University of Pennsylvania (Source: Wikipedia)

Is the University of Pennsylvania paying its fair share?

It’s a question worth asking and it’s at the heart of the upcoming Philadelphia Area Jobs with Justice (JWJ) community forum, taking place Sat. May 31 at Monumental Baptist Church (4948 Locust Street). The forum, which begins at 3 p.m., will discuss Penn’s contributions (and lack thereof) to Philadelphia, as well as a campaign for the university to make PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) contributions—voluntary payments made to the city by nonprofit hospitals and universities, which are tax-exempt entities, that benefit city schools and services.

According to the labor and social justice coalition, while the rest of Philadelphia is grappling with employment insecurity, slashes to the city budget, cutbacks in public services, and a long-standing education crisis, Penn continues to prosper on and around its 994-acre campus. The JWJ points out, the Ivy League’s total endowment is valued at $7.74 billion as of the 2013 fiscal year, and its president, Amy Gutmann, makes over $2 million a year as of 2011—over $600,000 more than 2010—ranking her as one of the highest-paid university presidents in the country. The university’s total budget for the 2014 fiscal year, though, is $6.6 billion, which consists of a $3.634 billion payroll budget including benefits.

And none of that money is earmarked for PILOT contributions—at least, not since 2000. In 1995, the city and Penn struck a five-year agreement during  which the university would voluntarily pay $1.93 million a year to the city as part of PILOT, but the program expired, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian. None of Philadelphia’s 2011 PILOT money came from Penn, Drexel University nor Temple University. Instead, reported Generocity, the biggest contributor was a 40-acre retirement community in Andorra called Cathedral Village that donated $272,250 of the $383,650 the city received in that year.

In response to Penn’s lack of PILOT contributions, Gutmann told DP in 2012: “We are very committed to having a big economic impact on the city. We’ve been cited as a model around this country of a university that has the most positive impact on its neighborhood and city.”

But JWJ clearly sees it differently.

“As you probably guessed, [‘Is U. Penn paying its fair share?’] is a bit of a leading question. [O]f course U. Penn isn’t paying its fair share,” the organization wrote on the event’s page. “It’s one of only two Ivies that refuse to make PILOT contributions … Well, we think it’s time to pay up.”

Registration is required for the forum. To register, click here. For more information, email director@phillyjwj.org.

–Annamarya Scaccia

All the votes are in for yesterday’s primary election and here are some local results.

In the democratic primary for the 188th District representation in Pennsylvania House, incumbent James Roebuck defeated local businessman and community organizer Algernong Allen. Roebuck garnered 69 percent of the votes (4,097) versus 31 percent (1,814) for Allen.

Spruce Hill based Republican attorney Matthew Wolfe lost his bid for a seat in the City Council to Democratic candidate Ed Neilson in the special election to replace Councilman-at-Large Bill Green, who resigned his seat to head the School Reform Commission.

The ballot question that asked voters if the city’s minimum wage of $10.88 for city contractors should apply to sub-contractors, mainly Philadelphia International Airport workers, received 93,000 “yes” votes, versus 30,000 “no” votes as of about 11 p.m. on Tuesday (97 percent of precincts reporting), according to the Office of the City Commissioners website.

Tomorrow’s election has some pretty serious implications for the state, city and maybe even your neighborhood. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

First thing’s first. Where do you vote? Here ‘s a handy tool that will help you find your polling place if it’s your first time voting at your present address. Speaking of first timers, when you get to that polling place they will ask for identification if it’s your first time voting there. This is NOT an implementation of the controversial Voter ID law we have heard so much about. This is standard operating procedure.

Not sure if you are registered? You can check here.

Here is a list of all of the races tomorrow. You can also download a sample ballot there.

The big statewide race, of course, is the election of the Democratic challenger to Governor Tom Corbett. The Committee of 70 has a great recap of the candidates’ views on a number of issues – from school funding to the legalization of marijuana – at Guv Race 101.

As well known, for most elections in Philadelphia, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 6 to 1, the primary is all that matters. Locally, a race to keep an eye on is the 188th Legislative District, which includes University City, Spruce Hill, Walnut Hill and Cedar Park and some of Kingsessing and Cobbs Creek. Longtime incumbent State Rep. James Roebuck faces a stiff challenge from local businessman and community organizer Algernong Allen.

West Philly-based journalist Patrick Kerkstra predicted this morning on Twitter that this will be one to watch.

My sleeper race 4 tomorrow is in 188th. Where well-liked incumbent Jim Roebuck faces challenge from entrepreneur/activist Algernong Allen.

