WALKING THE BEAT: Election’s Over, Time To Move On

CONGRATULATIONS to election winners. To all candidates, thank you for participating in the electoral process! If you HELD a GRUDGE – end it. If you told or spent to cut someone – time to grow up. The fellow who told me the agreed with me NOT TO TRY to oust a ward leader, but is rumored to be looking for committeeperson candidates – read the Bible passage which speaks of people “whitewashed on the outside, but inside full of dead men’s bones.” Forgive and go on…. NEXT YEAR’S run-up to the election will be colored by the WARD LEADER contests. Maybe two in South Philly, one in Southwest, one in North, maybe another in Northwest, and one or two in the Northeast. Councilman Bobby HENON took over Joan Krajewski’s ward in a quiet way.

State .Rep. John SABATINA is pushing HARD for home-invasion legislation, and making good progress against a hated type of crime… State Rep. Mike McGEEHAN’S bill to permit INSTALLMENT payment of real-estate tax is close TO BECOMING law. Great news.

AL DEZZI is on the recovery list. Al is the FATHER of The Philly Recycling Program. Get well, Al… DIANNE BRIDGES, the lovely Chairperson of the 37^th Ward, is mending after a hospital stay. Get well, not stressed, Dianne…. Two Downtowners have birthdays coming: Pat GILBERTI, ace constituent-service worker, has hers on the 29^th. Brandon LUTEK, super good guy, celebrates on the 30^th.

A.V.I. REAL-ESTATE TAX-INCREASE NEWS: I saw an article in the Northeast Times where residents are concerned the City has valued their homes TOO LOW. Don’t worry; they could get you for 2015 (?). If you WANT TO KNOW the value of YOUR HOME – go to the ZILLOW WEBSITE. Zillow said my home was valued $40k too high!… An article in the daily media said A.V.I. IS A FIRST STEP in tax reform in Philly. No one ever decided that reform be done in that order. It seemed like a kiss-up to placing the real-estate tax load on ordinary homeowners. The author neglected to mention his pro-AVI consulting which is often quoted in dailies. Still, you’re left with the impression he is a fresh face. And if your market value is $30k higher than a comparable NEIGHBOR’S, and you have central air – that’s THE reason – and UNFAIR. If YOU only stated in your FIRST-LEVEL REVIEW that your new value is TOO HIGH, you could be told to appeal. An Assessor should be told to look at your property, not to just allow you to file an appeal. We are a nation of APPEAL REMEDIES in steps. Why NOT on A.V.I.? A.V.I. is not about REFORM, it is about CONTROL!

The expected 87-page report on why to NOT keep JUSTICE CASTILLE on the bench is all about him. Yet the Chadwick Traffic Court team Report was only a few pages (at high cost) about150 people (?). The “Rock the Capitol” group will try to oust Castille. How can I join up?… The editorial about TRAFFIC COURT candidate Warren BLOOM might have been written by Rip Van Winkle, because it says that there might be more MISADVENTURES IN THE COURT. The writer’s beard could be six feet long before that happens, however. And it was wrong to say the lone supporter on the House JUDICIARY Committee was State Rep. VANESSA BROWN. I attended their local hearing, and there were many more in support of it – calling it a PEOPLE’S COURT. Transfer Traffic Court to Municipal Court, the article said. There is no dedicated FUNDING TO DO THIS. Muni Court is short three judges for its present work, and we hear they are none too happy to have Traffic Court. And the hearing testimony stated YOU SHOULD NOT SEAT (or allow to run) a judge who has a past record, back tickets and lacks a G.E.D. CHANGE the LAWS, not the court!! Singletary was seated by the High Court.

Last week there was mention City Managing Dir. Rich NEGRIN would make a fine mayor. A famous American has said that a minus to Negrin’s campaign is his link to an unpopular MAYOR. Then a man told me Mayor NUTTER is a great Republican. Hmm. Many ASKED what happened to Mayor NUTTER – a NO-SHOW at the Democrat Jeff-Jax event. Is he not the leader of the City Democrats?… POLLING PLACES have to be handicap-accessible. Since most cannot, they are moved so that the voting majority has to walk prohibitive distances to exercise their voting rights. The Vote COMMISSIONERS should just set up, say two or more handicap-voter locations in each ward – and drive the voter to their polling spot.

GOOD KIDS: Victor, son of Theresa Carr DENI, experienced his First Holy Communion – a warm, defining experience. Chase ROMAN hit his first home run, and is he proud. C.J. LEWANDOWSKI pitched a full game in the USSSA National Invitational down in Ole Virginny. A class game.

A dozen students turned their chairs around when Gov. CORBETT spoke at their graduation at Millersburg College. He can be beat, but the DEMS have to be careful, and UNITED on this race…. PHILLY LABOR SITE of Joe DOUGHERTY, JR. says Mayor Nutter has $31m set aside to pay Firemen. I hope the court rules TO PAY THEM! Joe SCHULLE took the helm of Local 22 Fire Fighters. It could now become more politically astute. This is EMS Week. Let us honor these emergency workers who work nonstop.

The RAT MOBILE could appear near the 12^th Pestronik site; stay tuned…. Local 19 SHEET METAL Workers are still in a strike and have a boycott list that we should follow.

A dispute is arising with Temple University union workers over an arbitrator…. Our Airport continues to raise eyebrows – a community group is calling for a look at wages there.

SUBARU could set up USA Headquarters at the Navy Yard…. DC 33 is on the verge of a possible strike. How much they can take from the Mayor is a REAL question.

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