Sign up | Log in | Forgot Password

Faxes Sent to Dwight Evans

Letters

From:	AG
To:	Representative Evans
Date:	Saturday, 08/02/08
Subject:	HB2084

Rep. EVANS,

I do not know if you are the Rep. Evans on the committee for
HB2084. If you are, I am requesting you release this most
important bill for a vote. The Governor and you have failed to
put one billion dollars into the pension fund for the past six
year. This money has been used to balance the budget The
pension mney belongs to the pensioners and you should not have
any control over our lives and our money.You gave raaises to
the Judges and others NOW allow us our rightful pension which
we earned and paid for. The legislators should have no control
over the pension money. Release HB 2084 Sept. 15-08 for a
vote.

Thank you.

Al Gricoski

Dear Representative,
Thank you so much for your pledge to work with the Governor, our
Mayor and members of the Philadelphia delegation to solve the
problem of casinos slated for construction on our waterfront.
The problem is these locations are too close to family-friendly,
thriving residential neighborhoods. They bring additional
traffic and environmental problems as well that have never been
solved, and may well be unsolvable at these locations.

We could not have taken this landmark step towards resolution
without your commitment and leadership.

Thank you,
Caryn Hunt

Dear Representative,
It is the height of hypocrisy to support tax abatements to casinos when the whole
rationale used to expand gambling in the state (without a proper democratic
process) was to provide tax relief. Very few actual citizens of Philadelphia share your
view. But I know from personal experience that you are not moved by mere
democracy; literally thousands of Philadelphians have made their position on the
issue of casinos in dense residential city neighborhoods clear to you.

If you would spend your own time looking into the matter of the Philadelphia
casinos, instead of just listening to what the Governor or gaming lobbyists tell you,
you would see 1. that the projected revenues are based on the flimsiest of
assumptions, assumptions that have been repeatedly questioned not only by
concerned and thoughtful citizens, but also by economists as well as the officials of
PICA and by the Nutter administration (Terry Gillen at a public Council hearing);

2. that the jobs and revenues they tout will be far overshadowed by the misery and
financial devastation they will bring (well documented, look up the Aborn study, for
example) especially as they are being set up as convenience casinos to siphon off
the wealth of Philadelphians. Casinos feed off of problem gamblers and the poor are
especially vulnerable to gambling addiction (some quick references: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/gamble/procon/kindt.html and http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/12/24/MNE9TTF2I.DTL,
for instance).

3. The best jobs will be the upfront construction jobs. It is a fight to get building
trade jobs to minorities in Philadelphia (diversity hearings ongoing now in the city;
a worthy fight), in fact it's a fight to get building trade jobs to people who actually
live in Philadelphia. Additionally, if the waterfront is developed according to the
PennPraxis plan, there will be plenty of construction jobs for the long run as well as
an incentive for other businesses to locate on the waterfront. Casinos are a
disincentive to other kinds of businesses. If the casino locations are moved to more
appropriate places, then whatever jobs and revenues they bring will still come in but
with less damage done to the city and her residents. As for other kinds of casino
jobs, please read this article, which explains how Foxwoods just laid off 200
workers and mid-level managers: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/casinos/x379977063/Foxwoods-lays-off-200. It
would benefit our city and our city's residents far more to intelligently develop our
port business, not hamper it by the current location of these casinos. The
International Longshoremen's Association is a trade union strong on minority hiring,
that pays family-sustaining wages.

There is no objective rationale for subsidizing this industry with public money or
public land. There is no public good in it unless done very very carefully.

Caryn Hunt

Dear Dwight Evans:


I am opposed to Governor Rendell’s energy initiative bill until
an amendment prohibits these government financial incentives from
being granted to large-scale solar projects on previously
undeveloped land, including utility right-of –ways. A prime
example of the foreseeable problems with this bill is the recent
proposal by The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education’s
(SCEE) to install a utility scale solar farm on its land. SCEE
along with MESA Energy and PECO plan to install a large-scale
solar farm on the grasslands of the SCEE property, under the
PECO right-of-way. Destroying open space and wildlife habitat to
build an industrial scale photovoltaic farm is illogical and
self-defeating, especially at the same time that research shows
that even birds formerly considered common are disappearing.
Under the pending legislation, the contractor would receive 50%
of the installation cost, and investors in the project would
receive substantial tax breaks. To give incentives to energy
companies to develop utilities in pristine lands, wildlife
habitats and open space is deeply contradictory. I support
Governor Rendell’s energy initiative bill with an amendment
qualifying the use of this taxpayer money to support such energy
installations on brownfields, industrial areas and previously
developed land only.

Nancy Johnston

Just a reminder tha Pennsylvania constituents are still waiting
for reform from the State House, as promised when Rep. O'Brien
was elected speaker.

I appreciate the good-faith gesture of creating the Speaker's
Reform Commission. However, I question the need for debate on
such reforms as banning votes when most constituents are in bed,
public debate periods on proposed legislation, limits on
discretionary spending, more financial disclosure, and other
no-brainer reforms, many of which have already been proposed
and/or adopted by the Senate.

