City government

In January of 2010, the Poverty Initiatve, a group based in New York that aims to reignite Dr. Martin Luther King's Poor People's Campaign, visited Philadelphia for an immersion tour. The tour highlighted the history of the struggles of poor people in this city. Willie Baptist and Liz Theoharis, of the Poverty Initiative,  shared stories about the struggle of the homeless in 1995 and 1996.

In the fight against displacement and gentrification the Harlem Anti-Displacement Task Force held it's 3rd Annual March.

Katrina Pain Index 2009 is a solidarity message from Bill Quigley to Hurricane Katrina survivors in NYC at the Katrina Remembrance Aug. 29, 2009. Bill Quigley is a human rights lawyer on leave from Loyola University to serve as legal directior for the Center for Constitutional Rights. For a pirinted version of the article "Katrina Pain Index 2009" contact Bill Quigley at quigley77@gmail.com. This video was shot by Johnnie Stevens and Dalia Grinan. mayibue2@yahoo.com

Several Organizations came out on October 22nd 2009 in support of The October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation. Calling on an end to the constant criminalization, and murder of community members by the NYPD.

Photos by Mariel Waloff

 

Yesterday afternoon, hundreds of Philadelphians came out in the rain to send a message to state legislators (who were meeting nearby) that Mayor Nutter's attempt to balance the city budget on the backs of city workers is unacceptable.

The Penn Project for Civic Engagement last night hosted its first of four workshops on "The City Budget: Tight Times, Tough Choices."

I came across this mind blowing article in The Bulletin newspaper about a new high-end real estate project on Rittenhouse Square. One thing that is particularly surprising is 300 people showed up for the unveiling including Dwight Evans, Chaka Fattah, Lynne Abraham, and Michael Nutter. What a strage array of folks for the opening of a condo building. What kind of interests are really involved here? Where is the money coming from? As one of the new purchasers quoted in the article "The general rules don't apply in this case". Fascinating!

When 200 residents of the Lindley Court Apartments in Logan lost their homes with two hours’ notice on Saturday, June 21st, the building' fire alarm system didn’t work, raw sewage festered in the basement, putrid garbage piled up atop overflowing dumpsters, and there was no water because the copper pipes had been stolen.

Late last week we got word that the City Council Rules Committee cancelled tomorrow's meeting which for months was billed as the hearing that would move Sugarhouse casino forward. Due to continued opposition to both casinos the Sugarhouse casino asked to cancel this meeting as they still have not been successful at forcing the various community groups they need to get on board to the table on their terms. Check out www.casinofreephila.org to learn more. And please sign up to join us next Tuesday. We are taking a trip to Scranton to shut down the PA Gaming Control Board hearing. Training is Monday night. Please join us.

I left up the following post as I think it provides some helpful background information. In April 2006 when we were first reaching out and getting the lay of the land when it came to the casinos being proposed in Philly's neighborhoods we were told that there was nothing we could do and that casinos would break ground by Spring 2007. With fall 2007 just getting started the casinos, backed by some of the biggest names in the legal and political donor circles in this city, continue to be responded to with organized opposition. In the past few months this opposition has grown and I am writing to encourage you to join us. Just last week residents shut down the Gaming Control Board hearing that was taking place in Philly and a few dozen citizens went to the Governor's house to pay him a visit-the Governor afterall has been the biggest booster and champion for this disaster.

In the past few months we have learned from a state agency (PICA) that casinos will cost at least one job lost for every job that they create and that casinos will cost the City $200 million due to increased crime (money that is not planed for in any City budget being proposed). We have elected officials, including the Governor, talking about resiting casinos outside of residential neighborhoods (which would reduce some costs and preserve the quality of life in Philly's neighborhoods) and the head of the PA Gaming Control Board, Tad Decker resigned his post to return to Cozen O'Conner law firm, which represents Sugarhouse casino company (the company behind the proposed casino in Northern Liberties/Fishtown).