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Al, you are pretty hard to please.
Your friend Jannie Blackwell is in support of this increase in funding.
You have done a lot of ranting about how useless the Historical Commission is,
and you've supported Blackwell's proposed bill (which is being tabled, I've
heard, due to the negative reaction it received). The Blackwell bill was
really an over-the-top grab for power in the guise of a "check-and-balance"
improvement. The bill, in a nutshell, stripped the HC of its powers and
proposed to give some of them to the City Council (public servants who know
little or nothing about historic buildings, in general). There was some
discussion on this listserve about how it would be preferable to IMPROVE the
Historical Commission, rather than eviscerate it. Now, Blackwell's on
board with this plan, and you are still flapping your wings. I am getting
tired of reading your obstructionist, negative emails and wonder if there's
anything constructive you WOULD support, rather than tirading against the
attempts of others.
HillierARCHITECTURE
Elisabeth Dubin
T 215.636.9999 x4176 | C 267.259.4206 | F
215.636.9989
One South Penn Square | Philadelphia | PA | 19107-3502
www .
hillier . com
City Council will hear a presentation on Wednesday from the Historical
Commission asking for a 22.6% increase in funding and a 20% increase in
staffing. Even right-minded solid citizens who support the
nomination of Spruce Hill as a local historic district should disapprove of
this absurd request. Owing to serious budget shortfalls, the city will be
cutting all manner of vital services -- from police, fire, and trash
collection to recreation programs that keep kids on the playgrounds and
off the street corners. How, in all conscience, can they even consider raising
the appropriations for this function?
And, if you think what this Commission does is somehow important, take a
look at the photo of Sigel Street in South Philly. Believe it or not, the
busted up bricks on this half-block long dead-end alley, lined by commercial
garages, are protected by the Historical Commission. One result was that
the Water Dept was denied a permit to open the street and install new water
and sewer lines when every other block in the vicinity got them.
You can email everyone in City Council in one fell swoop and urge them to
deny the PHC an increase -- or to decrease their appropriation and
use the money where it will actually do people some good. Just click here [EMAIL PROTECTED]
and whatever email message you write will be dispatched privately to each
member of City Council and the Mayor. (And, if you think that the PHC should
get money to regulate the outside of people's homes, while L&I is cut back
on resources to help ensure the safety of residents, there's nothing to stop
you from using the above email facility to say that, too).
Al Krigman
(PS -- please forgive me if you get a duplicate of this message.)
![denied_sigel1.jpg]() 1100 Block of Sigel St,
historically designated
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