Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Wednesday speed-chess

(No, i have no idea what that means either. but most of you are on vacation already, so I'm letting my hair down...)
  • Casinos, casinos, casinos

    • Yesterday, Philadelphia's five applicants made their last pitch in Harrisburg.

    • Today the big news: two casinos along Delaware River (Foxwoods and Sugarhouse). Written rationale will follow, and the decision could well be appealed. Meantime, YPP is agog. Marc Stier fleshes out his objections here.

    • Another large Inquirer piece says the debate is far from over, and looks at who might contest the license choices.

    • One Gaming Board appointee fixed his records to admit to his own substantial casino winnings.

    • A Poconos-area applicant suggests an auditing board to oversee his casino, in response to questions about whether he had mob ties. Doesn't just reading about this stuff make you feel cleaner?

  • Tales of transportation

    • An Inquirer editorial looks at the state of PATCO and whether its fitness is being compromised by the long hold on the Port Authority budget (caught in a sandbox fight between PA and NJ governors over dredging).

    • Another Inky editorial endorses the CSX compromise to allow safe passage to the Schuylkill River Park.

    • Meanwhile the DN opinion page looks at SEPTA's short-term solution to long-term budget woes, and calls on the state legislature to step up and help find dedicated transit funding.

  • Other bits

    • Just under half of the Chester County ballots have been recounted, with a handful set aside for challenges. Looks good for their deadline.

    • A Northern Liberties bank is trying out neighborhood banking as a model to compete with the corporate oligarchy that seems to have taken over the industry. People you can know, combined with trendy technology, an interesting mix.

    • Ray Murphy reminds local officials that there are only 18 days left on his challenge for them to pick up on novel solutions to the city's violence problems.

    • AAJane notes the new committee assignments of local congressfolk headed to DC.

    • DN columnist Mark Alan Hughes signs off to go back a mayoral candidate, without telling us which one. Eesh.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, there sure is a lot of hysteria
over the PGC's decisions. The slots parlors want to be good neighbors, it's in their interest to do so. It's unfortunate that in this city we allow ourselves to be ruled by the tyranny of the minority and then wonder why few business want to move or locate here. I'm sure dealing with the tribal leaders in Iraq or Afghanistan is easier than it is to satisfy every little neighborhood interest group. I truly hope that someday this NIMBY attitude will change and Philadelphians will look at the forrest rather than the trees, but I am not especially optimistic.

12:39 PM  

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