Then tune in to The Next Mayor next week!
We are delighted to announce that we will host two special live chats with the major party candidates:
Democrat Michael Nutter will be LIVE on our site Tuesday at 1 p.m.
And Republican Al Taubenberger will be LIVE on our site Thursday at 10 a.m.!
Come back to chat with them directly! And if you think you'll miss the chats, just comment here with any questions you'd like us to put to the candidates.
Comments (9)
Wendy this should be fine for those majoring in humdrum 101 politics. Wendy I'll bet you the live chat will become varying messages of pretty words shrewdly in dissension for this type of service offering formation.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | June 8, 2007 9:09 AM
Jim Kenney SMOKED every single last one of his Council At-Large competitors. Little Wilson Goodie, who came in second, was CRUSHED by JIM KENNEY with over 15,000 votes!
JIM KENNEY SMOKED the whole field. There was no competition!!!
He SMOKED Billy Greenlee by almost 32,000 votes!
He SMOKED Billy Green by 33,000 votes!
He SMOKED Blondie Reynolds Brown by over 43,000 votes!!!
JIM KENNEY CRUSHED Sharif Street, Ben Ramos, Juan Ramos, Andy Toy, Derek Green, Marc Stier, Matt Ruben, Wilson Alexander, Caryn Hunt and the rest by are so HUGE they aren't even worth mentioning!
Posted by Forget Me Nots | June 8, 2007 9:17 AM
I would be interested in knowing how Mr. Nutter and Mr. Taubenberger feel about the impact of illegal drugs in Philadelphia neighborhoods and whether current drug policies that disproportionately impact minorities could be improved. Do either of them have ideas to reallocate or refocus resources so that we can get out of the endless cycle of the war on drugs.
Posted by mdcphilly | June 8, 2007 10:45 AM
Mdcphilly ,
I would also enjoy hearing their menu recipe for solving illegal drug use in Philadelphia.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | June 8, 2007 11:19 AM
Jasper -- Yes, I tend to agree that we'll get a menu recipe from Nutter and a, "yeah, you are so right from Taubenberger." Still, Nutter might mentioned something about community policing which is better than what we have now.
Ideally, I'd rather have our political leaders say, let's condone small drug sales as a trade off for fewer guns and less obvious trafficing. I wish we had a feverent drug legalization advocate on City Council to stir things up and get people to start thinking creatively about how we can quit locking people up and costing ourselves a fortune in the failed drug wars. Alas, I'm not sure the Philadelphia public is ready for that argument but maybe John Street or someone who has nothing left to lose can offer a platform to stop the drug war.
Posted by mdcphilly | June 8, 2007 10:50 PM
Dear Michael,
I've written to you about combining pools and reading programs, rewarding participating families with evening pool parties.
Another quality-of-life-enhancing idea: Install composting toilets throughout Fairmount Park and the Parkway. No plumbing required! They have them on the islands near Boston (they use Clivus Multrum brand toilets), and they are odorless. Infinitely better than those ugly, smelly port-o-pots that are such a blight on the landscape. Make them coin-operated. Provide a means for local "Friends of" (the Park) groups to report problems.
Also, in the Park, enjoin PECO or another utility to install electricity-generating windmills. Wouldn't it be great (for instance) to have giant windmills on Belmont Plateau, visible from Center City as the City skyline is from the Plateau?
Posted by Claudia Crane | June 12, 2007 7:54 AM
Mr. Mayor,
Over the past 20 years the city has continued to lose population. Why do we still have a city council of 17 members with staffs? Couldn't a council of 13 be just as effective in governing the existing population, and use the money saved on more productive items ,maybe 50 additional police officers? The charter can be changed and I quite confident the voters would agree and vote to amend the charter.
Thank you,
Posted by rich coyle | June 12, 2007 11:17 AM
MDCphilly - Sorry I took so long getting back. I've been trying to get an understanding on some State and regional clever handlings.
Federal U.S. District Judge Chris Conner earlier last week sided with 20 Pennsylvania Turnpike workers trying to quit their union in a case that could have implications for thousands of public-sector employees in the state. Conner issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission or Teamsters local No. 77 from deducting dues from wages or disciplining workers under the union contract. The workers attempted to quit the union after being fined for crossing picket lines during a weeklong strike in November 2004 by 2,000 employees and I think your idea for Mayor Street to utilize conversation or a platform to stop the drug war is great.
Eight years in office - Mr. Street must have knowledge about Philadelphia's colonial junkies.
Posted by Jasper Zeigler Jr | June 12, 2007 12:23 PM
MR. NUTTER,WHAT HELP WOULD YOUR OFFICE COME UP WITH TO HELP THE HOME OWNERS OF OAKLANE AND MT. AIRY GET THEIR DRIVEWAYS REPAIR THAT CITY TRUCKS HAVE DESTORY OVER THE YEARS??????
Posted by DEREK DRAYTON | June 12, 2007 3:27 PM