Philly stuck as second class city
In 1979, Chicago’s streets weren’t adequately plowed after a snowstorm. As a result, Mayor Michael Bilandic lost his bid for re-election. After similar snowstorms in Philadelphia, where the streets were deplorable for days, almost 80 percent of voters said “job well done” to thenMayor Michael Nutter, and rewarded him with another term.
That type of passive neglect has been pervasive in Philadelphia for decades, cementing the city’s reputation as one with virtually no promise of a renaissance-like turnaround. And the numbers bear that out.
A study by the Pew Charitable Trust found that many with the means to leave the city do, as almost 300,000 white residents (one-third of that population) have fled over the last 25 years.
Another Pew study showed that, by a large margin, more families with children are leaving the city than coming in. Those who can’t flee get further crushed by an incompetent government.
This is Philadelphia, birthplace of America. It doesn’t, and shouldn’t, have to be this way.
An acquaintance from London recently arrived in Philadelphia for the first time. Like any good tour guide, this author whisked him off for cheesesteaks at both Pat’s and Geno’s in South Philadelphia. They did not disappoint. But so much else did. Since it’s human nature to gloss over that which has become all too familiar, it often takes someone else’s perspective to “see” what’s really there.
And after driving around the city, what’s “there” was, on the whole, undesirable. Graffiti. Homelessness. Trash. Unkempt houses. A dearth of green space. Malfunctioning parking meters. Trash. Poverty. Incompetence. And trash.
It’s downright embarrassing. And quite frankly, people should be sick of it.
Since London is in a class by itself, let’s look at Boston – another older, East Coast city – to see why it’s a thriving, vibrant metropolis, while Philly remains stagnant.
Sure, Boston has its share of taxes, but it educational product is significantly better, and its crime rate massively lower. Boston recorded just 38 murders in 2015, compared with hundreds in the City of Brotherly Non-Love.
Granted, it’s a smaller city, but comparatively, the rates are light years apart.
Boston has made huge strides in preserving green space and cleaning up pollution (such as the now-pristine Boston Harbor), with parks throughout the city.
Its public transportation is top notch, and its infrastructure is being improved at an aggressive pace. And the entire downtown area is remarkably clean.
Knowing that quality of life is critical to maintaining a productive workforce, Boston has made its waterfronts safe meccas for entertainment, dining, shopping, and a host of outdoor activities. Contrast that to Fairmount Park, which while beautiful, is shady in many parts – and not from the trees.
And for decades, we’ve heard nothing but empty promises from Philadelphia’s leaders about how both the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers – Penn’s Landing in particular – would be fully developed.
The failure to do this has resulted in a colossal waste of prime space. And the bike/ walking path that was finally constructed along a stretch of the Schuylkill? Plagued by muggings and violence.
In areas where its leaders could have exercised bold vision, they failed.
One of their biggest blunders was ignoring the immensely successful model of “neighborhood” ballparks, where fans stream into local pubs and shops before and after games, creating a lucrative spinoff effect – such as Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and newer ones in Baltimore, Cincinnati and Denver. Instead, Philly’s leaders chose to build in the middle of nowhere.
It is beyond frustrating to visit other cities that have their act together, knowing that Philadelphia’s potential outranks damn near all of them. But potential doesn’t get the job done. Rolling up the sleeves and putting in the hard work does.
As Benjamin Franklin so presciently said: “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”