Yo, Mike! Yo, Al! Clean up the litter

July 8, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer

Yo Mike! Yo, Al! The one thing I really need you to do is ...

Ilene Wilder
Philadelphia
Yo, the one thing I would really love you to work on when you are mayor is cleaning up the City – not just the government ethics, but the city streets themselves.
I moved here from Chicago four years ago, and while I love Philadelphia and the people, I really miss the cleanliness of Chicago. Beneath the shattered sidewalks and trash lies a beautiful city. We need a Beautify Philly program so people can show their civic pride and make this city the crown jewel of this country that it deserves to be.

Al Taubenberger's Response:

Dear Ilene,
I agree with you about the shattered sidewalks.
However, as far as our city being clean, we’ve come a long way over the past several years. I remember when we were called “Filthydelphia,” and for good reason. You couldn’t see the sidewalks through the trash.
But we’ve made positive gains on this problem with the creation of Special Services Districts. It started in Center City and spread to other areas.
When people see litter, they lose pride in their city. When it’s clean, they work with you to keep it clean.
I’m looking into the possibility of a 311 phone system, like they have in Chicago, where citizens can call in all manner of nonemergency complaints to a trained call center. If you see a sidewalk in desperate condition, or a street that’s dirty, you could call that number, and an inspector would go out and fix the situation. It’s a realistic plan, and I’m studying ways to fund such efforts — with increased fines for littering and other quality-of-life violations.
I went to Chicago last year and, like you, marveled at the cleanliness. I called Mayor Daley’s office and said, “Tell me the secrets of keeping a city clean.”
They said, “It starts with the mayor and spreads to the citizens.” I’ve got my marching orders.

Michael Nutter's Response:

Dear Ilene,
I remember the Saturday morning cleanups of my childhood. They helped to instill a sense of pride in our homes and neighborhoods. I want to bring that back.
Taking proper care of Philadelphia needs to be a coordinated effort among residents, community organizations and the city. If elected, I will initiate a massive citywide cleaning program. The city will partner with community groups and provide the tools to clean up litter and debris, plant thousands of trees and support beautification. I plan to work with city departments to increase street lighting and fix roads and sidewalks.
As councilman, I gained a strong understanding of the kinds of problems neighborhoods face and the ways in which the city is, and is not, equipped to respond. This will be invaluable in developing an integrated approach to neighborhood improvement.
P.S: Over the summer, I am joining my staff and volunteers nearly every Saturday morning for neighborhood cleanups. To participate, call my office at 215-545-9700.