm all for more investigations, and I understand the argument that the city should police itself. But I don't know how realistic that is, especially given the deep needs of the violent-crime portions of the DA's office. The feds certainly seem to be doing fine in investigating city corruption. Why not let that continue?

In more likely and interesting ideas:

*He would convene an independent panel to review all current laws on campaign contributions and spending. A fine idea, and it's probably smart to keep it separate from the enforcement-minded Board of Ethics.

*He's suggesting lobbyist registration, a common-sense idea.

*He wants all city employees to file, online, financial dislosure information yearly and that candidates for office disclose tax returns (the reporters of Philadelphia say, yay!).

*He would strengthen the role of inspector general -- at some point, someone is going to have to explain to me how this idea, now suggested by several candidates, will work with the controller's office -- and extend the gift ban.

*He would also expand the campaign contribution limits and no-bid contracting rules to the School District -- again, common sense. And he wants to publish a list of all tax breaks and other incentives gotten by businesses.

And my favorite: Televise the meetings of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. No, most folks won't sit and watch this stuff. But televising it does make it a lot easier for reporters to cover it. And that will mean more coverage -- which is a very good thing. It would also expand access to the many activists who are working on these issues but can't get to all the meetings.

My thoughts on this article from Sunday are forthcoming since it is an issue that is very important to me. For now, what do you think? Should the mayor of the 5th largest city in the country (I won't give it up to Phoenix until the next census), have at least a bachelor's degree? Let's try and keep this discussion away from the candidates themselves. If we can, let's try and limit it to the generic mayor/candidate that we're trying to piece together. (The "Franken-mayor")

Regarding the Kenney bill that would have lifted limits on campaign donations in this race -- and on Kenney's decision to change the bill:

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your advocacy and vocal opposition to Councilman Jim Kenney’s proposal last week to eliminate the campaign contribution limits all candidates are currently operating under. Because of your outcry, it has been reported by this blog that Councilman Kenney has decided to pursue alternative measures to the “outright contribution cap elimination” proposal that was introduced last week. This is a development we should all be proud of; it is only through your tireless advocacy that we will increase access to and participation in a government we must all own.

Read the whole letter after the jump.

There's really only one political story in town today: the expected indictment of State Sen. Vincent Fumo.

This is about as big as it gets in Political Philadelphia.

Two things we know now: 1) This is the ultimate test of both Fumo (who has shaken off one federal investigation before) and of U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan. I don't think it's overstating things to say one or the other is emerging from this.

And 2) Nothing will be untouched by this -- including the election in May.

We know that Bob Brady (not to mention several Councilpeople) is backed by Fumo -- in fact, as Dave Davies reports today, Fumo "worked hard" to get Brady to run.

Brady, in his direct and relationship-based style, made a point of sticking up for Fumo in Dave's story: “It’s not in my nature to turn my back on a friend,” Brady said. “I wish him and his family well.”

Still, the connection to complicated, uber-connected, brilliant and controversial Fumo will be something that the other four candidates will use, subtly or no -- Tom Knox already has -- and will ripple throughout the campaign, especially if the headlines continue.

On the other hand, this is a chance to see if Brady the candidate would and can separate himself a little bit from Brady the machine pol.

It will be a fascinating story to follow.

Here's a decent place to start. The Daily News stories from Monday:

"Feds out to 'embarrass' me" (today's news, by Michael Hinkelman)
"Fumo's clout" (Chris Brennan's look at his other connections)
"He touched lives" (Dave Davies look at Brady's political relationships)
"Bacon? A whole $8 billion pig" (John Baer looks at Fumo's acheivements)

Read the press release

or read the full indictment.

...read this.

We'll discuss tomorrow but feel free to comment tonight.

It's almost petition time!

For those of you who don't know, this is when the campaigns begin circulating nominating petitions. You only have to get 1,000 of them to get on the ballot for the May 15 primary, but getting more is a sign of strength -- Fattah wants to get more than 10,000, for example, and so is recruiting volunteers.

For major party candidates, the petitions can be circulated from Feb. 13 to March 6.

Below the jump, read Fattah's call for volunteers...