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City Council President Anna Verna, whose Second Councilmanic District overlaps with Vince Fumo's First Senatorial District in South and Southwest Philadelphia, said the city's doesn't realize what it's missing without Fumo in Harrisburg to fight for city funding.
"Let me tell you, I think we’re going to miss him something terrible in Harrisburg," said Verna, who most recently worked closely with Fumo to find a home for a new state-built produce terminal in the Southwest.
Verna, who came to know Fumo after her election to City Council in 1975, said Fumo's particular talent for bringing home city funding -- from a state legislature with little sympathy for Philadelphia -- would have come in handy during a budget crisis.
"The average person may not know or realize that," she said. "He would have been up there fighting for every penny.... It’s a shame that he’s not there now – we could sure use a Vince Fumo now."
Verna lamented the fact that the discussion on Fumo today centers on what he had done wrong, as opposed to what he did right for the city.
"I will say the Senator served much of the same constituents I do, and that he was very effective," said Verna, adding that she felt "very badly' for both Fumo and Ruth Arnao. "At a time like this, it’s sad that people don’t talk about the good that he’s done – they’re just talking about what the people on the jury found him guilty of."
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Uh, because he was convicted of theft? We yank a license from a doc for the patient that got killed from malfeasance, not from all the ones he saved. Ms. Verna needs a little refresher -- theft of public services is theft. Conspiracy to commit theft of public services doesn't get excused by any amount of good you do, because it's still theft. It doesn't matter if you volunteer to serve pancakes to the homeless if you are out mugging little old ladies later on that night. Too bad if you miss the pancakes. Everyone acts like there are no good pols possible who could do the good and not the bad, but there are, if only the self-esteem of Philly locals grows enough. Just say no to corruption. New day, new way.— CleanupPhilly- In a lot of ways you could argue that Fumo let Philly stay corrupt and contented because he funneled so much money this way, no strings. Now it's time for Philly to justify what it needs, collect what it is owed (like overdue property taxes) and fix the local government so that it works for everyone without needing one district to get special treatment from Fumo's pet charity/mini-government service provider.— CleanupPhilly
- Comments like Ann Verna's illustrate perfectly what has plagued the City for the past generation. I live in Fumo's former district, and am very glad he is gone. Enough about "the good that he's done". What about the number of businesses who stayed away because they saw no reason to kiss his ring? The opportunities missed because they didn't fit with Fumo's 'vision'? His conviction marks a big step towards bringing Philadelphia into the 21st century. Anna Verna's retirement will mark another.— Augs
- Verna won't look so good without Fumo to pitch easy ones her way. She'll have to shake and bake. She relied on Harrisburg pork for her re-elections. Now she'll have to compete with the young talent who have a vision not solely based on the past. She'll have to see and sell the future to us. I honestly doubt Ms. Verna can comprehend a South Philly that is not just her idea of low income housing and Italians, stadiums, a port, and pay to play.— CleanupPhilly
- Verna is a moron. I really see very little that she gets accomplished. She should be removed as president of Council and replaced by Kenney.— lt75
Comment removed.- Is this ding-bat actually on city council?? GUILTY on 137 counts. Guess she got a lot of free cruises on Vinnie's borrowed yachts!— maude
Do we need anymore evidence (was Latrice Bryant's "work" not enough") that Council should be cut dramatically. Whould you rather cut the DA's budget or Council's?— Earl J- Anna Verna's statement is typical of the policicians who would sell their soul to the devil in exchange for a few gold coins. Surely, Philly needs the money, but not wrapped in a shiny wrapper of corruption. BTW, didn't she already take advantage of that "retirement bonus"?— DonQ
- Comment removed.
- Funny how just a few felony convictions can completely change how somebody is perceived by the public, isn't it Ms. Verna? Well, OK, maybe not a *few*.— MaggieL
- Its good to know that Council President Anna Verna, the one of 17-No-nothings of City Hall is retiring and will not run again. Like the other 16-council members, all are clue-less on how to be "leaders". In Harrisburg you have the Former Mayor Of Philadelphia, If he cannot bring the city home the bacon, then, their is a major problem, isn't there Ms. Verna. City Council has sat on their hands and have allowed the city to fall into a 1-billion+ deficit and now they continue to sit and allow the city to fall deeper into debt protecting thousands of patronage jobs,continuing to operate the city as though it lives in the dark ages and now the Mayor of this "International City" wants to raise property taxes, so there goes housing sales for sure and how many more homeowners will default on their properties. Everyone knows their is no such thing as temporary increases in taxes. In Philadelphia City Council "when the going gets tough,The city council buries their entire bodies in the thick crevices of their ancient council chambers, they hide and refuse to innovate, instead the members of council vegetate." Philadelphia needs real leadership, it will never come from the Republic-cants, they are owned by Bob Brady and Company anyway. The Meehan machine is nothing but waste paper(Archie Bunker calls it "turlet paper politics"). The people of Philadelphia don't vote for leaders, they vote along "COLOR LINES", ETHNIC LINES, and that's a fact Jack. Philadelphia isn't an international city, it's lucky to be a step above Camden, NJ. A real leader will not raise taxes, he will make the job cuts, improve departmental operations, sell off the streets department, sell the airport, sell the waterworks, and their is room to eliminate 50% of the municipal non-essential services. The Mayor today and the Mayors past always use the Police and Fire "layoff words" to scare the people into submission. What about the business community? DA! DA! DA!— jotronicss
- What happened to the guy that district elected? Isn't he suppose to fight for every penny too?
My favorite line: "Verna, who came to know Fumo after her election to City Council in 1975" - 1975?!?!? Really?!?!? And she's still there?!?!? And people wonder why nothing changes here...- No surprise Verna would support Fumo. She's just as crooked as the rest. Verna is the typical knucklehead who will look the other way as long as she gets what she wants from all the Fumos of the world. This basically spells out why the city is so corrupt.— SayHello2MyLittleFriend
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