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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Don't undo reform

In 1951, Philadelphia residents frustrated by the entrenched culture of corruption in the Republican Party machine voted to ban city employees from engaging in political activity.

Now, City Council wants to overturn the ban. Council is pushing a ballot measure that asks voters to change the City Charter.
 

Mayor Nutter is right to call the measure a “regression.”
 

At best, the language in the proposed charter change is open-ended and confusing. It would authorize Council to, “from time to time, ordain standards of conduct with respect to the political activities of city officers and employees.”
 

Don’t be fooled by arguments invoking recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, political buttons, or lawn signs. This measure is aimed at ensuring that ward leaders and committeemen can hold down political patronage jobs in the city.
 

Coincidentally, there are a few dozen ward leaders and committee workers parked over at the Board of Revision of Taxes. They have been able to dodge the ban because they are paid by the school district. But the current dismantling of the BRT will force them to either quit their paid jobs or give up their political posts — unless the ban is overturned.


The ban on political activity was designed to keep politics out of the delivery of city services. It was a smart move in 1951, and remains so today.
Posted by Inquirer editorial board @ 2:00 AM  Permalink | Post a comment
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