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Punish those who
helped the monsters
Regarding last week’s article about the former St. Martin priest who was defrocked by the Vatican after the sexual abuse scandal:
The first mistake was not reporting the assault to the police! Hopefully all parents have realized this. If it happened in the workplace, any form of "talk," maybe you would tell the higher-ups. Any form of suggestive touch, you would go to the cops!
Priests are not God. They took a job working for Him. Child sex abuse is a crime and should be treated as such by all. Senate Bill 553 will eliminate the statute of limitations on criminal prosecution for all child sex abuse.
Those who "helped" these monsters hide and prosper should also be punished! Civil suits should be brought against their "personal wealth," not the Catholic Church in general.
Sandy Curran
Torresdale
Thank you
A big thank you to all who helped in making my Eagle Scout project a success. The people at Trevor’s Place were grateful for everything we collected for them.
I now need to complete my paperwork and have a board of review approve it.
Dan Burgmann
She thanks the kids
for the chicken prank
I told myself I would not write, that the editor would not publish my piece anyway, since I disagreed entirely. I received a phone call from Northeast High School letting me know kids were being dismissed. Then I saw television interrupted for "breaking news." As usual, I held my breath. But when the story being released was that of chickens ruling the nest at Northeast, I couldn’t stop laughing. Finally, for once, breaking news that was not horrible but hilarious.
So the kids missed a day. They haven’t had many snow days yet, anyway. The people who think this was so horrible — I can’t imagine what you think when horror strikes day in and day out and that’s all you see on the news.
I personally want to thank the kids who did this — they used their brains and thought this through and came up with something that apparently caught the eye of the city. Why? Just because it was funny. And we all needed a laugh.
Thanks for not making me "chicken" to write, letter writer Brian Smith. And letter writer Rich Weiss, I loved your play on words!
Val Dallas
Rhawnhurst
Let’s deliver a birth center
for the Northeast
In response to Elmer Money’s letter to the editor last week entitled A Prescription for Sen. Stack, a free-standing birth/maternity center is what the Northeast needs. Do you even know what a birth center provides?
Birth centers provide prenatal, gynecologic and maternity care. It is one of the safest places to deliver a baby. Eighty percent of all births in this area are considered low risk. Midwives have been delivering babies since the beginning of time, and two of the practitioners at Jeanes were nurse midwives. This is a logical next step for Philadelphia birthing women and their families. Any high risk mothers would be going to Jefferson University hospital or Abington Memorial Hospital at this juncture. They both have fantastic high-risk maternity programs.
Also, do you have any idea what the reimbursement rate is for maternity care? It generally does not cover the mother’s prenatal care for the nine months that she was pregnant, let alone a delivery and post-partum care.
There needs to be a solution, and the only current viable solution is to open a birth center in the Northeast. This will provide a safe and local place for mothers to deliver their babies.
Jen Fischer
Mayfair
Want to help the
soldiers? Here’s how
I have received many inquiries from the people in our community who wish to send care packages directly to our soldiers in Iraq. A soldier whom I know in the 101st Airborne Division who is currently serving in Iraq, has advised me that our soldiers in her unit have asked for the following by name: Mac and cheese (Easy Mac), Cherry Skoal (tobacco product), microwavable meals of any kind, cup of soups, Red Bull or energy drinks, phone cards, and blankets and sheets (used but clean items are acceptable).
These items can be sent directly to:
Sgt. Stephanie Brewster
C CO. 526th BSBN 2BCT
101st Airborne Division Air Assault
Unit # 43497
APO AE 09344-3497
If any reader wants a complete list of suggested items to send to our soldiers in Iraq or to the Iraqi people, please contact my district office at 215-674-3755.
Thomas P. Murt
State representative, 152nd Legislative District
Taking exception
to ex-cops’ letters
A rebuttal to retired police Sgt. Rich Gudknecht and Anthony McLaughlin’s responses to my submission Don’t blame Nutter appointee for merely doing his job:
The FOP routinely hands out contracts to law firms to represent its police officers, including well-known criminal firms such as Peruto and Peruto, which routinely defends murderers.
The FOP has no problems with this, and policemen have no problem having these criminal attorneys represent them. Mr. McCann and the FOP therefore pick and choose particular defense attorneys to rail against.
Clearly, simply and objectively speaking, the issue is not about attorneys who defend murderers, but only attorneys who defend murderers of cops. Therein lies hypocrisy totally lacking in objectivity, and a double standard.
