Going to Pittsburgh

by Morris Bracy

Jimmy Tayoun is a South Philly political icon who served three terms as state representative and another four as First District City Councilman. He also did a 40-month stint in prison on racketeering, fraud and tax charges that offered him the time to write Going to Prison?, a self-help guide for white-collar crooks who find themselves behind bars. (Avoid the prison bus to avoid lengthy layovers and get a doctor's note to ensure top-bunk status.)

In his latest role, Tayoun's been editing and publishing The Philadelphia Public Record for the past four years. Decorated with campaign ads and political photo-ops, the political weekly chronicles politicians, labor leaders and other noteworthy folks. With an 11-person staff, the Record prints 38,000 copies, about 11,000 of which are sent through the mail. ("That costs us $3,000 a week," he says.)

Apparently, the investment paid off. In mid-October, he'll launch The Western Pennsylvania Public Record.

"They dream, eat and live politics in Pittsburgh like in Philadelphia," he says, noting that the idea was bolstered by a thought that high voting turnouts meant people would be interested in more political news. "Most statewide elections are won in Western Pennsylvania."

(Despite Tayoun's thought, Tamara Kilgore, a spokesperson for Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, says nobody in her office has heard of the new publication.)

The new Record -- with a starting circulation of 25,000 -- will be fronted by ex-state Rep. Ralph Kaiser. Like its sister paper, they'll start with one issue every other week. Tayoun, who won't get mixed up in the other paper "unless things go off track," hopes the paper will expand to weekly circulation within two months.

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