Untermeyer.

"She wants to be helpful," Brady said. "We're going to have a good meeting."

DiCicco to face challenge?

Councilman Frank DiCicco says he intends to seek another four-year term, but his enrollment in the city's lucrative Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) means "the seat is up for grabs," according to one potential competitor.

Democratic ward leader Matt Myers says he'll reach a decision by Labor Day about running in 2011 to lead the 1st Councilmanic District. "I'm seriously looking at it," Myers said.

Myers, 52, is the brother of former U.S. Rep. Michael "Ozzie" Myers - who went down in the Abscam scandal in 1980 - and chief of the inheritance-tax division in the Register of Wills Office.

He has been allied recently with John Dougherty, leader of Electricians Local 98, but says he has been encouraged to run by many other unions and numerous political associates.

DiCicco's enrollment in DROP will allow him to collect $392,194 when his Council term ends in 2011. Theoretically, he could run again, retire for a day, collect the money and start another four-year term. Myers says voters won't stand for it.

"Frankie's a friend of mine," Myers says, "but on DROP, reality hasn't sunk in yet."

DiCicco said that if re-elected, he would either forgo his DROP payment or donate his salary back to the city for four years, to avoid the appearance of double-dipping.

"If I'm going to work, I'll work for my pay and nothing more," he said.

No free ride for Specter?

According to a poll released this week by Susquehanna Research and Polling, 63 percent of registered voters believe that newly Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter should face a primary challenge next year.

That's good news for U.S. Rep Joe Sestak, who intends to take on Specter in the primary. And good news for PhillyClout since we prefer competitive races.

Quotable

"I think they're delightful in

office. They're great legislators. I never did, never will discourage them."

- U.S. Rep. Bob Brady on the number of women in elected office locally. *

Staff writer Bob Warner contributed to this report.

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