Tuesday, January 24, 2006

ACM = aggregator-cum-muttering

[Or, Tuesday bits, as my life spins out of my control]
  • More news on Street's novel surplus budget:

    1. Street apparently addressed City Council this morning, and the anticipatory piece in the Inquirer predicts some wins and some losses (based on the drafts it saw):
      Mayor Street today will propose major new spending for cultural institutions and riverfront development, and push to rescind planned tax cuts for the poor that had been the pet project of City Councilman David Cohen . . .
      Odd that they're discussing bond issues and tax hikes in a surplus environment -- does Street have a dire forecast that we're not privvy to?

    2. The Daily News piece on the same subject hits some of the same notes, and speculates (in concert with the Inquirer) that Street is thinking about his legacy to the city. I note the absence of discussion of ambulances (see crisis here or here)...

    3. The DN also offers a run-down of the highlights. Expect much discussion on all of this tomorrow.

    4. Update: Dan at YPP takes exception to Street's priorities, especially to his "sticking it to the poor."

  • Also at Philadelphia's City Hall, a key Street aid apparently won't wait to see the legacy take shape, having just given notice.
    Technically, Burrell is the mayor's secretary for external affairs. But in plainer terms, he has been the man to see about city contracts. The man who kept political score of Street's friends and enemies. And the man who has advised the mayor on hirings and firings and policy-making.
    . . .
    Burrell has also been a central point of curiosity for federal investigators looking into municipal corruption.
    It's probably been a tough run, but speculations always run high when a top aide takes his leave.

  • At the state level, friction in a couple of high-profile races:

    1. New Jersey's new Senator (freshly installed in Corzine's seat) Menendez takes some jabs at Santorum, essentially challenging him on threats to cut off funding or make other trouble in the current Delaware-dredging conflict between NJ and PA (see prev. here). He claims to want to get beyond threats to negotiations, but mentions along the way that he can hold up funding for PA projects as well as Rick can stymie NJ, so perhaps the sand-throwing isn't completely past...

    2. Meanwhile, in the horserace for Pennsylvania's GOP gubernatorial primary, Bill Scranton got feisty yesterday, laying into Lynn Swann for refusing to debate, and warning the Republicans not to throw their lot in with an unknown entity only to wake up with buyer's regret.

  • Not satisfied to alarm neighborhoods with his casino ambitions, Trump now plans a condo development along the Delaware.
    Trump described his project as a "first-class" condo building with landscaped gardens, a high-end spa, a five-star restaurant, a wine cellar, health and fitness club, recreation rooms, and an outdoor deck.
    I'm sure it's just coincidence that the new project would be adjacent to one of the other hot regions for a new gambling casino...

    Update: a YPP blogger responds to this news with an exhortation to the city to plan wisely, including infrastructure from grocery stores to transit routes to serve new developments (and current neighborhoods).

  • A Daily News editorial calls on state legislators to raise the minimum wage. Let me second that, and add that I hope they can pass one of the real bills that have been bottled up in committee until lately, without amending it down to a meaningless improvement.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Burrell will be indicted.

6:58 AM  

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