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Yo, Mike! Yo, Al!

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

We've received more than 600 responses to our "Yo!" project. Democratic mayoral nominee Michael Nutter and Republican candidate Al Taubenberger (left) have been invited to reply to citizens' ideas and concerns.

The project asked people to imagine that either candidate was sitting across from them at their kitchen table. We asked them to complete the sentence, "Yo, Mike/Al! The one thing I really need you to do is ..."

Throughout the summer Great Expectations will feature a sampling of citizen essays, as printed in The Inquirer, along with each candidate's response.

          Part One: Our first sample of citizen voices, along with a piece by Nutter.
          Part Two: Litter and livability questions.
          Part Three: A comment on the "broken windows" theory of public safety.
          Part Four: "Fix the schools!" says a former Philadelphia teacher.
          Part Five: Make city agencies work and hold them accountable.
          Part Six: Yo, citizens! The candidates turn the tables and tells us what they're looking from city residents.

To learn more details, take a look at The Inquirer editorials on the "Yo!" project: "Let him hear from you" and "A sampling of what you're saying." 

Getting ideas on the table: 
The Yo! potluck series

The "Yo!" project asked citizens to tell us what they'd say if the next mayor of Philadelphia were sitting at their kitchen table. That idea has come to life as Great Expectations hosts a series of potluck dinners.

For a citizen's point of view, check out our citizen bloggers' reports from South Philly and Mount Airy along with a series of drawings. Or, take a look at the editorial on the topic, a Chris Satullo column or an Inquirer story about the dinners. A photo gallery is also available

(Photo by John Costello / Inquirer Staff Photographer) 

 Visit the Great Expectations blog to add your thoughts to the mix. Or, check out what your fellow citizens are saying, sorted by topic:

  1. Casinos
  2. City services, agencies, the bureaucracy and the budget
  3. A clean city and the environment
  4. Crime, police, safety and violence
  5. Leadership, city image and ethics
  6. Schools, education and youth
  7. Soup to Nuts
  8. Other
  9. Taxes, growth and development
  10. Transportation