— Patrick Kerkstra (@pkerkstra) May 19, 2014

Another West Philly resident on the ballot is Matt Wolfe, the Spruce Hill attorney and Republican who is running for the at-Large City Council seat left vacant when Councilman Bill Green agreed to head the School Reform Commission. He faces State Rep. Ed Neilson, a Democrat and heavy favorite, and marijuana legalization activist Nikki Allen Poe (Facebook page).

Also of note are a couple of ballot questions. One is on the so-called “resign to run” rule, which requires city officeholders to resign to run for another city office. For example, Mayor Michael Nutter was forced to resign his City Council seat to run for mayor.

Opponents of the rule, which became part of the City’s charter in 1951, say it has lead to a stagnant political landscape. The election watchdog group Committee of 70 is in favor of scrapping the rule. Voters struck down a similar referendum question in 2007.

Another question will ask voters whether the city’s minimum wage of $10.88 for city contractors should apply to sub-contractors. Supporters of the ballot measure have focused mainly on the Philadelphia International Airport, where some of the estimated 3,000 sub-contracted workers make as little as $7 an hour with no benefits. (Full disclosure: Supporters of this measure paid for an advertisement on West Philly Local in support of the measure.)

Ahead of Tuesday’s election, Nutter signed an executive order last week raising the minimum wage for sub-contractors.

So, despite it being an off election year, there is still plenty at stake. So get out to the polls and make it happen.

–Mike Lyons

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Rob McCord, Katie McGinty, Allyson Schwartz and Tom Wolf will be at Drexel University tonight to participate in the final debate before the primary election on May 20. The hour-long debate will take place at Drexel’s Mandell Theater (33rd and Chestnut), starting at 7 p.m.

The debate, moderated by news anchor and author Larry Kane, will be broadcast live by local TV stations and there will also be a webcast on the Drexel University website.

Matt Wolfe and his wife, Denise Furey (Photo from wolfe.org)

Editor’s Note: This is the third and final installment in a series of Q&A’s with local political candidates before the primary election on May 20. Wolfe is running in a special election for the City Council at Large seat, which every registered voter, no matter party affiliation, can vote in. For more information, visit: http://www.votespa.com.

J. Matthew Wolfe wants to change Philadelphia.

To Wolfe, a local lawyer with a practice near Clark Park, Philadelphia is a city with potential—one that can only shine brighter in the coming years. But, he says, that potential won’t be fully realized with the city’s current administration, which Wolfe claims has made Philly the “poorest big city in America.”

That’s why Wolfe is hoping to shake things up in this famously Democratic city. Running on the Republican ticket, Wolfe is vying for the City Council at Large seat vacated by Bill Green (who resigned to head the School Reform Commission) in a special election May 20th. And, according to Wolfe, a stronger Republican presence in the city government can only make for a better Philadelphia.

West Philly Local had a chance this week to chat with the 58-year-old Wolfe—who has a long, prestigious resume including a stint as Deputy Attorney General—about why he is running, and how he can reform the city he so loves.

West Philly Local: Why are you running for City Council?

Matt Wolfe: There’s a great reason to be optimistic about Philadelphia’s future. I’m out in West Philly, and driving down Chestnut and Market Streets during the day, winding around the hundreds of millions of dollars that are being invested in University City… Developers have enough confidence in our city. They’re coming in. They’re rehabbing things. And they’re doing it for one reason and one reason alone: they believe they can make some money there. … Point Breeze, a decade ago, was one of the most dangerous places in [South] Philly. No longer. And that is all happening in spite of the total lack of leadership at City Hall. Unfortunately, we would admit what we see that is good, we’re still lagging dangerously behind our peer cities—you know, New York, Washington [D.C.], Baltimore, Boston. … We’re behind. There’s no reason that we should be.  Continue Reading

James Roebuck speaking at the Mariposa Food Co-op in 2012. (Archived photo/West Philly Local)

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of Q&A’s with local political candidates before the primary election on May 20. Our first Q&A, with Algernong Allen, is here. Next up is Matt Wolfe, who is running for a seat in Philadelphia’s City Council. Also, today is the last day to register to vote in the primary. For more information, visit: http://www.votespa.com.

Since assuming office in 1985, James Roebuck has represented West Philadelphia and the rest of the 188th district as state representative, and focused on education as the chairman of the House Education Committee.

Roebuck says he leans on his background as a trained teacher and former Drexel University professor to inform his work as an educational advocate. Through his years of service in the legislature, and under former Governor Ed Rendell, Roebuck lays claims to many successes, including an improved pre-K system and an increase in educational funding. And, on his off-time, he says, you can find him at any local school, reading to grade school students or tutoring second graders.

“To me, education is not just about the way you fund the schools, it’s also about the way you involve yourself in local schools,” Roebuck told West Philly Local.  Continue Reading