The call for the elimination of the city's four row offices got a little louder today with the release a new report by the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.
The authority, which oversees Philadelphia's finances, said the city could save as much as $15 million a year by scrapping the offices, and stated that as the goal given that their joint functions are "primarily administrative in nature." The offices include the sheriff, register of wills, clerk of quarter sessions and the city commissioners.
In addition, the authority argued that their continued existence goes against the spirit of open government: “The independent status of the row offices adds a layer of bureaucratic expense, diminishes the mayor’s ability to properly budget and oversee their administrative functions, allows circumvention of city hiring rules, and creates the potential for patronage and political favoritism,” the report said.
The nonprofit and nonpartisan Committee of Seventy has also argued in favor of abolishing the four offices and the positions of the six elected officials who run them.
To read the PICA report, titled "A History We Can No Longer Afford: Consolidating Philadelphia's Row Offices," go to http://www.picapa.org/.
Click here for Philly.com's politics page.
Yeah, that'll happen.— dolce- Grab the row offices, the airport, the schools, PPA, BRT, etc. Nibble a little at at time. = Apx 6B in budget and contracts. Remove elected officials (Founding Fathers rolling in their graves) in a city located in the USA. It's the chic thing to do - placing too much power in mayoral hands. Power grab.— joseph shay stivala
Comment removed.- These are just patronage job posts,right? Dems will never get rid of them.— pj katauskas
- That wasn't any "STUDY". PICA merely compared counties election budget divided by the number of registered voters without even any cursory review of operartions, demographics or anything. Let's look at the size of average voting districts in the counties and compliance with State law. State law currently mandates that voting districts, or Divisions, be no more than 1200 registered voters. Philadelphia has had no more than 15 - 35 Divisions which have exceded that limit at various times druing the past 15 - 20 years. Previous state law provided for 600 - 800 registered voters per Division. A 1988 court decision in Philadelphia provided a range of 550 - 900 voters per district. A few years ago those counties experiencing population growth requested that the State law be changed so that upper limit be raised from 800 to 1200 so they would not have to spend money to buy the additional needed voting machines, rent facilities or pay the additional 5 - 6 poll officials per district. Even with the increased numbers, many of the counties mentioned in this "study" have only 40 - 75 percent compliance with the new law - Philly 98%. While Philadelphia did not object to this change, the City Commissioners recognized that voting district size is a critical factor in promoting voter participation. The smaller the district, then the closer the polling place is to the voter - yes distance impacts turnout. The lower number of registered voters per district means shorter lines at poll during peak elections and voting times - yes lines impact voter participation. It's simple voting 101. Unlike those election officials in other counties the City Commissioners did not want to sacrifice voter particiption by changing district size so that polling places were further away from homes and that a 50 - 100% increase in the number of voters assigned would result in longer lines, and more disenfranchisement of voters. Some Study - didn't do any work whatsoever in determining cost factors— ElecFact
- Pa. Politics and Policy blogs
- Young Philly Politics
- Politics PA
- Keystone Politics
- Philly Blogs:
- Philadelphians for Ethical Leadership
- Metropolis
- Citizen Mom
- Plan Philly
- Changing Skyline
- Citizen Hunter
- American Debate
- The Illadelphia
- Phillyist
- Trash Me
- The clog
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Philly Skyline
- Phawker
- Philebrity
- Philly Blog
- Philly Future
- Addytood
- Philly Confidential
- Great Expectations
- Philly News
- Legal Intelligencer
- Philadelphia Business Journal
- Philadelphia Weekly
- City Paper
- Sunday Sun
- Public Record
- Inquirer
- Daily News
- Tribune
- Evening bulletin
- Metro
- Philly Politics and Policy Blogs
- Fight for Room 215
- A smoke Filled Room
- Hallwatch
- The Next Mayor
- Watchdogs & Movements
- Philly for Change
- PICA
- Casino Free Philadelphia
- The Field Negro
- PA Clean Sweep
- Neighborhood Networks
- Philadelphia Forward
- February
- January
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- Heard in the Hall columns from the Inquirer
- News | Sports | Business | What's Happening | Restaurants & Food | Entertainment | Living | Marketplace | Jobs
