Stu Bykofsky has joined the ranks of retired committeemen.
The well-known Daily News columnist quietly gave up the elected post - which established him as an official in Philadelphia's Democratic Party - after last November's mayoral election. 
Although Daily News Editor Michael Days gave Bykofsky his blessing to run for the position back in May 2006, Days "blew a sign of relief," Bykofsky said, when he agreed to resign. "I could see pain in his eyes," he said. "So I said, would you be happier if I weren't doing this?"
The answer was clear.
The renegade columnist said nobody called to complain about his dual positions. But there were apparently some internal newsroom complaints. Bykofsky chalked it up to "some jealous fool here, or someone consumed with the ideas of ethics, with a capital E."
In his columns, Bykofsky often wrote about his committeeman experiences, beginning with his decision to run for the job.
By the way, throughout his two-year tenure, he declined to accept any Election Day "street money." Why? "It didn't feel right," he said.
His successor - in Center City's 5th Ward, 9th Division - is already in place: A health-care consultant named Gregory Walker.
So that's that. He's officially retired. "By the way," he said, "there's no pension."
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