PhiladelphiaDaily Record

Vol. II No. 88 (248) Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia June 22, 2011

ANNUAL Rittenhouse Square fundraiser, Ball on the Square, saw hundreds of Center City and subur-

ban supporters donning gowns and tuxedoes for the tented festivities, co-chaired

by Nicole Cashman. This year’s funds will go toward internal lighting for park.

Among charitable merrymakers were Parkway Corp. executive Joe Zuritsky &

wife Renee, with Philadelphia Magazine publisher David Lipson & wife Susan.

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T h e P h i l a d e l p h i a P u b l i c R e c o r d C a l e n d a rJun. 25- Susquehanna

Community Festival along

Susquehanna Avenue from Broad

to 22nd St., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. For

vendor and sponsor info, State

Rep. Jewell Williams invites you

to call (215) 765-2200.

Jun. 25- State Sen. Anthony

Williams will host a Family Fun

& Food Day free cookout at

Stinger Square, 32nd & Reed Sts.,

11 a.m.-4 p.m. For info (215)

492-2980.

Jun. 28- SEPTA and State

Sen. Anthony Williams co-host

career clinic for potential SEPTA

employment at Sayers Memorial

United Methodist Ch., 61st &

Catherine, Sts., 3 p.m. For info

Don Cave or Desaree K. Jones

(215) 492-2980.

Jun. 29- Montgomery, Mc-

Cracken et al. invite all to portrait

presentation of Hon. Judge Gene

D. Cohen at City Hall Rm. 653, 4

p.m. Reception follows in Con-

versation Ha., 2nd fl. RSVP

Stephanie Redding (215) 772-

7260.

Jun. 29- PRO-ACT 2-hr.

workshop on “How to Talk to

Your Legislators & Get Them to

Hear You, ” at PRO-ACT Recov-

ery Training Ctr., 444 N. 3rd St.,

Suite 307, 6 p.m. Again on Sat.,

Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. at the same lo-

cation. Free. Call William Webb

(215) 923-1661.

Jul. 10- Benefit for Women

Veterans hosted by Cathy Santos

at Mom’s Kitchen Table Garden

Courtyard, 2317 Ridge Ave., 4-9

p. m. For info Cathy Santos (215)

834-4228.

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2 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 13 JUNE, 2011

Toomey Calls For Dems To Show Budget Plan

13 JUNE, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 3

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued

the following statement regarding

the Congressional Budget Office’s

long-term budget outlook released

today:

“This CBO budget outlook further

shows that out country is on an un-

sustainable fiscal course, with

massive deficits and unrestrained

federal spending. This dismal

long-term outlook underscores my

concerns that the president hasn’t

put forth a responsible plan to ad-

dress our nation’s fiscal future, and

my colleagues across the aisle

haven’t even proposed a budget for

the coming year. Our country has

been operating without a budget

for 784 days now, and it’s clear

that neither the president nor my

colleagues across the aisle have a

plan to tackle Washington’s spend-

ing problem.

“That’s why I introduced a budget

earlier this year that balanced

within nine years and included

pro-growth, job-creating economic

policies. As today’s report shows,

we cannot afford to keep ducking

the tough choices, and I urge my

colleagues to support my budget

and help put our country on a fis-

cally sound, pro-growth path,”

Toomey said.

Casey Calls For New Plan In Afghanistan

US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) took to the Senate floor

yesterday to call for a shift in US strategy on

Afghanistan.

“After an exhaustive review and based on measurable

gains in Afghanistan, I believe the US can shift from

a strategy of counterinsurgency towards an increased

focus on counterterrorism,” said the Senator. “It is

time for the US to lighten its footprint in the country,

accelerate the shift in responsibility to Afghan forces

and drawdown a significant number of US troops

from the country. The capabilities of Al Qaeda and

the Taliban have been severely degraded. US-led de-

velopment projects have strengthened the health and

education sectors. At a time of economic austerity in

the US, the $120 billion per year price tag is unsus-

tainable. We must make a significant shift in our

strategy.”

On the fight against terrorism, Senator Casey said:

“As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Sub-

committee on Near Eastern, South and Central Asian

Affairs, I am focused on our broader national security

interests in the region. We must focus on extremist

groups that have the capability and intent to project

terrorism on the US homeland and interests around

the world.