As former Sgt. Gudknecht admits, the FOP routinely defends bad cops. Why, then, would an organization that defends "bad policemen" need to be consulted for a position that involves public safety?
Is that not like consulting the fox in the chicken coop that Mr. McLaughlin refers to? How much objectivity is required to see that the public does indeed need to be protected from interests of the FOP and the practices of the DA that are contrary to public safety?
I would also ask the former sergeant to look at the record of the internal affairs unit when it comes to complaints from citizens. Enough said there. As for any alleged bias of Mr. Gillison, I ask simply: Why would any African-American have any bias toward police in this town?
As for commending the district attorney for overcharging, that simply flies in the face of everything just, bogs down our courts and overburdens our legal system. How that would make anyone feel safe is quite simply totally lacking in logic. Perhaps a little "Duke lacrosse players justice" is warranted in this town.
Raymond J. Dougherty, Jr., Esq.
Pine Valley
Thank you for helping
to save Mommy-O
I want to publicly thank the members of Medic 32 and Engine 52 for their quick response to what could have been a tragic event at a kids’ basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 16.
My 84-year-old mother-in-law collapsed at the end of her great-grandson’s game. I called 911 and the dispatcher immediately transferred me to a medic operator.
I gave them her information and rushed back into the Vogt gym to see Mommy-O, as we call her, totally unresponsive. The recreation staff was assisting, but of course every minute seemed like an eternity.
The Engine 52 crew arrived and very shortly thereafter, the Medic 32 team came. Both talked to us calmly, told us to move away and helped her with an air bag, which seemed to bring her back right away. It was a great relief. They of course put her on a stretcher and took her out to the waiting Medic 32 wagon.
As they wheeled her out, I glanced at my cell phone for the time. It was 3:19. I checked the time I had placed the 911 call. It was 3:06.
They got there, checked her out, revived her, and had her going out the door in 13 minutes!
God only knows they can’t be everywhere at once, but on behalf of our family, thanks so much for proving once again that day in and day out, you can count on the professionals of the Philadelphia Fire Department to help when needed.
Terry Devlin
Fox Chase
Cheers and a jeer
for CLIP
In response to Christina Morio’s letter in the Feb. 14 edition, Why is CLIP picking on me?, my neighbors and I have also become victims of a neighbor with too much time on her hands and city agencies like CLIP and PACCA on speed dial.
These agencies are required to investigate each complaint they receive, and unfortunately some people with personal agendas are aware of this fact and use these agencies as a means to harass their neighbors by filing false complaints.
It is not the fault of the agents sent to investigate the complaints, it is the disregard of these "lovely" neighbors for the cases and limited resources the agencies have available to deal with real and legitimate complaints that overwhelm their offices every day! Maybe the person making these complaints should be fined each time it is deemed unfounded.
That would not only help with the financial issues the agencies face, it would also deter these idiots from using these agencies to fulfill their own agendas.
Patricia Crane
Tacony
• • •
Christina: If you can find time to write letters to the editor, I know that you could find time to clean your back yard! And here’s a tip:
It’s much easier to keep it clean than to let it pile up and become a time-consuming job.
Susan Boyle
Mayfair
• • •
How many more complaints against CLIP before the mayor closes them down? Do they have to make a quota? A few years ago on my street, they came and fined houses for putting their trash out one hour before it was supposed to be out. We complained to our senator to put a stop to this. If they have to make a quota to work for the mayor, then they are getting away with murder.
We are all responsible for the cleaning of our property, but sometimes things do happen. Being a consumer advocate, I have been observing them, and every time I see them I stop my car to see who is the next victim. The mayor should have a person to watch them, as they think they are making our community cleaner. Also, it is an easy target for any neighbor to report their neighbor in times of stress.
We have enough problems in our country — credit crunch, homes going into foreclosure — without worrying about the city putting fines on people on trash day. The next time you ride down the street on trash day, observe how many containers do not go into the truck and are left on the street.
Christina Morio, they are not picking on you. It is just people trying to impress the mayor.
Pearl Polto
Somerton
Why does Perzel’s bill
get the deep freeze?
Recently state Rep. John Perzel proposed a bill eliminating real estate taxes for seniors over age 65 with maximum incomes of $40,000.
My real estate tax for 2008 is increased to $2,146. We have lived in a twin home for the last 45 years. With my Social Security, I could not even afford a two-bedroom apartment. My wife and I are both 77 years of age. With her medical problems, her Medicaid bill alone is close to $3,800 a year.
