Miller's challengers agree one will quit race

Opponents of Democratic Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller of the Eighth District have long had a problem: There have been too many of them on the ballot.

Enter this year's independent challengers, who don't want to see the opposition vote again split - and give Miller another term in office.

The challengers, the Rev. Jesse W. Brown Jr. and Jim Foster, signed an agreement Friday that whoever gets at least two of three newspaper endorsements will run against Miller, and the other will wave the white flag.

Brown is already ahead of the game, with The Inquirer's support. The deciding factors will be the decisions of the Daily News and the Philadelphia City Paper.

Miller will still face Green Party candidate Brian Rudnick. But as for the independents, Foster said the candidate who bows out will tell supporters to help elect the other independent candidate: "We have decided it would be better to have one of us go against the Miller machine," he said. - Marcia Gelbart

State Rep. Michael McGeehan's righteous indignation fairly leapt off the memo he distributed to other House members last week regarding patronage at the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

"The Philadelphia Parking Authority has become a bloated political-patronage machine where employees feel compelled to contribute time and money to candidates to keep their jobs," wrote the Philadelphia Democrat.

We can only assume McGeehan's thoughts on patronage have evolved since 1995, when he proclaimed during a legislative hearing on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission: "I think patronage is a great institution, and civil service will come to the turnpike over my dead body."

And that was not all. Party committee persons, McGeehan said "deserve as much right, and more in my opinion, to receive a job on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, more than a person who scores a 95" on a civil-service test.

So which is it, Rep. McGeehan? - Patrick Kerkstra

Councilwoman Carol Ann Campbell has been a legislative whirlwind when it comes to children, the elderly and the handicapped. She's banned dogs from tot lots, pursued mandatory programs for autistic children, and challenged the way SEPTA and the public school system accommodate the disabled. She's already had three hours worth of hearings on disabled issues and will go another few this afternoon.

In November, voters will have a chance to approve or reject two Campbell-sponsored initiatives - one to create an Office of the Handicapped and Disabled Advocate; the other to create an Office of Public School Family and Child Advocate.

Campbell introduced these bills before the May primary, which she lost. In the event the ballot initiatives are successful, some now ask: Would Campbell accept one of the $100,000-a-year positions if offered to her as a Philly-style golden parachute?

"I would doubt it," said Campbell, who said she planned to devote her time after Jan. 7 to establishing a job-training center named after her father, the late Edgar C. Campbell Sr., one of the city's pioneering black politicians.

Observers don't expect that presumed mayoral winner Michael Nutter would appoint her for a number of reasons. "I think Michael's going to be very careful about those things," Councilman Frank DiCicco said. "And that's the sad part - because she's very qualified for the job." - Jeff Shields