Casey also laid out some of the challenges that re-

main, including the need to redouble efforts to train

the Afghan security forces; making more progress in

Pakistan to stop the flow of material used in roadside

bombs and to deal with extremist elements; ongoing

concerns over the treatment of Afghan women and

girls; and concerns about Afghan governance.

Casey continued, “We have made progress in

Afghanistan. Significant challenges remain, but based

on these advances and on the significant cost of our

current posture, it is time, after 10 long years, to

begin the drawdown process.”

PGW Turns An $18M Profit For

Philly

The Philadelphia Gas Works today announced the

payment of its annual $18 million dividend to the

City’s general fund. In lieu of taxes, PGW is required

by ordinance to make this annual payment. In past

years, the City immediately granted this money back

to PGW. But as a result of the company’s improved

financial condition, today’s payment marks the first

time since 2004 that the City will retain the full $18

million.

“There was a time when PGW needed the City to re-

turn the annual payment because we couldn’t afford

to be without it,” said Craig White, president and

CEO of the Philadelphia Gas Works. “But now,

thanks to the hard work of PGW’s Management

Team, a strong relationship with City Hall and contin-

ued support from Mayor Nutter, we are in the best fi-

nancial shape that we have been in a decade.”

Some of the highlights of PGW’s financial transfor-

mation include:

An improved bond rating from Moody’s Investor

Service (Baa2), Standard & Poor’s (BBB+) and

FitchRatings (BBB) with stable outlooks;

No short term borrowing and meaningful cash re-

serves as of 2010, for the first time in 15 years;

$24 million in internally generated funds from

PGW’s financial reforms that were used for capital

expenditures in FY 2011; and

A collection rate that has improved from 87% in 2003

to 95.1% as of May 2011.

In the coming months, PGW will continue to improve

its finances through its existing reform efforts. It is

also focused on converting more customers to natural

gas, expanding into new revenue generating markets,

and taking advantage of growing natural-gas supplies

and stable prices from Pennsylvania’s Marcellus

Shale play.

Controller Finds Numerous Vio-

lations, Tax Debts With Multiple

Property OwnersCity Controller Alan Butkovitz today released a study

of Philadelphia’s multiple property owners that found

half of the 46 owners sampled in the examination of

261 properties, had 135 unresolved violations for

property maintenance, fire code and licensing-related

violations.

These violations were found at 36 properties owned

by 23 different individuals. Fifteen of the properties

were licensed as rentals. One owner had 22 separate

unresolved violations at one property dating back to

2007. A rental property was found to have three vio-

lations that referenced imminent danger and could en-

danger lives.

“We found an alarming failure on the part of the mul-

tiple-property owners to comply with the law and to

resolve these violations,” said Butkovitz. “It’s impor-

tant that the Licenses & Inspections Dept. enforce all

regulations and maintain follow-up procedures to find

out if any violations have been corrected.”

The Controller’s review also found 32 multiple-prop-

erty owners who owed the City a total of $160,553

for unpaid water and sewer bills for 97 properties.

There were another 27 owners who owed the City

$196,446 for delinquent real estate taxes for 67 prop-

erties.

“Multiple property owners who fail to follow City

laws and regulations and keep their properties clean

and safe cause blight on the neighborhood and ulti-

mately depreciate the value of surrounding proper-

ties,” said Butkovitz.

The Controller’s investigators also uncovered one

property owner who is operating three rental proper-

ties without the required rental licensing. Of the 121

on-site visual inspections of the sampled properties,

eight of the properties were found to be in a blighted

condition.

To view a copy of the report, entitled “Philadelphia’s

Multiple Property Owners: Review of City Property

Requirements & Conditions”, visit the Controller’s

website at www.philadelphiacontroller.org.

Nutter Orders New Stop & Frisk

ProceduresMayor Michael A. Nutter has signed two significant

Executive Orders aimed at enhancing the public’s

trust in their law enforcement public servants by up-

dating the procedures that citizens can use to file

complaints against police officers and by establishing

new procedures to track and audit citizens held in

temporary investigative detention.