You're welcome to debate other issues such as term limits and
reducing the size of state legislature, but rest assure that I
stronly support these reforms, as do many of your other constituents.

The cynic in me is tempted to think that this "Speaker's
Comission" is merely a rouse designed to let voter anger "blow
over" while not getting any reforms in place. Please don't keep
us waiting.
....

Dear State Rep. Dwight Evans: I would guess that your title
would be The Honorable Dwight Evans but I find it difficult to
construe honor with fraud. According to the Phila. Inquirer on
1/11/2006, you have yet to return your ill-gotten gains to the
state. When election comes, I will vote for anyone but you due
to this. Voters will not forget come election day. I will even
vote for the Republican candidate before I vote for you! And this
will be a first! Hope you reconsider and at the very least,
contribute it to help the old and poor with their hugh heating
bills. Sincerely, Joseph Grinkewicz

Please Join us at our Homecoming event on September the 17th,
Saturday @ 11 th & Cecil B. Moore Ave. Please RSVP, ASAP,
we will be playing the National Champions Aztecs from Hunting
Park area of North Philadelphia. They represented our
conference well.xx



This will be a powerhouse day, it starts at 10 am, there will
be (5) games played, pee wee (90 lbs), 100 lbs. 115, 130, and
150 lbs teams playing each other. We are requesting our elected
officials to be present. There will be over 700 families in
attendance for the event.



MEDIA ADVISORY

Blackhawks Athletic Club
http://www.blackhawksathleticclub.org

North Philly Aztecs http://www.nortphilaaztecs.com

The Blackhawks & National Champions Aztecs Included in the More
Than 28,000 Youth Football and Cheerleading Participants From
Hawaii to Massachusetts.

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
(PWLS) the largest national youth football and cheerleading
organization in the United States and the only youth sports
organization with an academic requirement will celebrate the
start of Play Football Month and the organization, Celebrating
Year (76th season).There are more than 120 associations from
Hawaii to Massachusetts. Blackhawks Athletic Club will
participate and the Homecoming event will take place at 11th
and Cecil B. Moore Ave, Philadelphia

WHO: Blackhawks A. C. vs. reigning National Champs Aztecs
Youth Football and Cheer/Dance Participants (ages 7-15)
WHAT: Pop Warner Homecoming Event
WHEN: Saturday, September 17, 2005 10 AM (EST)

Half Time Presentations / Show approx. 2 PM
WHERE: 11th Cecil B. Moore Ave, Philadelphia PA 19122

MEDIA CONTACT: (LOCAL)
Robert A. Williams , MCPH 267-250-2110 (cell)
Blackhawksathleticclub@msn.com



Empowerment Resource Tables Health, Financial Services and
others



POP WARNER LITTLE SCHOLARS, INC.
Phone: 215.752.2692 ; FAX: 215.752.2879

www.popwarner.com

As an artist and an arts volunteer and patron, I am a
supporter of the Mural Arts Program (“MAP”) of Philadelphia,
which is the most prolific and best-known program of its kind in
the country. The Philadelphia Department of Human Services
(“DHS”) funds by contract 90% of MAP’s art education programs
for children throughout Philadelphia, helps finance mural
production in Philadelphia's under-served neighborhoods, and
helps finance staff positions at MAP that help implement MAP's
program.

I respectfully request that no DHS funds be cut from
Philadelphia County, because of the countless and immeasurable
benefits these funds provide for Philadelphia’s communities, in
part, through the remarkable work of the Mural Arts Program.

Dear: State Senator Allyson Y. Schwartz and State
Representative Dwight Evans


As a concerned {social worker, parent, community member} I am
writing regarding the proposed cuts to the State budget that
could eliminate critical prevention programs that serve
Philadelphia’s children and youth. These programs are vital to
the health, safety, and education of our youngest and most
vulnerable citizens. Prevention programs for children and youth
are more cost-effective than the crisis-intervention programs
needed when a child gets into trouble or suffers irreparable
harm. Just one out-of-home placement in a treatment facility
costs $300 a day, and more than $100,000 over the course of a
year. By contrast, $100,000 could support year-round after-
school programming for 40 kids. Investing in children's
prevention programs is not only the right thing to do, it is
the fiscally prudent thing to do.

Please remember that 45,000 children benefit from these
prevention programs every year. Help us restore the 10.5
million needed to keep these services working. They are VITAL
to the health and welfare of our children and communities.




Elmus Barnard, Jr.
Philadelphia Society for Services to Children
415 South 15th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
215-927-5631(H) 215-875-4947(W) 215-875-3411 (fax)
www.pssckids.org

Dear Representative Dwight Evans--
Please repeal HB1954 which takes away the right of citizens
to act throughout the city on issues, and narrowly defines
their rights.

