Around the Monday politicians

• John Dougherty has gone official with his frustration with Mayor Street's proposed restructuring of the housing authority, now campaigning to block the plan. Councilman Michael Nutter has reservations of his own, but is steering clear of Doc's bandwagon.
  
  
• John Baer notes that after the pay-raise furor, state legislators put forth a lot of penitance and promises, but have not yet acted on anything (tax reform to lobbyist disclosure, let alone minimum wage). He speculates that they're waiting until after the primaries to see how seriously to believe in residual citizen anger, but hopefully it will be too late for some of them by then...
  
  
• Valerie McDonald Roberts, a Democratic primary candidate for Lieutenant Governor, decided to skip the race for party endorsement and take her campaign directly to the people. I've heard a lot of enthusiasm about her (a real progressive with experience and energy, and also with the western-PA and racial cards to offset Lynn Swann) but don't know much personally. However, her record seems impressive, and this could be a good year for an outsider candidate to catch the swell of civic activism.
  
  
• Apparently Bob Casey has agreed to two debates with his primary opponents, Chuck Pennacchio and Alan Sandals. They will be held April 8 and 19 in different parts of the state.
  (via Philly Future)
  
  
• Short takes from the Inquirer include Lois Murphy's battle to get billboard exposure, feisty words from a Casey consultant, and more tin-ear slams by Andy Warren against his primary opponent Patrick Murphy.