Helen Gym
Why Voter Turnout Sucked in Philly’s Mayoral Race
1. Voter turnout in Philadelphia wasn’t always so pitiful. The gist: Only 27 percent of registered voters cast a ballot in Philadelphia’s mayoral primary last week. It wasn’t always like […]
Insider: 5 Election Day Lessons for Progressives
(Editor’s note: This is an opinion column from a Citified insider.) 1. Bullet Balloting Works. Last week I argued that folks should vote only for […]
The Challengers: Helen Gym’s Aim — To Make Council Holds Schools Accountable
All week, Citified is featuring Q&As with leading at-large City Council Democratic challengers on topics of their choosing. The prompt was simple: if elected, what’s a […]
Did Helen Gym Trip Up on the City’s Campaign Finance Law?
[Update, 6:08 p.m.]: The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers PAC and the American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania PAC both employ the same treasurer, Jack Steinberg, according to the Department of State’s […]
The Brief: Democrats to Endorse Openly Gay Council Candidate for First Time Ever
Bob Brady, chairman of Philadelphia’s Democratic City Committee, says City Council At-Large candidate Sherrie Cohen is expected to win the party’s endorsement. Cohen tells us the policy […]
The Brief: The 5 Council At-Large Candidates With the Best Signatures Game
A candidate has the opportunity to flex some muscle while collecting signatures for nominating petitions. You only need to gather 1,000 legit signatures to get on […]
The Brief: Maria Quinones-Sanchez Is Denied (again), Darrell Clarke Grasps (again) & Bill Green Gets Angry (again)
It’s a busy, high-stakes week for Philadelphia, rife with with big political and urban affairs news. Here’s what you need to know:
How the Fight for Gay Rights Could Decide the City Council Race
Philadelphia is one of the most-gay friendly cities in the United States. It has strong LGBT advocacy groups, a strong LGBT tourism scene, and strong laws […]
The Brief: Ethics 2.0 in the Mayoral Agenda
In 2015, should a mayoral candidate’s ethics platform be taken seriously if it doesn’t address open data? Mark Headd, Philadelphia’s former Chief Data Officer, argues that open data is a key part […]
Education Firebrand Helen Gym Lands Big Union Endorsement, Donation for Council
It’s official: The firebrand education activist Helen Gym says she is running for Democratic City Council At-Large in the May 19th primary. Though she hasn’t made […]
These Are the 88 Philly Schools Boston Consulting Group Recommended Closing
Education activist Helen Gym and a group of civil rights lawyers have won a two-and-a-half-year battle to get their hands on a secret report by consultants on proposed school […]
Jim Kenney Will Upend the City Council Race, Too
The Philadelphia mayor’s race has changed overnight because Councilman Jim Kenney is soon jumping into it. So, too, has the Democratic City Council at-large race. Philadelphians […]
How to Improve City Council
Philadelphia’s City Council is about as popular as I was in high school. The legislative body’s approval rating stands at a sad 30 percent, according […]
Bill Green Responds to Helen Gym: Honest School Dialogue Requires All the Facts
In criticizing our decision to begin charging teachers for health benefits and directing the $44 million annual savings to schools, Helen Gym makes an important […]
SRC’s Contract Move Isn’t About Shared Sacrifice — It’s Looting
Recently, I visited my brother-in-law at Radnor High School and was privileged to see him teach his ninth-grade English/civics class. When I walked in, his […]