Sincerely,

Charles and Shirley Philips

DEAR MR.EVANS,WHAT CAN GOOD PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY HAVE NEW
NEIGHBORS WHO ARE GOING TO BE A VERY BIG PROBLEM.I HAVE LIVED
HERE FOR 15YEARS WORRY FREE AND DID NOT PLAN ON MOVING.MY NEW
NEIGHBORS DRINK,FIGHT,AND SMOKE DRUGS ALL NIGHT LONG.THE PARENTS
DRINK AND FIGHT ALSO.WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE 10 TO 15 YOUNG
GUYS DRINKING AND GETTING HIGH IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME AND THE
PARENTS ARE DRUNK,LAUGHING WITH THESE KIDS.WHEN YOU ASK THEM TO
MOVE THEY DO NOT,THEIR VERY LOUD AND RUDE.I THINK THIS IS WHY
PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT OF PHILADELPHIA.WHAT IF ANYTHING CAN I
DO?

Dwight,
In 1994 when the city was awash in graffitti you helped our
organization out without any fanfare or publicity.
Our plan to fight graffiti was through education. You supplied
class rooms for our Art program for kids and helped us
secure paint and funding for our mural program.

When our program was gifted with 30 used Apple computers you
helped set up the first computer program for kids at the PAL
at St. Benedicts. You then put us in front of Meridian Bank
when they were merging with Core States and they gave our
program 300 computers for the kids that kicked off our Computers
for Philadelphia Kids Program. From this success we
were able to take this program to many Corporations in
Philadelphia. You were instrumental in opening the door for us.
We were told by your office that the GSA would be a great source
for used computers. After two years of trying to convince
the GSA that computers would be better utilized in the hands of
kids in their home rather than in landfills they opened up
the flood gates. Truck loads of computers came streaming to our
warehouse in Kensington. We created the program
"Computers for Philadelphia Kids". The key to the program was
that kids learn computers best when they have a PC in their
home. Kids need to use computers every day. Our program was to
go through each school in the city and get every kid a PC
and give each kid a week of PC instruction. The GSA gave us
over 5,000 computers. We were able to get every kid
in 15 schools a week of instruction and a PC for their family.
We started at Prince Hall and St Benedicts. We helped
out Pickett Middle School and Kensington High to name a few of
the schools.
Our small program was overwhelmed by the outpouring of interest,
love, work, need and greed. Politicians used our program
to their advantage and being very niave we experienced some very
hard times. We were able to get over 5000 kids computers
and training but it cost us as a company.

We decided in 2002 to do away with our computer program for kids
and concentrate on our Art Program. It cost us in grants
and our phone stopped ringing off the hook. We still have a
large number of the kids we started with in West Oaklane. The
kids
that were 8 in 1994 are 19 now and some are still painting.
Because Philadelphia is such a mobile city I see kids that were
in our program all over the city. Some of the kids have grown
very tall but they always seem to remember that sunny spring day
when they helped paint the legs of 'Shaq' or the tail of the
Dinasour. Some of the kids I meet thank us for their first
PC and are now Computer Engineers or studying Computer
Programming at Drexel. They would have made it anyway but a PC
at home
sure saves time and you can try more things on your PC than the
libraries.

We are still painting murals in West Oaklane and without
fanfare. The murals are quite good and the kids that are
running the
project now are doing well. We are opening up an Art studio in
Flourtown, PA in June but our goal in the next few years is an
Art Center on Ogontz Avenue. The name of our program is the
Ogontz Avenue Art Company so I think we should open shop
on Ogontz Avenue. We would like to come in and share our
ideas. You are one of the few politicians who didn't think we
were mad when we said we could stop graffiti though education or
when we said we could get every kid in the city a PC.
Thanks for all your help in the past. I'm still amazed that the
only person in the last election for mayor with accomplishments
and original ideas was not elected mayor of the city of
Philadelphia.

Thanks again for your help,
Pete Doyle
Ogontz Avenue Art Company
215 886 1759

In support of the Burholme Park Community Coalition I, along
with members of Friends of Tacony Creek Park, strongly oppose
the cancer center's expansion into 19.4 acres of park land. To
increase its treatment capacity (number of beds), the center
has 17 acres of its own on which to build a needed extension.
Research, on the other hand, can be done virtually at any
place. There is much available land, even buildings, in the
city to accommodate FOX CHASE. The center prouds itself of
about a dozen satellite locations, some quite distant. Why
must research be done in Burholme Park? The center'd thread to
leave the city, if the park land is denied, sounds like
something very unethical.

Dear Representative Evans:

I was encouraged to see you take a leadership role by proposing
HB 22 to provide funding for SEPTA and other transit agencies
unfortunately your bill also amends Title 74 by eliminating job
security and seniority protections afforded to SEPTA
employees.

This same provision was in last sessions funding bill. The
personnel sections of Title 74 that you propose to eliminate
were designed to insure SEPTA employees are not subject to
wanton patronage. They also keep the most experienced
professional employees on staff at a time when the agency may
be forced to downsize. Over the years these policies have
served SEPTA and the Commonwealth well.

It is disappointing as an enthusiastic Democrat to see you
propose this kind of change under the guise of a transit
bailout.

I urge you to look closely at this change to Title 74 and ask
yourself if SEPTA's riders will be best served by a workforce
subject to the same patronage whimsy found at the Turnpike
Commission or the Parking Authority. (see Saturday's Inquirer
Editorial)

I look forward to your reply and would like to discuss this
issue with you or a member of your staff.

Very truly yours,

Edward F. Wallace
a former constituent, and fellow LaSalle Alumnus