Councilwoman Tasco Mum On The Politics Of DROP
Two years ago this month, City Council Majority Leader Marian Tasco made a speech during Council's weekly Thursday session, complaining about a front-page Daily News story about the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan. Tasco is one of six Council members enrolled in DROP. She and Frank Rizzo are running for re-election this year amid voter fury over the costly program.
Councilwoman Tasco Mum On The Politics Of DROP
Chris Brennan & Catherine Lucey
Two years ago this month, City Council Majority Leader Marian Tasco made a speech during Council's weekly Thursday session, complaining about a front-page Daily News story about the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Plan. Tasco is one of six Council members enrolled in DROP. She and Frank Rizzo are running for re-election this year amid voter fury over the costly program.
We tried to check back in with Tasco on the subject this morning, since she's being sued by people who say participating in DROP disqualifies her from the May 17 primary election ballot. But Tasco was in no mood for speeches today. She brushed right past us when we asked about DROP and said "I'm not talking about it."
This is not the first time we've noticed a new caution in Tasco's approach to DROP. We asked her about it last week and she said "Whatever" and then described it as a "minor issue" that only matters to a few voters. A few hours later, Tasco had a staffer call to ask if we were recording that brief interview.
After the jump, you can read Tasco's full-throated defense of DROP, as reported in the Daily News on March 27, 2009.
Verna, Tasco defend their DROPs
Daily News story sparks outcry in City Council
By CHRIS BRENNAN
brennac@phillynews.com
CITY COUNCIL Majority Leader Marian Tasco would like the media to DROP the subject of the controversial Deferred Retirement Option Program.
Tasco, in a speech yesterday at the end of Council's weekly session, complained about a front-page story in the Daily News on what she derisively called the "infamous DROP program. "
Tasco is one of six Council members enrolled in the program who will collect six-figure pension payouts at the end of their terms. Together, it adds up to $2.1 million.
The Committee of Seventy yesterday called on the Nutter administration to reverse an opinion from former Mayor John Street's city solicitor that elected officials can run for re-election, retire for one day, collect the pension payment and return to work.
Nutter has submitted legislation to exclude future elected officials from the program, while giving a pass to officials already enrolled.
Tasco, who had refused Wednesday to comment for the story she was complaining about yesterday, said that her colleagues were being portrayed as "taking suitcases of money out of the city" while the five-year financial plan has a $1.4 billion deficit.
She will collect a one-time $467,566 payment from DROP, on top of her annual pension.
"It seems we are being maligned because we are accepting the money that we have contributed in the DROP program for four years," Tasco railed. "None of that money comes from the general fund. The DROP money can't pay for recreation centers. The DROP fund can't keep libraries open. "
Five of the six Council members in DROP - Tasco, Anna Verna, Frank DiCicco, Donna Reed Miller and Jack Kelly - were coy this week when the Daily News asked if they would use the DROP loophole to run for another term and collect their payment.
The sixth, Councilman Frank Rizzo, said that he planned to collect his payment and run again.
That's what Councilwoman Joan Krajewski did in 2007, winning an eighth term, retiring for one day and collecting $288,136.
Verna, the Council president, backed Tasco's complaints and asked why her colleagues should be shut out of a program available to other city employees.
"I think I'm entitled to it," said Verna, who will collect $571,679 from DROP.
As for the loophole, Verna said that voters can close that themselves.
"If her constituents were so angry about it, they would have not voted her into office again," Verna said of Krajewski.
The Committee of Seventy, in a letter to City Solicitor Shelley Smith, asked her to revise the legal opinion submitted by former solicitor Romulo Diaz in June 2006 that said that it was legal for Council members to do as Krajewski did.
But Nutter didn't seem to favor overturning Diaz's opinion.
"That's a legal opinion," Nutter said. "That's an analysis of the law. It's not like somebody's opinion just walking down the street. "
Nutter said that Smith would review the matter.
"I don't tell the solicitor what opinion to have," Nutter added.
Zack Stalberg, who heads the Committee of Seventy, a political-watchdog group, was glad to hear that Smith would review the issue.
The loophole, he said, "is really at the heart of this controversy," and opinions vary from one mayor's staff to the next.
"We're not talking about the U.S. Supreme Court here," Stalberg said.
"We're talking about the Law Department's opinion. That does shift from administration to administration." *
Can the people vote out ALL these old council peoople that been in office forever. We need new young blodd that can drive the city to growth an prosperity. We have the same people giving us the same results. IT is time for changes.— knmcmahon
Comment removed.- Tasco and Rizzo are need to go! We also need to get rid of those Council HYPOCRITES (like Bill Green and Maria Quinones-Sanchez) who are supporting Tasco.— ih8liars
- Comment removed.
- Yes Marion my Dear it is time to Go. You are like an Old baseball picture who can't throw a fastball or a curve any more. There is no time to learn a new pitch. You and Francis have become a symbol of all that is wrong with our great City.it is not too late to leave with GRACE. My the Wind always be at your back.— seamusryan
- sorry that is pitcher— seamusryan
- The impression that this is 'only a minor issue that matters to a few voters' is so unfortunate, but so reinforced by the irresponsible voters of this City who keep reelecting these self-entitled leeches.— citylumberjack
- I GOTTA KNOW..... WHY IS IT THAT WE AND THE PRESS ONLY TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE ON CITY COUNCIL THAT ARE ON THE DROP.... WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TWO CRUMBS TARTAGLIONE AND THE BIGGEST CRUMB OF THEM ALL RONALD DONATUCCI...... THESE TWO ARE PULLING IN BIG BUCKS.... DON'T VOTE FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE HOGS IN THIS UPCOMMING PRIMARY.— ThePaPatriot
- I've got to know, why do you take such a low brow approach to a political debate? The name calling and anger in your post don't even justify a reaction, but I'm going to give you one anyway. Donatucci's office has consistently earned high marks in both service and fiscal responsibility. As a taxpayer, I wish he could run other offices as well. If you disagree with my thoughts, feel free to rebut with statistics and facts. And, please, show a little more maturity than your previous post. — PhillyPatriot
- Drop, Shmop. Tasco is the least of our problems. Let's get rid of Blackwell, Rizzo & Goode. Then go after that witch Tartaglione, then Brady. These are the people who are lining their pockets and their family's pockets with taxpayer money. Now that the Streets are gone get rid of the other 5 families.— mtairy1
- You may regard Tasco as the least of our problems. But she is very much a part of the major problem - The Entire City Counsel. They all need to vacate City Hall and open the windows on their way out to get rid of the stench they'll be leaving behind.
Is there any way to explain signing up for DROP and then having the nerve to pretend the implied commitment doesn't exist the next day other than unmitigated gall? - Comment removed.
All posters have commented that it's time to clean house in City Council. The easy way to do that is to come out in support of the largely ignored republican candidates this year. Has anyone considered thinking outside the box and pulling the lever for a new (not Rizzo) republican candidate in the upcoming general election? That is the easiest way to assure that the new councilman is not like their predecessor
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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