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01/31/2003 Philadelphians Ratify Neighborhood Bill of Rights (Ed Goppelt)

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Reasons to Stay Participants Ratify the Neighborhood Bill of Rights
2003/01/31

The NBR is modeled loosely on the founding documents of the United States, esp. the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The document asserts that Philadelphians have four basic rights when it comes to their municipal government:

1. The right to quality public schools in every community.
2. The right to city services that are delivered efficiently and effectively.
3. The right to be taxed fairly.
4. The right to ethical representation.

Four Civic groups and their leaders are behind Reasons to Stay: Bella Vista United Civic (Former President Vernon Anastasio), Northwood Civic Association (President Grace Muller), Fairmount Civic Association and Ridge Park Civic Association (President Patti Brennan).

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RTS Co-organizers Grace Muller & Patti Brennan
2003/01/31 Muller and Brennan are presidents of their respective civic associations, Northwood Civic Association and Ridge Park Civic Association. Brennan works as an aide to a State Representative.

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Vernon Anastasio: "We must remain apolitical, otherwise we become just as corrupt as the people we are talking about."
2003/01/31 Anastasio is the force behind NBR and Reasons to Stay. He works as an aide to State Representative Babette Josephs and has been mentioned as a possible challenger to South Philadelphia Councilman Frank DiCicco.

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Jose Luis Rivera: "No pictures, please!"
2003/01/31 Rivera is President of Fairmount Civic Association.

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Dan Sullivan: "We are not trying to duplicate CPNA"
2003/01/31

Colleen Puckett's CPNA, the Coalition of Philadelphia Neighborhood Associations, is another attempt to organize a city wide civic association. Puckett, a past president of Queen Village Neighbors Association, is active in local politics.

I have never seen Anastasio at one of CPNA's meetings nor Puckett at one of the Reasons to Stay Summits. Despite the fact that both Puckett and Anastasio say they want what is best for Philadelphia, it seems reasonable to assume that these two community leaders probably view each other as competitors in their quest to create a vehicle that will help them realize their political ambitions.

Sullivan moved recently from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to assume the leadership of Philadelphia's Henry George School.

Georgists believe that the fairest and most productive property tax is one based soley on land value. That way responsible owners are not penalized for fixing up their properties. City Controller Jonathan Saidel has advocated implementing the Land Value Tax in Philadelphia as a way of fighting blight and making parking lot and slumlord owners pay their fair share.