City of mediocrity, murder, malaise

In 1979, Chicago’s streets weren’t adequately plowed after a snowstorm. As a result, Mayor Michael Bilandic lost re-election. Conversely, after similar snowstorms in Philadelphia, where streets were deplorable for days, voters time and again said “job well done” to the mayor-in-residence, always rewarding 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. A decade ago, a study by the Pew Charitable Trust found that many with the means to leave the city did so, as almost 265,000 white residents (onethird of that population) fled between 1990-2010. Another Pew study from 2016 showed that, by a large margin, more families with children are leaving the city than coming into it. And a 2019 Pew report showed that 60,000 residents leave the city each year (half of whom are between 18-34).

This is Philadelphia, birthplace of America. It shouldn’t be this way. An acquaintance from overseas arrived in Philadelphia for the first time. Like any good tour guide, this author whisked him off for cheesesteaks in South Philly. They did not disappoint. But so much else did.

Since it’s human nature to gloss over that which has become 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.

And let’s not forget the elephant in the room: Philly’s skyrocketing murder rate. To date, the city has seen 215 homicides — a mind-blowing 36 percent increase from 2020, which itself was a near record year with 499 (the all-time record is 500, which will be easily broken this year).

It’s embarrassing. And quite frankly, people should be sick of it. So will things ever change? Can people jettison an inferiority complex born of perpetual malaise, and replace it with bona fide pride? Not likely, because Philadelphia has, for so long, been victimized by a toxic disease that destroys its very essence: embracing the status quo of mediocrity.

Compare Philly to Boston, another old East Coast city. 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 made its waterfronts safe meccas for entertainment, dining, shopping, and outdoor activities. Contrast that to Fairmount Park which, while beautiful, is shady in many parts — and not just from trees. And for decades, we’ve heard empty promises about how both the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers (Penn’s Landing in particular) would be fully developed.

How is it that other cities, such as in Cincinnati and San Antonio, successfully developed much smaller waterways into fantastic tourist magnets, yet Philadelphia, with two major river systems, hasn’t done squat with either one?

Understandably, Philadelphia isn’t going to bulldoze skyscrapers to make way for green space and riverwalks. But when 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 pubs and shops before and after games, creating a lucrative spinoff effect — such as Wrigley and Fenway, and newer stadiums such as those in Baltimore, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Denver. Instead, since Philly’s leaders chose to build in the middle of nowhere, most fans never spend a dime outside the ballpark.

Knowing Philadelphia’s potential, it’s frustrating to visit other cities that have their acts together. But potential doesn’t get the job done. Rolling up the sleeves and putting in the hard work does. Contrary to the fluff spewed at press conferences, Philadelphia is not on a path to prosperity. And because of its failed leadership, and a population that doesn’t demand greatness, more folks will leave, accelerating the city’s sad decline.

Benjamin Franklin presciently said: “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

Yo Philly — anyone listening?