Sign up | Log in | Forgot Password

Stop Play to Pay

letters so far.

This Thursday, Philadelphia's City Councilmembers will have the opportunity to pass real "Pay to Play" reform for our city. Councilman Michael Nutter's legislation would expose sweetheart deals to the sunshine of public scrutiny.

Unless they hear from you, I'm afraid they're going to blow it. Eleven Councilmembers are in favor of Nutter's legislation, one short of passage.

Mayor John Street has indicated repeatedly that our City has no money to spare. Over the past year and a half, the Mayor has told us that balancing the City's budget required the following:

• Closing eight Fire Dept. companies
• Reducing 20 libraries to part time "express" branches
• Abandoning the recommendations of Philadelphia's Tax Reform Commission

If we can't afford these things, can we afford "pay to play?"

"Pay to Play" costs our City dearly. Last year $2 billion of the City's $3.4 billion budget went to no-competition contracts--about 2 out of every 3 dollars. These contracts are not awarded to the person who will do the best job at the least cost to the public, but based on other criteria.

At a $1,000 a plate fundraising dinner, the Mayor suggested what those criteria might be: "...if you support me, you're going to get rewarded..."

Councilman Nutter's legislation doesn't forbid the no-competition contracts. Rather his legislation attempts to cut the green ribbon that ties campaign donors to City contracts:

• City contracts must be advertised so everybody knows about them and can bid on them.
• Large campaign donors are barred from applying for no-competition contracts; you can either give city officials large amounts of money, or bid on City business, but not both.
• After the contract is awarded, all the bids are made public. If the selected bid is not the lowest, the City must explain why all the lower bidders were rejected.

Sometimes even the best leaders need to be encouraged to do the right thing. Our government should not be for sale to the highest bidder. "Pay to Play" has got to go.

Thank you for considering my request.

More info

• Read letters others have written.
• Urge City Officials to Pass the "Pay to Play" Sunshine Legislation
• Read the legislation, Bill No. 040771 and Bill No. 040772 expose the entire process to public scrutiny and attempt to cut the

Scorecard on Pay to Play Reform Bills Nos. 040771 and 040772

District	Councilmember	Supports Reform
3	Jannie Blackwell	no
5	Darrell Clarke	no
1	Frank Dicicco	yes
At Large	Wilson Goode	yes
At Large	Jack Kelly	yes
At Large	James Kenney	yes
6	Joan Krajewski	no
8	Donna Miller	no
None	Michael A. Nutter	yes
10	Brian O'Neill	yes
At Large	Blondell Reynolds Brown	yes
At Large	Frank Rizzo	yes
9	Marian Tasco	no
2	Anna Verna	yes

Press coverage