Saidel’s on the run

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

It may have been one of the worst-kept secrets in Philadelphia history, but former City Controller Jonathan Saidel made it official last week. And he did it in a quaint little corner of the Far Northeast.
At the Somerton Civic Association’s Sept. 12 general meeting, Saidel announced his candidacy for mayor.
Analysts have labeled the lifelong Northeast resident a long shot to garner the Democratic nomination next spring among a crowded field of declared or likely candidates, including U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, labor leader John Dougherty, state Rep. Dwight Evans, former City Councilman Michael Nutter and former United Healthcare CEO Tom Knox.
But, as one would expect, Saidel remains upbeat about his chances, trying to ride his strong name recognition, widespread party appeal, polished verbal skills and conservative fiscal platform into the city’s highest elected office.
"I’ve been dancing with this thing for the last seven months for legal reasons," said Saidel, referring to his decision to withhold a formal declaration of his candidacy until now.
"But I am a candidate for mayor, and you can print that. For me, it’s the ultimate way of saying ‘thank you’ to the citizens of Philadelphia for everything they’ve done for me. It’s a job I can do. I know every street of this city. … I’ve written two books on the future of the city of Philadelphia."
Saidel grew up in Oxford Circle and has lived the last 25 years in the Far Northeast. A divorced father of four, he was first elected controller in 1989. The office is the city’s fiscal watchdog.
He easily won re-election in 1993, 1997 and 2001 in the heavily Democratic city. He declined to run again in 2005 while looking ahead to the 2007 campaign. Under the city charter, he would have had to resign from the controller’s post before becoming a mayoral candidate.
"I would be the first mayor in the history of the city of Philadelphia to live, work and play and to have grown up in Northeast Philadelphia," Saidel said.
Although the SCA meeting was the first time that Saidel presented himself as a formal candidate, he had long been considered a likely candidate and had essentially confirmed those suspicions in recent public remarks.
Saidel said he chose the SCA meeting for his formal announcement because of his respect for its longtime president, Mary Jane Hazell, who also is a Democratic committeewoman in the 58th Ward.
Hazell presided over her first SCA meeting since undergoing heart surgery on May 5. She has had a difficult recovery but intends to continue serving as a neighborhood leader.
"There’s usually only a few people in each neighborhood who actually make a difference while the rest sit at home and complain," Saidel said. "Mary Jane is one of them (who make a difference)."
In addition to cutting city spending and taxes, Saidel said he would emphasize public safety and put more police on the streets as mayor. He wants to return to the days when residents can feel safe walking neighborhood streets instead of fearing crime and violence.
In other Somerton Civic business:
• The SCA narrowly voted to oppose a private behavioral health-care provider in its plan to open a residential facility on Hornig Road, along the Woodhaven Road expressway in the Byberry West Industrial Park.
The site is zoned for limited industrial use and would need a use variance to legalize the proposed facility, a 120-bed behavioral health center for acute psychiatric treatment.
Universal Health Services is the applicant. It is the largest for-profit behavioral health-care provider in the nation, company officials claimed. Among its other facilities is the Fairmount Behavioral Health System in Roxborough.
Company officials assured neighbors that the proposed facility would be secure with controlled entry and release of all residents, and would not admit criminal patients or those deemed to be a violent threat. The minimum ratio of staff to patient would be 1-to-5.
Yet, many area residents expressed concern that some patients might cause problems for the surrounding community if they were to leave the facility.
The final tally was 36 in support of the proposal and 41 opposed.
• Raj Bhakta, the Republican candidate in the 13th Congressional District, campaigned for community support in his bid to unseat freshman Democrat Allyson Schwartz this fall.
Bhakta said he wants to "preserve Social Security" and "save the Northeast." He opposes the Section 8 federally subsidized rental program.
The 30-year-old was born in Oxford Circle and is a first-generation American. His father is Indian, his mother is Irish.
• Former city recycling director Maurice Sampson briefed neighbors on the Recycle NOW program sponsored by the Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia. The alliance is a coalition of non-governmental organizations and individuals that promotes expanded recycling in the city to improve the local environment, economy and quality of life.
Sampson said that the city could profit by millions by modifying the Department of Streets’ trash collection procedures and enabling residents to recycle more. Philadelphia trails most major cities in its recycling rate.
Sampson also endorsed a program through which residents could earn up to $400 in coupons a year depending on the amount that they recycle. The coupons would be good for more than 100 area businesses, ranging from supermarkets to movie theaters.
The Recycling Pays program succeeded when it was implemented on a trial basis in Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy, but it has not been expanded to other parts of the city, Sampson said.
The recycling advocate encouraged residents to contact their City Council members and mayoral candidates leading up to next year’s municipal elections to encourage them to endorse expanded recycling.
A meeting of the Northeast Chapter of Recycle NOW is scheduled for the Northeast Regional Library, 2228 Cottman Ave., on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The public is invited to learn more about local recycling efforts.
• State Sen. Mike Stack will hold his annual Senior Expo on Friday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road. The event is free and open to the public.
• State Rep. Dennis O’Brien and Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett will co-host a series of Senior Consumer Protection Seminars in October.
The dates and sites are: Oct. 6 at Pennypack Community Center, 8724 Crispin St.; Oct. 12 at Paul’s Run Retirement Community, 9896 Bustleton Ave.; and Oct. 19 at Our Lady of Calvary Church, 11024 Knights Road. All events start at 2 p.m. The public is invited.
• Philadelphia Board of Revision of Taxes chairman David Glancey will appear at the next SCA meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m., at Walker Lodge 306, 1290 Southampton Road.
Residents will get to ask Glancey about tax reassessment policy, the city’s changing property tax procedure and the possibility of significantly higher tax bills in the coming years as they relate to higher property values in the neighborhood. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com