Monday news bits

• 2006 breaks records for homicides in Philadelphia.
  
  
• Why even good students might cheat. Meanwhile, adults in at least one Phila charter school weren't setting a good example . . .
  
  
• Big local fundraisers are spooked by Philadelphia's new campaign contribution limits for the upcoming mayoral campaign. Awwwwww... Refreshingly, everybody is bending over backwards not to get in trouble.
  
  
• The Inquirer gives us a glimpse of the Pennsylvania Society event in New York this past weekend. AAJane also shares her TV impressions.
  
  
• The Inky also recaps the current confused state of the mayoral field. The Daily News adds more speculation about Brady. State Rep. Dwight Evans is expected to make his race official with an announcement today. Knox will soon be the first to run ads, starting in the next week!
  
  
• A Sunday Inquirer piece covered the renewed push to shrink the legislature in PA.
  
  
• A YPP poster argues that better witness protection is critical to lowering crime in the city.
  
  
• Via PoliticsPA, Bucks County Democrats think they might take over county government in '07, given recent voting trends.
  
  
• The Daily News has some last-minute advice for the Gaming Board, due to release its selections among the casino proposals next week.
  
  
• Friedman at America's Hometown urges support of the recently introduced zoning code overhaul before Phila City Council this week.
  
  
• And finally, Inga Saffron reminds us of the series of forums on the fate of the Delaware riverfront, which begin tonight.

Update: somehow missed this long post on "progressive tax reform" by Stan Shapiro -- lots of chewy detail about what could be done other than the much-discussed cuts to BPT.