Regional Affairs Council – November 2011

Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio 1060

Part 1: The Balkanization of Philadelphia

Think of the most important areas of public life: housing, transportation, education, tourism, budgeting. In Philadelphia, there is no direct, exclusive local control of any of these.

2011/11/04

(A wall decoration at the headquarters of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Photo by Pat Loeb)

Part 2: ‘The Land of Oz’

Why would a state senator from western Pennsylvania care about parking spaces in Philadelphia? He probably doesn’t, yet he has more say over who runs the Philadelphia Parking Authority than our mayor does.

2011/11/04

(Former Philadelphia schools superintendent Arlene Ackerman, before she was let go earlier this year. Credit: Mike DeNardo)

Part 3: Turmoil In The Schools

It’s been ten years since the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took control of the Philadelphia school system, but even those who initially supported the state takeover acknowledge a seemingly neverending torrent of problems.

2011/11/04

(Taxicabs at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Credit: Mike DeNardo)

Part 4: The Other Side of the Coin

“I don’t think anybody else wanted the task of regulating the taxi industry,” says the owner of a Philadelphia cab company who thinks the Parking Authority is doing a pretty good job of it.

2011/11/04

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