My house is completely insulated with thick carpeting. Even with PGW’s discount, some months’ bills are higher than $400. I don’t have to remind you of the ever-escalating cost of everything. The yearly cost-of-living adjustment is like giving a child a pacifier instead of food.
George Bush gave the rich a tax break. I don’t believe in Republicans or Democrats, but individuals.
Luckily, legislative elections come every two years. Every candidate claims to be the champion of the average Joe. Instead of rhetoric, truthful actions count.
I would like to know why Rep. Perzel’s proposal was put in cold storage. It is a common decency to acknowledge an honest question, and I hope you will do so.
Syd Bilgram
Fox Chase
City gets its budget act
together — with no tax hikes
Guest Opinion
By Jack Kelly
Well, it’s budget season again, and in the coming weeks City Council will be holding public hearings to discuss Mayor Nutter’s proposed spending plan of your tax dollars. Nutter’s ambitious $3.8 billion budget plan includes some interesting proposals that will have a direct impact on the quality-of-life issues that affect our Northeast residents. To that end, I want to highlight some of these issues.
I am sure that those of you who have lived in the Northeast for several years know firsthand that crime is on the rise. Fortunately, the types of crimes that occur in our neighborhoods on a daily basis are not as horrific as those occurring across the city. However, the fact is, crime is increasing, and little crimes turn into big crimes!
We are faced with numerous "quality of life crimes," and those of you who attended and participated in the question- and-answer session with our new police commissioner at Lincoln High School a few weeks back, heard this reoccurring theme.
I want to publicly commend our new Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey for hitting the ground running with respect to his new plan to combat crime and make Philadelphia a safer city. However, Commissioner Ramsey’s hands will be tied without appropriate funding.
The mayor has proposed significantly increasing the police department’s annual budget. This increased spending will enable the city to hire new police officers to patrol our neighborhoods, and purchase new technology to combat crime. I support this spending, and I fully expect that over time we will see declines in the amount of crimes that infiltrate our streets.
Next, it is no secret that Northeast Philadelphia is home to countless senior citizens. Often, our seniors (and all Northeast residents) depend on city medic units for lifesaving services and emergency transportation to hospitals.
The mayor, because of Councilwoman Joan Krajewski’s ardent efforts, has proposed a $3.8 million increase to the emergency medical services budget. This means 40 new emergency medical technicians (EMTs), increased overtime for current EMTs, and five new ambulances in the next two fiscal years. These additions will increase response time for life-threatening emergencies. I support this increase, and Northeast residents will reap some positive benefits from it. Also, Philadelphia will establish an innovative "311" non-emergency system with annual allocations of $2million. This will enable residents to call one number for all non-emergency city service needs. You will be able to report potholes, downed street signs, abandoned cars, missed trash collection, etc., etc.
The calls will be tracked and statistically analyzed, which will improve efficiency and accountability and enable more prudent future fiscal allocations. So, by the end of the year you won’t have to search high and low for the right city department to call for all of your non-emergency city service issues. I support this measure and I am confident residents will find it extremely useful.
In addition to the above mentioned increases there will be increased allocations/initiatives focused toward students, arts and culture, economic development/growth, recycling and litter prevention.
These are all areas that will increase the quality of life for our residents and move Philadelphia toward reaching its full potential. I support these increases, and I am sure the residents of Northeast Philadelphia will notice positive changes as a result.
The BIG question everyone must be asking themselves is: Will my taxes go up? Well the answer is NO! In fact, if you work in Philadelphia your city wage taxes will decrease slightly, and if you run a business in Philadelphia, your business privilege tax will also decline. Although I believe there is much more to be done for tax reform in Philadelphia, this is certainly a good start.
There is no doubt, that even with a new budget our city will continue to face vast challenges. However, I believe that we are beginning to head in the right direction. The people of Philadelphia, through their vote, have entrusted me to work on addressing these challenges, and I am proud to say that each day my staff and I fervently pursue sustainable solutions.
As I mentioned, these are just some highlights of the budget that I feel will improve life in Northeast Philadelphia. To view the comprehensive budget, please visit www.phila.gov. Additionally, you can now view City Council budget hearings on Comcast Channel 64.
I hope that you found this information insightful, and I look forward to continuing to serve your best interests. As always, please feel free to contact my City Hall office at 215-686-3452 for all your city service needs. ••
Councilman Kelly, a Republican who lives in Somerton, represents the entire city as an at-large member.
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