In the "My Philadelphia" contest, students from Philadelphia shared their visions of the city. Check out the winning entries.
"My Philadelphia"
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Citizens Agenda: Environment
Nov. 25, 2007
Being “green” is part of this city’s DNA. From its founding, Philadelphia was meant to be a “Greene Countrie Town,” set between two rivers, nestled into Penn’s Woods. As big, brawny and brawling as Philadelphia became, something in the city’s soul always aspired to live at respectful ease with nature, to preserve its legacy of urban forest and flowing rivers, to let green beauty feed its spirit.
Citizens Agenda: Planning and Zoning
Nov. 25, 2007
Much is made of William Penn’s celebrated street grid, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and the making of Society Hill. But let’s face it: Despite these landmark achievements, city planning has not been Philadelphia’s strong suit for a very long time.
Cities like Portland, Boston and Chicago have left us in the dust kicked up by their grand projects. They’ve busily reclaimed their waterfronts, reformed their zoning laws, fostered green design, and attracted international development dollars.
Citizens Agenda: Neighborhoods in Flux
Nov. 25, 2007
Tax abatements and the rising chic of urban living this decade have fueled an influx of high-income homebuyers in Center City and nearby neighborhoods.
On some long-scuffling blocks, the trend has brought vitality, rising property values – and deep anxiety.
Citizens Agenda: Education
Nov. 25, 2007
In Philadelphia, not enough childhoods grow into productive adulthoods.
The public schools are supposed to bridge the chasm that separates the child of poverty and chaos from the child of plenty and familial care. But this bridge carries too few across. Too many are lost to abuse, ignorance, bloody disorder.
Citizens Agenda: Crime
Nov. 25, 2007
The number tattooed on everyone’s psyche is 406. That’s the total of homicides in the city in 2006, the highest in a decade.
But that is just the beginning of the crime story in Philadelphia.
In 2006, we also had 11,000 or so robberies, about 11,000 serious assaults, nearly 11,500 burglaries and 38,000 thefts. Add to that the 11,600 motor vehicle thefts, the 821 rapes, and the 200-plus arsons and what have you got?
Citizens Agenda: Arts and Culture
Nov. 25, 2007
At Great Expectations forums, the first thing most citizens said they love about this region is its wealth of things to do. That includes recreation, team sports and restaurants. At its core, though, this asset is about arts and culture – about concerts, plays, museums, zoos, libraries and historic sites.
Citizens Agenda: Poverty
Nov. 25, 2007
Philadelphia cannot flourish when a quarter of its citizens live in poverty – the worst poverty rate among the nation’s 10 biggest cities. Reducing poverty isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s an economic one.
Citizens Agenda: Transportation
Nov. 25, 2007
Philadelphians love to complain. They’re quick with rueful rundowns of the sins of SEPTA, Philadelphia International Airport, the “Sure-kill” Expressway.
Citizens Agenda: Taxes and Budget
Nov. 25, 2007
Here is the problem: Philadelphia has the second-highest tax burden among America’s big cities. Yet the city still lacks money to provide the services its citizens have every right to expect in return for paying that hefty tab.
Citizens Agenda: Reform and Leadership
Nov. 25, 2007
Nowhere are expectations higher for Mayor-elect Michael Nutter than in the public’s desire for ethical governance and a collaborative leadership style.
Citizens Agenda: Knowledge Economy
Nov. 25, 2007
Philadelphia’s a great place to get sick in.
It boasts a world-class cluster of teaching hospitals, medicals schools, research institutions and drug companies.
And it’s a great place to be smart in. It has a glittering roster of 88 colleges and universities of all sizes and flavors.
The beneficiaries of these clusters go beyond just people who need a diagnosis or a college credit.
Citizens Agenda: City Services
Nov. 25, 2007
Is it any wonder people complain about Philadelphia city services? Just look at the trends.
To pay for soaring costs in a few budget areas, the city has whittled staff and services in many other departments: from recreation to streets to revenue to procurement.
It is called robbing Peter to pay Paul, if you’ll excuse the cliché.
Deal these folks out
Nov. 18, 2007
Tom Ferrick Jr.
For The Inquirer
The neighborhood activists who gathered at a Civic Leaders Summit last month in Mayfair made it clear they want a "new deal" with City Hall.
And the New Deal is . . . No Deals.
Let me explain. What these civic leaders want is a city government that is - to repeat my mantra - efficient, transparent, logical and responsive.
Not one that responds only under duress, only after repeated calls to just the right person.
Citizens invited to explore values, vision for riverfront
Nov. 11, 2007
Chris Satullo
Inquirer columnist
In Philadelphia, the role of the citizen too often is reduced to shouting No! at proposals cooked up out of sight by a shadowy few.
In healthy cities, citizens get opportunities to say "What if . . . ?" or "Let's try this. . . ." And they get helped by people who bring the experience to spot obstacles to citizen dreams, the expertise to surmount them, and the will to make good things happen.
More college grads are needed to spur an “eds and meds” economy
Nov. 2, 2007
Chris Satullo
Inquirer columnist
'Philly is a great place to get sick in."
Asked to name some positives about living in Philadelphia, a participant in a Great Expectations forum blurted that answer.
The fellow was right, even if he stated the truth in a perversely Philadelphian way.
The Philadelphia region boasts one of the finest health-care clusters not only in the nation, but also in the world.
