Yep, it's Election Day, but the big news is that, after holding off all weekend, SEPTA workers went on strike last night.

Will PediCabs soon be legal in Philadelphia?

The big nail-biter today is who will win the NJ governor's race.

More on the PICA report on the cost savings of eliminating four elected offices.

Democratic City Controller Alan Butkovitz – who has served one term as the elected fiscal watchdog for the city – is today batting off a challenge from Republican Al Schmidt.

Schmidt, 38, who worked at the Government Accountability Office in Washington, served at Republican City Committee from 2007 until earlier this year. He has accused Butkovitz of being too cozy with the city’s Democratic establishment, saying that a minority party is better suited to hold city leaders accountable.

Butkovitz, 57, a former state legislator, says he has bucked the party leadership. He also says he’s increased the office’s audits of city services.

Here’s a recent Daily News story about a debate between Butkoviz and Schmidt.

It’s Election Day everyone!

Turnout is expected to be very light today, with no big-ticket races on the ballot. But two key local offices will be decided today – City Controller and District Attorney.  There’s also a contested statewide race, for the state Supreme Court.

Here are the Daily News endorsements for District Attorney and Controller.

Polls are open from 7 a.m to 8 p.m. today. If you have any trouble at the polls, the Committee of Seventy is manning a hotline for complaints. Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

Results should be available tonight on the city’s public site -- http://www.phillyelectionresults.com or right here at PhillyClout.

And if you notice anything newsworthy, email us here at PhillyClout -- luceyc@phillynews.com or brennac@phillynews.com. We'll be updating throughout the day on general election mayhem -- or lack therof.

Does Philadelphia have too many independently elected officials?

A report released today by the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority -- a state agency that oversees the city budget -- recommends shedding four of the city's "row offices" for an estimated annual savings of $13 to $15 million. Those offices are the sheriff, register of wills, clerk of quarter sessions and the city commissioners.

The PICA report argues that there is no clear benefit to having elected officials overseeing those government functions and says the structure just creates more bureaucratic expenses. PICA says that the services provided by those offices could be absorbed by other offices or the city court system.

"The functions of government should be organized on the basis of efficiency and effectiveness, not on the basis of an inherited centuries-old structure," the report reads.

In 2005, voters in Allegheny County — which includes Pittsburgh — approved a plan to get rid of the clerk of courts, coroner, jury commissioners, prothonotary, recorder of deeds and register of wills. The offices were consolidated and elected officials replaced with three appointed posts, for a savings of over $1 million and reduced political influence in city government.

To read the full PICA report, click here.

We just got this from Seth Williams, Democratic candidate for District Attorney:

U.S Senator Bob Casey Will Join Democratic Nominee for District Attorney Seth Williams at Reading Terminal Market to Meet Voters

Who: U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D), Democratic Nominee for District Attorney Seth Williams

When: November 2, 2009
1:30pm

Where: Reading Terminal Market at 13th and Arch entrance

Philadelphia---With less than 24 hours before the election U.S. Senator Bob Casey is taking time out of his busy schedule to join Seth Williams, the Democratic Nominee for District Attorney, at Reading Terminal Market. The Senator says he wants to do everything possible to help Mr. Williams win tomorrow’s election. Senator Casey and Seth will spend an hour at the market meeting voters and listening to their concerns. The senator says he is joining Mr. Williams because he fully supports and endorses the innovative and proactive plans that Seth has for the District Attorney’s office.

It was a tough weekend for the Phillies. They must win tonight to stay in the World Series.

The Republican candidates in the District Attorney and City Controller races aren't acting like losers.

Mayor Nutter, Governor Rendell and U.S. Rep. Bob Brady get involved in SEPTA contract talks.

The income requirement to qualify for LIHEAP assistance with heating bills is lower this year.

Three killed in weekend violence.

It looks like Mayor Nutter won’t get his way on a pension measure he hoped would help him in contract negotiations with city unions.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the city to enter a state recovery program that would require the administration to set up a lower cost pension plan for new hires.

But to enter the program, City Council must pass a resolution pledging to create a lower cost pension plan for new city hires. Council has balked at the request from the mayor to do so and no member would even introduce a resolution.

Some members felt the administration tried to strong-arm them into passing the bill with misleading information. Last week, the administration sent around a memo which said the city could face legal action from the state Public Employee Retirement Commission if the resolution wasn’t passed.

But the administration later retreated on that position. City Solicitor Shelley Smith sent testimony to Council this week, which said that the original analysis of the situation was “overly aggressive.” A new version of the memo said that legal action was unlikely if Council didn’t act.

Nutter has said that he needs to reign in benefit costs for city workers, citing the woefully underfunded pension plan as a key liability for the city.
 

Gov. Rendell just urged the Transport Workers Union, Local 234, to drop the threat of a strike this weekend if it is still making progress with SEPTA in negotiations for a new contract.  Rendell said a strike while national attention is focused on the World Series games being played here by the Phillies and Yankees would be "a little bit of black eye" for the city but produce no real gains for the union since the series shifts back to New York City -- if necessary -- next week.

"This is a great opportunity for the city to shine in these next three days," Rendell said of the series, with games scheduled at Citizens Bank Park tomorrow, Sunday and Monday.  "It's not like the union can get leverage by doing this because the leverage goes away in three days. By the time the weekend is over, the leverage is gone. All they do is give the city a little bit of a black eye."

Rendell said he has not been asked to intervene in the contract dispute but would be happy to do so if asked.  Here's a run-down of what SEPTA services would be impacted by a TWU Local 234 strike.

Here's the press release:

Friday, October 30, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA DECLARES PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

Enables steps to be taken to alleviate burden on emergency rooms caused by H1N1

Philadelphia, October 30 – Today the City of Philadelphia issued an official declaration of a public health emergency, an administrative action which will enable hospitals to take steps to alleviate the burden on emergency rooms caused by an increase in the number of patients requiring care. The declaration was issued by Mayor Michael A. Nutter, acting upon the recommendation of Health Commissioner Dr. Donald Schwarz, working in close conjunction with the city’s hospitals that have experienced substantial increases in the number of patient visits in light of the H1N1 Influenza pandemic.

Dr. Schwarz delivered the following message to Philadelphians: “I cannot stress this enough – if you have mild flu symptoms please do not go to the emergency room. Emergency rooms are for the very sick. If medical staff and hospital staff have to deal with non-emergency cases, this diverts resources away from where they are desperately needed.”

»  More City Declares Health Emergency Over H1N1