SEREOUS ITS LIKE I DONT HAVE A COUNCILMAN DOWN, PERHAPS YOUR BOY SHOULD, PAY MORE ATENTION TO THE WARDS DOWN HERE

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I have legalised robbery. Called it a belief
I have run with the money. And hid like a theif
I have re-written history. With my armies and my crooks
Invented memories. I did burn all the books
And I can still hear his laughter. And I can still hear his song
The mans too big. The mans too strong

I think we should avoid the political chat and any attacks on our elected folks. I signed up to talk about our community and help share assets and information.

I thank you guys for the kind words of support --and I even respect Rabbitt's right to disagree. But Rabbit is misinformed on a few things.

We started Bella Vista United in 1996-- I was 26 years old with no intention of running for anything. Our group has had 4 preisdents -- I'm just one of em. The group itself does a ton of work in Bella Vista --- eliminate blight, hired sidewalk sweepers, hang banners, feed seniors at holidays, host events, etc. I think that's pretty well documented. I don't do it all---our 700 members do it all. I'm just one of em.

As for patronage -- I think you need a patron to have a patronage job. I applied and tested for my job investigating hate crimes with the HRC (I was with the City 7 years there). Its a civil service job, which means its immune to hand-picked patronage. Joe Vignola hired me out of grad school in Boston (Far from City Hall , he called me, I flew down, we interviewed and he hired me). I never met the man before that.

I also worked on 9th street when i was younger. Behind the stands mostly. No patronage there.

Rabbit's right, I did pen a letter in support of John Street last year just before the probe scandal hit. Since then, I admitted I made the wrong choice. The probe outweighed the risk of Katz's $750 million borrowing plan. No one holding or seeking public office as a Democrat would admit to that today. I just did.

And yes, my little campaign last year, run from my parents garage, did get the support of alot of people--National ProChoice Alliance, Veterans of Philadlephia, seveal senior citizens groups, middle-class oriented organizations and yes, some of the labor union folks...including John Dougherty.

Each and every one of them supoprted me AFTER I announced, gathered my nominiating petitions and spoke on the issues. I welcomed their support. And I reserved the right to disagree with them at any time. If you have issues with members or leaders of these groups---then realize that your issues are with them...not the people they support.

Ed Rendell was a great mayor. Is he any less effective because he had labor supporters? Of course not. Did you judge Sam Katz on the fact that Rick Santorum supported him? That would be foolish.

Having pro-choice, labor, veterans and tax reformers as my suport base meant I was doing something right --and each knew my guiding principle: the seat would not be for sale at any price. And these good folks accepted that premise. After all, that was certainly a different approach than the status quo and they apreciated that.

I think whomever goes to City Hall or City Council needs to be reform minded and honest for a change. Someone who is beholden to know one but those who cast votes. That's how our neighbrhoods will improve. And I like to think I am both. And I think that's how we got a record breaking 7000 signatures in suport of our nomination.

And I've tried to keep my word and achieve in Bella Vista this year everything I ran on last year. And so far, so good.

I ran on blight elimination and we're taking an abandoned pool and turning it into an Italian Memroial. I ran on street sweepers--and I raised the money to help Bella Vista United fund litter removal teams. I ran on education reform--and I'm working to help a new charter school open in BV. I ran on tax reform--and I worked with Phila Forward to raise the level of debate.

I just do it because I see myself as a stakeholder here--just like all of us. I don't get paid to do it. I don't get polictical support. If anything, my goal of making good on these issues has been a bad political move.

But that's not whey we do this stuff, is it?

That being said, chances are I won't be asking for your vote anytime soon. People like me--- regular guys from 9th street with no political patron-- don't usually run for office unless you're a trust fund baby. I treid once. That's all I think my family can take.

But thanks again for the nice words. Now, enough of politics.

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Reform is on the way......

I just wanna say I think it's cool what you do, trying to make somewhere better for people to live. It's a nice change and I wish it would catch on.

Gee: I never dreamed my original, humble post ("Bella Vista: So Far So Good") would "live" this long: I'm reveling in a false sense of celebrity, here! I have to say the civic organization in Bella Vista is pretty amazing ( I went to the meeting for the first time a few weeks ago) .... an example of the strong sense of community and commitment in/to this neighborbood. Just another reason I think I made the right choice to move here. Anyway---carry on with the discussions.... op:

While I don't think that Vern needs defending, let me offer some.

He was involved in Bella Vista long before he ever ran for Council. I met him/talked with him while I was still involved in Old City (and I was president of OCCA in the mid to late 90s).

He was also a participant in an effort to get Coalition of Philadelphia Neighborhoods going once again and is one of the founders of the Reasons to Stay Summit group (group can be found at Yahoo Groups).

All this was done prior to his ever getting involved in a dump DiCicco campaign.

