Clout: Brady's plan causing headaches for Philly officials

CLOUT HAS NO IDEA if U.S. Rep. Bob Brady can accomplish his goal of a city-owned casino.

But we like the odds of Brady's idea causing political consternation among elected officials.

Consider the fix Mayor Nutter and City Council President Darrell Clarke are in. They are not eager for the city to compete for the casino license. But they also don't want to upset Brady, the city's Democratic Party chairman, who wants the city to make a bid for Philadelphia's second casino to be at the city-owned site of the former Food Distribution Center at Packer Avenue and 3rd Street.

So Nutter refuses to take a position on the project, but says Brady's idea violates the state constitution.

Clarke says Council doesn't have the authority to decide the issue, punting the question to the state Gaming Control Board.

At least one likely candidate for mayor in 2015, state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, is on board with Brady's concept.

Williams on Tuesday sent the Gaming Control Board a memo in support of it. Williams plays the race card, noting that the 2004 state gaming law instructs the board to "work to enhance the representation of diverse groups in the ownership."

A casino license in Pittsburgh, originally controlled by an African-American developer, was transferred to a white developer amid financial problems.

A group of minority investors in Philadelphia saw its application for a license denied by the gaming board in 2006.

Williams, in his memo, cites the 2010 census putting the minority population of Philadelphia at 63.5 percent - 44.3 percent black, 12.6 percent Latino and 6.6 percent Asian.

The responses from other likely 2015 mayoral candidates ranged from strong support to plain silence.

Councilman Jim Kenney backs Brady's idea, praising the new concept of the city partnering with Penn National Gaming Inc. for a casino on a city-owned site in South Philly.

"We don't have to manage it," Kenney said. "We don't have to build it. We have to provide land, which we have. And we get two-thirds of the profits. What's wrong with that calculation?"

Controller Alan Butkovitz says he is "intrigued" by it but, as a former state legislator, predicts an "uphill battle" in Harrisburg.

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown promises an open mind but makes no commitment on Brady's proposoal.

Councilman Bill Green, not usually the quiet type, did not respond to requests for comment.

We love the hectic hour before City Council meetings on Thursdays, when City Hall's fourth floor fills with lobbyists and consultants pushing ideas. So many potential stories in one place!

A new consultant with a familiar face made the rounds Thursday. Former Councilman Rick Mariano was passing out azure- blue and golden-yellow business cards. Nice touch, using the city's official colors.

Mariano spent 10 years on Council and then five in federal prison for corruption charges. He went back to being a union electrician after his release and tried his hand at stand-up comedy.

Mariano said he was looking to "see who is still friendly" in City Hall. His pitch: He can help people avoid the mistakes he made.

"There's no gray area," he said. "People say there's a gray area. It's either right or it's wrong."

Tom Smith, the former coal-company owner from Armstrong County, spent at least $6.78 of his own money for each of the votes he got on Nov. 6 in his losing bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr.

Smith put $16.5 million of his own money into the race and raised $3.8 million from donors, according to Federal Election Commission records that are current up to Oct. 17. We'll know when annual campaign-finance reports are filed on Jan. 31 if Smith spent more of his fortune.

Smith spent at least $17.4 million of the cash he raised, putting his overall cost per vote at $7.18.

Casey raised $9 million and spent $8.7 million as of Oct. 17, putting his price per vote at $2.99.

If the price stings for Smith, maybe this will help: The Hartford Courant last week determined that Republican Linda McMahon dumped $83.40 per vote - serious cash - into her pair of unsuccessful runs for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012.

"Youse the boss"

- The title Brett Mandel, a candidate for city controller in the 2013 Democratic primary election, tweeted to us when we noted the reality TV pilot being filmed about U.S. Rep. Bob Brady lacked a working title.

E-mail: brennac@phillynews.com

Phone: 215-854-5973

" @ChrisBrennanDN

Blog: philly.com/phillyclout