The order related to investigative detention, both

pedestrian and vehicular investigative detentions,

frisks and searches, is part of a settlement of a law-

suit, Bailey v. City of Philadelphia, filed in US Dis-

trict Court last November.

“Philadelphia’s police officers are the best-trained

law-enforcement agency in the nation. Today’s an-

nouncement makes certain their actions are held to a

4 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 22 JUNE, 2011

high standard,” said the Mayor. “These procedural

changes are being implemented because we have a

Police Commissioner who values a transparent and

accountable Police Dept.”

The first executive order will establish an electronic

database so all Department Pedestrian Investigation

Reports (75-48A) can be entered into a searchable

computer system. The computer database will be es-

tablished to support increased monitoring and audits

of investigative detentions, frisks and searches. Addi-

tionally, the PPD will prepare and issue an annual re-

port detailing the results of the audit.

Another order updates the processing of complaints

alleging police misconduct including the investiga-

tion, review and disposition of complaints. Citizens

Complaint Reports will be made available on the

PPD’s website and at Districts. Complaints of crimi-

nal misconduct and serious non-criminal misconduct

shall be referred by the Commissioner to the District

Attorney’s Office and the Police Board of Inquiry as

necessary.

“I am fully supportive of these measures and wel-

come outside review,” said Police Commissioner

Charles H. Ramsey. “It is not only our responsibility

as law-enforcement officers to uphold the constitu-

tional rights for all people; it is the foundation of the

oath to which we swear. These measures today will

help ensure the Department is providing the highest

quality of police service possible.”

In Bailey v. City of Philadelphia filed on Nov. 4,

2010, the plaintiffs allege stop & frisk temporary de-

tentions were in violation of the 14th Amendment.

The City of Philadelphia and plaintiffs agree to the

following responses and procedural changes:

All Philadelphia police officers will carry definition

cards explaining standards for Terry stops and “stop

and frisk” searches. Definitions are in conformity

with legal standards and MPO training materials.

[Terry refers to the 1968 US Supreme Court case,

Terry v. Ohio in which the Court held that brief, in-

vestigatory stops are legal].

By Jan. 1, 2012, PPD will have the capability of en-

tering all stop reports (75-48A’s) into an electronic

database for more efficient management review and

analysis.

PPD has developed and implemented automated audit

procedures to analyze the stop reports (75-48A) pre-

pared by PPD officers and provide a reasonable as-

surance that the stops made by PPD officers are

compliant with policy and the United States and

Pennsylvania constitutions.

Divisional and Special Unit Inspectors have been

trained to perform the “75-48A Audits” and an Audit

Guide has been developed to ensure consistency in

the review and analysis of the stop reports.

These Inspectors will produce quarterly reports on the

outcomes of each audit. The Inspector’s Audits shall

then be subject to an independent audit by the Inter-

nal Affairs Unit to ensure quality controls, consis-

tency, and to identify any aberrant patterns or trends.

PPD publication Legally Speaking titled “Revisiting

Stop & Frisk” has been distributed to all Districts and

is available to all police officers.

Dean JoAnne Epps of the Temple University Beasley

School of Law has been appointed by the parties as

an Independent Outside Auditor who will conduct

analysis and audit all proposals and procedures and

will have the authority to recommend additional poli-

cies, practices and procedures to ensure compliance.

The City of Philadelphia has provided plaintiffs’

counsel with 75-48A forms from selected periods

during the years 2006-2010, so counsel can analyze

historic patterns and trends and offer recommenda-

tions and additional improvements in training and the

review process.

“I am honored to accept this assignment, which will

provide an exciting opportunity for law students to

assist me in working with real issues of criminal jus-

tice. I look forward to working with the parties to en-

sure effective law enforcement that is consistent with

the requirements of our Constitution,” said Dean

JoAnne Epps of the Temple University Beasley

School of Law.

David Rudovsky of Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing &

Feinberg, LLP added, “We are very pleased that the

Plaintiffs and the City have settled the pending ‘stop

22 JUNE, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 5

6 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 22 JUNE, 2011

and frisk’ lawsuit under terms

which, if followed by the Police

Dept., will ensure police stops and

frisks of persons in Philadelphia

will not be conducted on the basis

of race or ethnicity, and will only

be conducted where there is rea-

sonable suspicion of criminal ac-

tivity.”