First, I'd like to say that I respect the work that you, Vern, and everyone else does for the community. I also respect what the councilman does for our community.

No matter who it is-if someone is found guilty of a crime, hang him; until then its a person who found a loophole that we didn't.

I also tire of people that think something is a bad idea just because "Vern" or "Frank" or "Fumo" or any politician they don't like came up with it.

As stated in other posts-I know exactly who I'd vote for, but I would never side with a candidate in a public forum, as we need good ideas from each side to get this city out of the debt, crime-and granted, corruption that we have found ourselves in.

You said, "The Town Watch is what it is, A Town Watch and they also handle the zoning issues, because when there was no Civic Group they assumed that role. They do a great job of that. "

However, Vern said that BVUCA "is planning on forming a watch-dog group to ensure better business compliance with the local zoning code."

That is what I meant by ensuring enforcement of the law; however, I do apologize for my wording as I was referring to all local civic groups when I said "you".

Carolyn, help me out here. If the polls have not been made public, then why are you referencing their details in a public forum?

Finally: In answer to Betty Boop. A patronage job is a job one gets in exchange for doing something for a politician. For instance, Fumo hired DiCicco after converting Republicans to Democrats. Vern was a practicing attorney who applied for a legal position at the RDA, and he got the job, but there was no quid pro quo. Vern's never done anything for Dougherty. Never endorsed him - nothing. In fact, just this year alone Vern's candidate " Babette Josephs" beat Dougherty's candidate Larry Farnese, and Vern's candidate "Anne Dicker" almost beat Dougherty's candidate " Mike O'Brien". So yes, political networking helped Vern get his job, as it helps many. But to call it a patronage job means you don't understand the meaning of the word patronage.[/quote]


Carolyn,
You're kidding me. St. Vernon read an ad in the Daily News, responded and got the job. This we are all to believe? This at the RDA, perhaps the most political agency in the city now for decades. I am not contending that Most Blessed Vernon Mary has done anything for Johnny COD but just the opposite. Local 98 was Vern's BIGGEST contributor by far. He provided and continues to provide convenient and assorted goons, hecklers and annonymous pamphlateers who magically show up at events whenever there is a chance that Blessed Vern and DiCicco will show up together. RDA employees, with years more tenure than Vernie Cochran, are being laid off while your legal eagle keeps his PATRONAGE position. When one is not civil service and does not take a test for their position and is an at-will employee of the Chairman of the RDA, guess who that is?, then you are a patronage employee. No better, no worse than Frankie Di. Just stop the sanctimonious hypocricy. This is not a Frank Capra movie. Whew!

Good point onelove.
Furthermore, if BVUCA isn't involved with zoning, why is Frank Russo listed as head of the "zoning" committee. Just trying to get my "facts straight".
Is BVUCA a nonprofit? The I.R.S. might not like all of this political talk since miss Verdi signed her comments as an officer of BVUCA. I know, the other side does it too-but two wrongs don't make it right.
IRS code regarding nonprofits:
1. A §501(c)(3) organization is absolutely prohibited from engaging in any political campaigning activities whatsoever, or else it will forfeit its tax exempt status.

a. Campaign activity includes participation or intervention in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. A candidate is any contestant for elective office.

b. Political campaign activities relate to individual candidates, whereas lobbying activities relate to social issues and laws.

c. Participation in a campaign includes publishing or distributing statements made either by a candidate or by someone else directed at a candidate.

C. Prohibited Political Activities.


1. The endorsement of candidates.


2. Making donations to a candidate's campaign.


3. Engaging in fund raising on behalf of a candidate.


4. Distributing statements supporting or opposing a political candidate.


5. Becoming involved in any other activities that may be beneficial or detrimental to any candidate.

1. Polls :

Both camps have done polls to help them with their efforts. Those working on them in the camps know of the details. There will be no officical release of the polls but the results are helping us in our efforts thats why I can reference them.

2. I am glad that we can agree that Vern has done nothing for Dougherty and therefore his position was not quid pro quo. Granted Dougherty did support Vern, but that is history. Anne Dicker &her team are the new force behind Vern along with the 200 other volunteers from 2003 that had nothing to do with organized labor.

3. Frank Russo was BVUCA's zoning point person who represented BVUCA on the town watch zoning board. Frank left the TW zoning committee for personal reasons.

Finally, BVUCA has never participated in political activity in fact, any member who has run for office has distanced themselves from the group to protect the group's integrity. Though many of our individual members are very politically avtive and big supporters of Vern, they do so as individuals.

Just as a general reply to the post about the 501 (c)3 status and restrictions on lobbying:

Overall lobbying limit (permissible $$ on lobbying):
20% on first 500,000, plus
15% on next 500,000, plus
10% on next 500,00, plus
5% on any remaining revenue

Grassroots lobbying is an overall 25% limit regardless of income/expenditures. I don't know if BVUCA would be considered a grassroots organization.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that legally, BVUCA would be pemitted a small amount of lobbying by law. But, Alesis, you are right about part C.- prohibited political endorsements, etc.

__________________
"Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story" -Tim O'Brien

Also, I should say that I do not just know these facts off the top of my head. I work with a lot of non-profits, and get my facts from the Alliance for Justice (www.allianceforjustice.org)

__________________
"Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story" -Tim O'Brien

Where was Vern practicing law prior to being admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar? I'm sure the Supreme Court would love to know. The cold hard fact is that he wasn't admitted to the Bar until October 2005, long after he was already an RDA employee. You vermiphiles are so predictable, lies, lies, lies.
BTW Miss Verdi, how did you spend the thousands you were paid on the Memorial? I'm sure you're not going to donate it to Vermon's campaign?

RE: Italian Memorial Please read my Aug 22nd. thread below. Thousands of dollars??? Don't know where you are getting your info. Get your facts straight.

The National Italian Memorial was the idea of Vern Anastasio and, in its first year, it was chaired by the United States Ambassador to Italy, Thomas Foglietta.

Because Anastasio and Foglietta were involved, Frank DiCicco and Vince Fumo vowed to kill the project. Quietly, they called donors and told them NOT to support the project. They pressured Italian American leaders to exclude the Memorial at their events. And they even ended up selling the city-owned land (an historic immigrant bathhouse) to private developers who will now demolish it and put up a fancy townhouse.

If the Italian Memorial dies, its blood is on the hands of Councilman Frank DiCicco and Senator Vince Fumo.

I was hired as an event planner for the memorial. All monies were collected, recorded and properly held. I have been in business for 20 years and my integrity has never been questioned and I take offense to your comment.

Today, because Vern and the rest of us knew the only way the project MIGHT move forward was to quietly remove ourselves, the funds have been handed over to Councilman DiCicco and the good people at PNC bank. Before stepping off, Vern actually secured a commitment from Jane Golden of the Mural Arts program to spearhead the project and I secured a $75,000 in-kind donation from the cement masons to do all necessary cement work.

Now, we wait to see what, if anything happens next.

Because Vern put this project and our community’s will before politics, he honorably stepped aside to allow DiCicco to take the credit. DiCicco, on the other hand, put politics before the people and allowed his personal venom poison an opportunity to turn a long-neglected historic site into a thing of beauty.

So how much are you willing to admit you were paid? What event(s) did you plan? Aside from Doc having Mike Fera of the cement masons tell you they are good for an in-kind donation, how much did you raise?
Oh please tell us.