I supported Frank first time through . . . and voted for some non-descript Republican last time out. Frank started out with good neighborhood ties . . . but quickly joined with all the other big boy players on the boards of Penns Landing (pushing for the Simon project, etc.) and he was one of the prime sponsors of the infamous Bill 629, which would have severely limited the ability of non-profit groups like SCRUB or the Preservation Alliance to be involved in neighborhood projects. And Frank did it just because Mary Tracy forced him to give up some bucks from the big sign companies.

We can differ about DiCicco but I don't think it's fair to knock Vern for trying to unseat him. Quite frankly, I wish we could get a real neighborhood party going after lots of these idiots on Council.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

I used to like Dicicco. But somewhere along the way he became owned--lock, stock and barrel-- by corporate developers. Nothing this guy does is for neighborhood people. He never goes to education committee meetings (check out hallwatch.org); he passes bills that help developers and he pushes stupid development like Wal-Mart in Richmond or a strip club in Center City. His big economic development plan? Wrap city buildings in huge billboards.

Vern scares the hell out of DiCicco because he's everything DiCicco isn't: visionary, hard-working and ethical.

Even now, Vern still stands up for what's right like fighting DiCicco and Colleen Pucket's group when they wanted to turn Chrtsian Street one-way for the developer at Columbus and Christian. And Vern has always talked about labor reform and cleaning up the convention center mess REGARDLESS of his past labor support. DiCicco never even talks about the Convention Center.

Vern's got more vision and integrity in his left foot than DiCicco will ever have. He's definately the kind of guy we need when DiCicco retires. It's too bad he's opting out.

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You're either part of the solution or part of the problem

So it was DiCiccio pushing that! That was the stupidest idea I had ever heard of and I made it a point to go to the QVNA meeting the day I heard about it to make my voice heard. There was about 200 other people there that day and almost everyone was against it. The QVNA president David something or other could not believe people were against the idea. I pointed out that traffic already backs up enough because Catherine street is not a through street west like it should be which forces everyone to take Christian. If Christian was one way east that woudl force everyone to turn right onto Washington which would have been utterly ridiculous. It turns out that this David fellow lives right on Christian and he wanted to make it one way so that there would be more on street parking for his friends. What is ridiculous about that is the organization owns a parking lot only a block or so from his house and it charges residents $75/month to park there. I guess he did not want to buy a spot for his guests.

I said publicly at the meeting that if they wanted to make Christian one way it should be one way West bound and made 2 lanes to accomdate the traffic from Columbus.

Who is this Collen Puckett character I have heard about in varioius settings?

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"If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed." -- David Viscott

Colleen Pucket was president of QVNA and was a board member/officer for years. She, like so many folks I could name (esp. in Old City) are a great argument for term limits.

A number of years ago, she was one of the founders of the Coalition of Philadelphia Neighborhood Associations (or something like that) to oppose the onset of riverboat gambling. Old City Civic was a member . . . and I represented OCCA on that board.

Before long, she was off on a tear against Delaware Avenue nightclubs and ultimately, against slots in racetracks. I pulled OCCA out and made it clear that we could not be part of such a group that went off on its own - but claimed to represent organizations in the River Wards.

Later, she tried to restart CPNA. For whatever reason, it never got too far.

I don't know what happened on Christian Street - I suspect that was a QVNA issue. I'd hate to think that she would have used CPNA for such an effort. But then again, that was her history so I wouldn't be surprised.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

Thanks Chris,

I pulled these pictures up from Hallwatch as I remember that is where I saw her name.

http://www.hallwatch.org/photos/cpna20020710

http://www.hallwatch.org/photos/dumpdicicco20021105

http://www.hallwatch.org/photos/dumpdicicco20021105

I've only been to about 3 QVNA meetings. Now that I'm moving I don't have to worry about things like main thoroughfares becoming one way streets because a city council member is on the take, just Toll developments popping up all over the place because certain supervisors are on the take. Oh the wonders of corruption!

The Republican you voted for in the general election against DiCicco was Rick Cataldi. I met him on the street when he was going door to door. He seemed like a really nice genuine guy. I saw his wife when I was working the polls at Palumbo for a little while. She's not lacking in the looks department, I'll tell you that!

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"If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed." -- David Viscott

No need to even go to the polls on election day 2007:

I live in Queen Village and we've all heard the rumors that DiCicco has already hand-picked Colleen Puckett has his successor. And she'll have Fumo's help as well.

And you thought we actually VOTED for who gets in? HA!

It's the deal they made so they could continue to controll all the development in the district. DiCicco is a real estate broker and Fumo is a banker who funds these developments. With Colleen Puckett in the 1st district chair, she won't make a decision without calling DiCicco first.

And she'll allow them to put billboards and poorly thought-out development throughout the district.

I guess we're in for more overcrowding; more wal-marts and more strip clubs. Trying to make Christian Street into a one-way street was just the beginning!

Fumo, DiCicco, Puckett --- the axis of unacceptable behavior.