Letters to the Editor

I read with some distress Inga Saffron's "Developers in the city" (Inquirer, Feb. 22), supporting a proposal to build a 15-story hotel and condo at the NewMarket site in Society Hill. When I was a board director of the civic association in the early 1970s, such a proposal would have been inconceivable.

We were keenly aware of the original vision for Society Hill - a community of neighbors living in a low-rise enclave of historic row homes. We well understood that Society Hill didn't just happen; it was the product of the planning genius of Ed Bacon and others who created Society Hill through the selective demolition of Victorian housing stock and commercial buildings, and the rigorous preservation of the 18th-century and early 19th-century houses that have given Society Hill its distinctive character.

Empty lots were to be filled by new houses that would fit in. We never worried about height limitations, because the zoning code was in place to prevent any development that would be too tall. And it has worked pretty well to do just that.

I believe those height limitations should be respected. We have a duty to be good stewards of our community, to defend the principles that planned it and the laws designed to protect it.

Harry K. Schwartz

Philadelphia

Regarding the editorial "Council's barriers to progress" (Inquirer, Feb. 25), let us be clear - we came to City Council to legislate. While we support Mayor Nutter and will help him succeed, we would be doing our constituents a disservice by acting as rubber stamps for the executive branch.

We generally support the inspector general bill, increasing flexibility to allow the appointment of additional deputies, and relaxing the civil service rules regarding the hiring of nonresidents. However, it is not unreasonable for Council to ask questions, get answers and amend legislation as needed.

For example, with regard to the inspector general bill, Council must consider ways to ensure the appointee's independence and more clearly define his or her role.

As for hiring non-Philadelphians, Councilman Wilson Goode and others raised legitimate questions that went unanswered during the hearing. At a time when we are asking private industry to hire Philadelphians, does Council want to send the message that qualified individuals cannot be found here? Additional questions and concerns, such as providing adequate safeguards while ensuring departmental flexibility, were raised regarding the proposal to increase the number of deputies exempt from civil service rules.

Asking the administration for the information needed to make an informed decision and proposing solutions is our job as legislators. We are delivering on our promise to provide a pro-active, data-centric approach to governance.

Maria Quiñones-Sánchez
Curtis Jones Jr.
Bill Green

City Council members

Philadelphia

The editorial "Finally, students win" (Inquirer, Feb. 11) repeated Chester Upland School District's misstatement that "charter schools are draining . . . resources, about $6,800 for every regular student."

The district actually profits from charter schools. Chester Upland spends more than $12,000 per student, but transfers only $6,800 to charter schools per charter school student. Furthermore, districts are eligible for up to a 30 percent state refund on per-pupil charter school expenditures. Overall, then, the district has more money to educate fewer students in its own schools.

Second, the editorial incorrectly implies Chester's charter schools failed to cooperate with the district concerning student enrollment and have "largely resisted district oversight." Charter schools are public schools with the same state oversight protection that audits and oversees all public schools. Charter school law provides for the establishment of charter schools that operate independently from school districts to increase learning and school choice opportunities. Nonetheless, Chester Upland has established illegal enrollment limits and other retaliatory action.

Hopefully, with another court vindicating the rights of Chester's charter school families, the district will stop working against charter schools.

Timothy Daniels

Executive director

Pennsylvania Coalition

of Charter Schools

West Chester