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Also this issue: West Philly Stops Live-Stop Lot Tax Questions, Frank Answers Trouble Hmong Us ACORN Goes Fishin' Heinous Treatment, Haney says |
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August 1- 7, 2002
political notebook
Last Thursday, local Republican leadership got together to hash out some major issues about next year’s election.
The topic of conversation was potential mayoral and councilmanic candidates.
So is Sam Katz running for mayor again?
"I was not invited to the meeting," said Katz, adding "I am not talking" about whether he will challenge Mayor John Street.
Katz lost to Street in 1999 by a small margin.
He ran an aggressive and tightly focused campaign headed by two high-profile Democrats, Neil Oxman and Bob Barnett.
(This year, Oxman is handling Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ed Rendell's campaign, and Barnett was appointed by Rendell as the executive director of the Democratic State Committee.)
So what is Katz doing now?
"I'm just enjoying myself," he said.
Katz is the C.E.O. of Greater Philadelphia First, a nonprofit think tank comprised of local chief executives and other nonprofits to provide leadership in making the region the center of knowledge industries.
Katz's latest project is a big one.
In keeping with the nation's concerns about security, Katz is planning a daylong event called "Home Front Security -- Protecting America's Birthplace."
Scheduled for the Ritz-Carlton in November, the workshop/seminar will include federal and state leaders and former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, now the head of Homeland Security in Washington.
"The focus will be local," said Katz. "Where are we now and where are we going in the region in protecting ourselves."
Since Katz is apparently not thinking about city politics at the moment, what does leadership say?
Republican Chairman Vito Canuso, a noted Center City attorney, confirmed there was a meeting and that no candidates were invited.
"We had an open and free discussion," said Canuso.
He noted that these types of meetings are not uncommon and are held annually, usually around August.
This summer's meeting is more important, however, because next year are the mayoral and council races.
It is very hard to beat an incumbent mayor, particularly a Democrat in a city where Democrat registrations outnumber Republicans by more than a 3-to-1 ratio.
But if Republicans don't want to face Street, they can wait until 2007 and possibly face City Controller Jonathan Saidel, who is emerging as the most likely Democratic contender in a post-Street world.
"Every elected Republican official was discussed as a possible candidate for mayor," said Canuso.
Could House Majority Leader John Perzel be a mayoral candidate?
Is 10th District Councilman Brian O’Neill a possibility?
No decisions were made at the meeting.
The GOP City Council at-large candidates are a hot topic.
Incumbents Thacher Longstreth and Frank Rizzo Jr. are both planning to run for re-election and three candidates, Joe McColgan, Jamie McDermott and Jack Kelly, have all expressed interest.
A fourth candidate is expected to announce his intention to run for an at-large seat soon as well.
But the current focus is the governor's race and GOP nominee Mike Fisher.
Various polls show Rendell in the lead, but Canuso does not count Fisher out.
"Mike has not conceded to anything," said Canuso.
"Rendell did not have a big win. Bob Casey Jr. had a big loss," he continued.
Fisher, the state's attorney general, and his running mate, Jane Earll, will be the honored guests at the annual Billy Meehan Clambake to be held later this month.
Considered politics' social highlight of the summer, the clambake is a large fundraiser also attended by Democrats because of its congenial picnic theme.
It is named after former GOP party boss, the late Billy Meehan.
This year, the clambake will be held in a new location.
Cannstatter's, the German club in Northeast Philadelphia, will replace the Bavarian Club, where the clambake had been held for the last 18 years.
The Ron Patel Scholarship Fund is now accepting essays for this year’s award.
The scholarship is open to any student or working journalist in all fields of the media who is pursuing a higher education in journalism.
The 2002 topic is "How should society balance security concerns with civil rights in the wake of 9-11?"
Essays should be 2,500 words or less and accompanied by a resumé and letter of recommendation from the applicant's professor.
All material should be sent to The Ron Patel Scholarship Fund, in care of The Pen & Pencil Club, 1522 Latimer Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102.
The deadline for entries is Nov. 7.
The winner will receive $5,000 on Jan. 7, 2003 at a party at the Pen & Pencil.
The Ron Patel Scholarship is dedicated to Ron Patel, the former Inquirer editor and this reporter's husband, who died on Jan. 7, 2000.
