Letters to the Editor | May 24, 2023

I appreciated The Inquirer’s fantastic data analysis of Cherelle Parker’s victory in the Democratic mayoral primary. Though I supported and voted for Helen Gym, only one candidate — Parker — succeeded in building the sort of multiracial, cross-neighborhood coalition needed to both win elections in Philadelphia and govern the city. If progressives want to bounce back in the city, we need to start listening to what working-class communities, particularly communities of color, actually want — rather than telling them what they need. We need to accept that progressive orthodoxy isn’t always popular and think more strategically both about the compromises we’re willing to make and the best ways to message our agenda. Most importantly, we need to focus more energy on persuading people that our ideas are good rather than simply yelling at those who see the world a little differently. Online, you can get thousands of likes by saying something mean or shocking. In real life and in politics, persuasion is a much surer path to victory.

Jesse Abrams-Morley, Philadelphia, jessedavidam@gmail.com

A recent Inquirer article (“What did Philly’s $22M anti-violence grant program buy”) identified problems with Philadelphia’s Community Expansion Grant (CEG) program. But while the newspaper may have been targeting the city’s strategy, the claims in the story damage the credibility of all Black nonprofit leaders and portray them as distrustful and incompetent. In the last 10 years, I’ve collaborated on two research efforts on Black nonprofit leadership in Philadelphia. The first report identified the biases facing Black nonprofit leaders; the second gives suggestions to advance equity in philanthropy. The accusation about the lack of fiscal preparedness suggests that it is the fault of Black leaders for not growing their agencies with this need in mind. Our research confirmed that many Black-led nonprofits are smaller because they historically receive less funding than their white counterparts. Consequently, their capacity is limited and the funds they do receive are for programming.

Another allegation was that the selection for funding in the CEG program was politicized. Black-led nonprofits are more likely to be the recipient of government grants. Many Black-led nonprofits in Philly were likely to receive government funding because they tend to have more access to city administrators and elected officials than private funders and individual donors. Consequently, Black nonprofit leaders are merely using the network they know — and that knows them — to get the job done. Even with limited resources, Black-led nonprofits were more likely to serve the most vulnerable populations. They leverage their lived experiences and cultural competency to create viable community solutions. Instead of finding reasons to exclude them from solving problems, we need to find ways to resource them to put into practice what works. The issue of gun violence is too critical and simply too big for the community to be distracted by finger pointing and accusations.

Kelly Woodland, managing director for leadership equity, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

The Sunday article “Debt talks stall, both sides trading barbs” states as fact that, “the two sides are up against a deadline as soon as June 1, to raise its borrowing limit, now at $31 trillion, so the government can keep paying the nation’s bills.” However, Section 4 of the 14th Amendment clearly states, in part, “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, …shall not be questioned.” Since Congress and the president have already authorized the spending, the debts we owe have been authorized by law. This makes any requirement to “raise the debt limit” after the spending has already become law so that the debts can be paid clearly unconstitutional. President Joe Biden should follow the Constitution and order the Treasury Department to pay our collective bills on time even if no debt limit increase is approved. This should be included, as at least an argument that constitutional scholars and some members of Congress are making, in any article saying there is a deadline.

Jules Mermelstein, Dresher, jules.mermelstein@gmail.com

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy seeks to destroy America’s credit. One only needs to ask why he and the rest of the Republicans in Congress are not taking the same cuts in benefits they are asking the rest of us to take. (One should look up the national debt by presidential administration to see which party is making it worse.) The question that needs to be asked is, why did they not make these cuts when they were in total power? Instead, they just rubber-stamp the debt for their own wasteful spending, as they have always done.

Jesse E. Hare Jr., Jamison

The electric vehicle revolution is fast approaching and IBEW Local 98 is ready for its arrival. EV charging technology has been a mainstay of our apprentice training curriculum for the past five years. Yes, Philadelphia still has work to do in building the charging station infrastructure needed to power hundreds of thousands of EVs, but the Jim Kenney administration’s plan to hire an EV specialist for its Office of Transportation and Sustainability is a smart move. In fulfillment of President Joe Biden’s goals, the IBEW was among the first organizations in the country to join the National EV Charging Initiative, a diverse coalition that includes automakers, utility firms, suppliers, investors and construction industry experts who will collaboratively build a national network of EV charging stations.

One of the primary goals of the new initiative is the development of guiding principles that will promote electric vehicle adoption and charging infrastructure deployment that builds upon national, state, and regional goals. The initiative also will create an action plan to accelerate the buildout of a national charging network for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. We’re excited to work with our National EV Charging Initiative partners to ensure the widespread consumer adoption of EVs that will lead to a cleaner climate, while creating thousands of good union jobs that will help rebuild America’s middle class.

Mark Lynch, Jr., business manager, IBEW Local 98

Taylor Swift not only took the City of Brotherly love to next-level excitement with her three-day takeover of her hometown, but she did something else for us: she helped curb the violence in our city. More than 100,000 people descended upon Lincoln Financial Field the weekend of May 12 as Taylor captivated fans with her performances. We all watched as she defended her fans against surly security guards, reached out to shake some star-struck hands, and adjusted a few wardrobe malfunctions due to getting dressed in the dark. Although I was not physically at the show, I felt like I was there just by following on social media.

As I was revisiting on Instagram and TikTok, I could not think of hearing anything on any news outlet covering violence of any kind while Swift was in town. That speaks volumes. Saturday night alone brought 20,000 concertgoers, unable to secure tickets, outside of the Linc. No one got trampled and no one got shot (let’s not forget about the 2021 Astroworld concert in Houston, where 10 people lost their lives). We had three nights of record-breaking numbers of people all in one venue, all at one time, all staying safe. The positive impact on our community deserves some kind of recognition. To everyone on Taylor’s team, her parents, and to Taylor herself, thank you. You probably saved a few lives.

Tami Freaney, Philadelphia

Pennsylvania is a global powerhouse when it comes to natural gas production, second only to Texas in the United States. The industry has made a lasting positive impact on the Commonwealth in the form of countless jobs, revitalizing a languishing manufacturing sector, making the state a hub for energy innovation, and via Pennsylvania’s unique impact fee, which goes directly to environmental projects and local communities across the state. Thanks to increased use of natural gas, Pennsylvania is also helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Simply put, the natural gas industry is a win for Pennsylvania.

That’s why it’s so important for elected officials on the state and federal level to support policies that will allow the industry to thrive. That’s not to say we should do away with all regulation and oversight. On the contrary, reasonable regulation and permitting processes should be the standard. The problem is overly burdensome and duplicative regulatory and permitting procedures. That type of unfriendly business climate may lead to the loss of countless opportunities for economic and community growth. It’s time to embrace Pennsylvania’s role as an energy leader. We can, and should, do more to grow our state’s energy industry while helping to reduce emissions with cleaner natural gas.

Jon O’Brien, executive director, Keystone Contractors Association

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