Posted on Mon, Nov. 9, 2009
The Board of Revision of Taxes appears to be taking its time to fix a little problem with the state Sunshine Act.
City Solicitor Shelley Smith, in an opinion made public last week, said that the six sitting BRT members had "clearly" violated the Sunshine Act by taking actions in private that should have been public.
Specifically, the board voted in a closed-door meeting last month to turn over its most important function - setting the values of city properties for taxing purposes - to the city Finance Department, and to install Finance Director Rob Dubow as its temporary executive director.
That action must be taken at a public meeting or would fall under a legal challenge, Smith said.
Councilman Bill Green, who requested the opinion from Smith, wrote a letter Monday to the BRT asking the board to make its actions legal by calling a public meeting and taking action there.
But as of Friday, neither Green nor the Nutter administration had heard from the board. Chairwoman Charlesretta Meade did not return calls last week. No board members showed up at City Council's long-anticipated hearing on Oct. 27, nettling a number of Council members.
"At this point, you've got a board that's willfully failing to comply with the law, failing to deal with the Council or respond to requests from Council or the press," Green said, "and I think it's reached the point where the Board of Judges needs to remove them."
Common Pleas Court Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe, president of the Board of Judges, could not be reached Friday afternoon. - Jeff Shields
Two city pols get together - behind bars
Going to prison for government corruption in Philadelphia has its small consolations. At least there's usually a friendly face around.
Chris Wright, former chief of staff to Councilman Jack Kelly and the late Councilman W. Thacher Longstreth, may be 170 miles from his loved ones in Philly, but he didn't have to wait long for company to arrive at the U.S. Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pa.
Two weeks ago, former City Councilman Rick Mariano arrived there after being transferred from the Federal Correctional Institution across the river in Fort Dix, N.J. Mariano is serving a 61/2-year sentence for bribery and is scheduled for release in 2012.
Wright, who began his four-year sentence after conviction last month on charges of honest-services fraud, is due out in March 2013. Wright and Mariano knew each other from Council, and even reportedly chatted on an occasion that must provide bittersweet memories for both - Election Day. - Jeff Shields
Council looking for a couple of consultants
City Council is looking for some help that it can't seem to find among its 200 employees.
Council approved a resolution last week authorizing up to $50,000 for a consultant to help analyze the city's pension predicament.
In addition, Council has authorized up to $100,000 for a public-relations consultant, even though it already has a communications director, Anthony Radwanski, who makes $96,000.
Council wants its new consultant to handle "issues management," "crisis communications," "media relations," and "community engagement," among other duties, according to the request for proposals. - Jeff Shields
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