Category: Politics

bookmark_borderPhiladelphia’s Private Business

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PHILADELPHIA, PA — Some of the city’s business partnerships are being called into question? For instance, why is Philadelphia partnering with Anheuser-Busch, Live Nation and Shawn “JAY Z” Carter for the Budweiser Made In America Concert? In fact, to get into Budweiser’s website to read the press release you have to enter your age and be over 21.

Now, Philadelphia has announced an association with a corporation declared to be an illegal monopoly by the Department Of Justice — Microsoft.

The City of Philadelphia was named a Showcase City last week as a part of Microsoft Corporation CityNext, a global initiative to empower cities, businesses and citizens to re-imagine their futures and cultivate vibrant communities. As a Showcase City, Philadelphia will receive at least three years of priority attention and support from Microsoft, including the Microsoft Partner Network of more than 430,000 technology experts, to help the City accelerate its ability to adopt innovative technologies.

“In today’s world, technology is developing faster and faster and with broader purposes. This partnership with Microsoft will better enable us to access the latest technology solutions and resources to leverage innovative practices to meet our Administration goals,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “I want to thank Adel Ebeid, our Chief Innovation Officer, for his dedicated leadership that made this opportunity possible. I also want to thank Microsoft for seeing Philadelphia’s innovative spirit and selecting us as a Showcase City.”

Initial brainstorming sessions between City officials and Microsoft Corp. Senior Executives have focused potential support areas, including:

* Assisting the City to establish a ‘municipal innovation lab’;
* Proofing the City’s concept for the creation of an office-of-the-future to streamline service delivery and improve workforce productivity;
* Providing technical support for hack-a-thons and developer camps;
* Awarding a software grant to a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education non-profit; and
* Creating a technical program to support minority students.

The City of Philadelphia was one of thirteen cities selected by the CityNext initiative and the only North American city.

bookmark_borderProtestors Arrested At Liberty Bell

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Protestors marched from Love Park to Independence Mall to bring attention to legalization of victimless crimes. Wildlife Fish and Game, The Philadelphia Police, Homeland Security, ICE, National Parks Police, SEPTA and the FBI made multiple arrests.

 

bookmark_borderSchool District Layoffs

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Mayor Michael A. Nutter issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the Philadelphia School District to lay off 3,783 teachers and support staff:

For months, the School District has been open and honest about the impact that its $304 million budget shortfall would have on District students and employees and the quality of education that it would be able to provide.  Today is the reality of that disastrous, bare-bones budget.

The layoffs of the 3,783 teachers and school support staff is devastating not only to those individuals who will lose their jobs but to the thousands of students and parents and the school communities that will suffer because of these regrettable personnel reductions and other budgetary cuts

This has been an exceptionally difficult process for Dr. Hite, the School District leadership and the School Reform Commission.  No one wants to close schools, lay off teachers or staff but the current leadership is determined to make the District’s fiscal health, immediate and long-term, a top priority.

To help the children of this City, there has to be a real commitment from the Commonwealth, City and the unions to find critical funding for Philadelphia public education.  I have proposed a revenue package that would provide the District with $95 million in vital funding.  Now, we need action in Harrisburg and City Council to pass that legislation.  We need Harrisburg to do its share and support the School District.  And, we need the education unions to accept critical economic and work rule changes.