Crosstown Coalition

The Crosstown Coalition invites Philadelphians to discuss mayoral candidates' answers to questions posed by the Coalition. Questions were generated by citizen responses to a questionnaire sent in Feb, 2007. We encourage you to read candidate answers and comment on what you think. By: Bella Vista United Civic Assoc, Center City Residents' Assoc, Logan Square Neighborhood Assoc, Old City Civic Assoc, Queen Village Neighborhood Assoc, Society Hill Civic Assoc, Washington Square West Civic Assoc.

Showing posts with label FATTAH. Show all posts

Showing posts with label FATTAH. Show all posts

Thursday, April 5, 2007

FATTAH: Cross Index of Political Donors and City Beneficiaries

As part of my ethics plan, I have pledged to post on the city’s eContract Philly website any consultants or lobbyists that a vendor may have utilized in pursuit of all city contracts. Any sub-contractors used by the vendor will also be clearly disclosed.

The website will link to, or provide, records of campaign contributions made by the vendor, its owners or executives, or by the consultants, lobbyists, or sub-contractors to any city official.

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FATTAH: Fines for Donors

Yes. I would ask Council to pass civil penalties for those who provide gifts or favors to city employees and would support legislation prohibiting them, or those on whose behalf they operated, from receiving city contracts as a way to further curb pay-to-play.

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FATTAH: No Bid Contracts

No. I have pledged to study ways to completely eliminate no-bid contracting and will maximize the number of contracts awarded through a competitive bid process.

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FATTAH: Employment of Former City Officials

I believe the most effective way to close the revolving door between government and the private sector is for City Council to pass legislation mandating a cooling-off period, as I have called for in my ethics policy.

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FATTAH: Making the Board of Ethics More Independent

I am committed to supporting a strong independent board of ethics and would be open to choosing appointees from a nominating list.

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FATTAH: Lobbyist Disclosure

In my ethics agenda, I have pledged to work to pass legislation requiring all lobbyists to register with the Board of Ethics bi-annually, providing detailed lists of clients seeking city business, the amount of compensation they received and what city offices, departments, boards, commissions, agencies or authorities they lobbied on behalf of each client.

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FATTAH: Personal Promise Re: Campaign Disclosure

I absolutely support campaign finance disclosure. Campaign finance reports are publicly available and posted online through the city’s website. As Mayor, I will continue to post all of my campaign contributors on the city’s website.

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FATTAH: Business Tax

I support overhauling the onerous business privilege tax, but believe that we must balance this with the need to provide city services. I have called for immediately eliminating the gross receipts portion of the BPT and replacing the net income portion with a simple charge on net profits. This change will increase the competitiveness of city businesses, make Philadelphia more attractive as a place to do business and grow jobs.

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FATTAH: Wage Tax

I support continuing the reductions in the city wage tax on the schedule passed by City Council.

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FATTAH: Real Estate Tax

a. Yes. In my fiscal policy I stated my commitment to making the re-assessment revenue-neutral for the city.

b. I have said that this re-assessment should not unduly hurt our residents, to this end I have pledged to support efforts to provide a homestead exemption to Philadelphia homeowners and a phase-in of the reassessment to ease the impact on homeowners. I would also consider a buffering program or deferments as ways to mitigate the impact of the re-assessment on Philadelphia homeowners.

c. I have said that this re-assessment should not unduly hurt our residents, to this end I have pledged to support efforts to provide a homestead exemption to Philadelphia homeowners and a phase-in of the reassessment to ease the impact on homeowners. I would also consider a buffering program or deferments as ways to mitigate the impact of the re-assessment on Philadelphia homeowners.

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FATTAH: Budget Transparency

I would be open to bottom-line budgeting but would first speak with my departmental commissioners and those in the Managing Director’s office to make sure that this change made sense in terms of accurately reporting a city dollars spent.

I support a budget process where all planned expenditures are included and supplemental appropriation goes through that same public comment and hearing process as the main budget.

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FATTAH: Long Run Budget Picture

a. Employee health costs and pensions have been rising at an unsustainable rate. I will work constructively with the city’s municipal unions to identify creative ways to slow the growth of these costs to the city while continuing to provide high-quality benefits to our city workers.
I have proposed pooling the city’s health care costs and bidding out a single contract to maximize the purchasing power of all city employees together and lower per person costs. I have also suggested moving to a defined contribution pension system from a defined benefit system for new city workers. I believe that working cooperatively with the unions, we can get these rising costs under control.

b. The soaring cost of debt service is hurting our city’s financial standing and I will work to guide the city in such a way so that it does not incur more debt. It would not be responsible to tie the hands of government, but barring unforeseen circumstances I do not anticipate that the city would take on additional debt while I am Mayor.

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FATTAH: New Areas for Job Growth

We need to focus job training and business development in areas in which our city and region has an advantage. These industries include the medical field, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, chemicals and health care billing.

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FATTAH: Encouraging Small Business

I have laid out a plan to give small businesses the tools they need to grow in Philadelphia, including an emergency loan fund for small businesses in crisis, business relocation loans for intra-city moves, matching seed capital, creating an independent non-profit to provide free consulting services.

The city can do more in its day-to-day operations to help grow small businesses, like using city procurement to more effectively benefit city businesses and creating a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs to transact business with the city. Finally, we must take a regional approach to attracting small business to the Delaware Valley.

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FATTAH: Access to City Hall

I have laid out an ambitious plan to expand citizen access to City Hall, including developing new ways to apply for permits and applications and paying taxes online. I am also interested in making the city’s website more user-friendly by making the directory of city agencies and offices, with their contact information, more easily accessible.

Finally, I have pledged to bring City Hall to every Councilmanic District on a quarterly basis, spending a full day working with senior officials to conduct city business in the District and holding meetings with citizens.

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Wednesday, April 4, 2007

FATTAH: School Reform Commission

I support continuing the city-state partnership, in the form of the School Reform Commission, in governing our schools. I would like to have balanced control of the SRC, with three representatives appointed by the Mayor and three appointed by the Governor. But more importantly, I will work with the Governor to create a fairer state-wide school funding formula that reduces the disparity in per pupil funding between Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs.

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FATTAH: Politicking for Schools

As Mayor, my top priority will be education and we must increase funding from both the city and state for our schools to close the per pupil funding disparity between the city schools and our suburban neighbors. I will go to Harrisburg and will use the relationships that I have developed over 25 years of public service, including 12 years as a legislator in Harrisburg, to push for a fairer funding school funding formula from the Commonwealth.

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FATTAH: General Funds for Schools

Educating our children must be the top priority of our city. Currently we spend approximately $10,000 to educate each child in Philadelphia, while our suburban neighbors spend far more. Philadelphia must get more money from the Commonwealth for our public education, but we must also make education a higher priority within the city budget.

I have laid out a plan to lease Philadelphia International Airport, netting Philadelphia $1.9 billion which would be invested to produce an additional $150 to $160 million per year which will go to improving the educational achievement of all Philadelphians.

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FATTAH: Charter Schools

Many charter schools have been excellent places for innovation and discovery in public education. While some charter schools are providing an excellent education, however, there are those that continue to fail to meet the mark. It is important that all of our schools provide an outstanding education to prepare all children for success.

We must make sure that all public school students are receiving a quality education, hold all students, teachers and schools to the highest standards and not take important funds out of our public school system.

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FATTAH: Reducing Civil Service Jobs in Senior Police Positions

I support giving the Police Commissioner more power to hire senior police officials, improving accountability and enhancing police management. I would consult my Police Commissioner, as well as past Commissioners and senior police officials on the exact positions that would be appointed by the Commissioner.

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