Northeast elected officials and the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce last week presented a government open house at Cannstatter’s.
Among those on hand were Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, city elections Commissioner Lisa Deeley, City Controller Christy Brady, Register of Wills John Sabarina, City Councilmen Mike Driscoll, Anthony Phillips and Isaiah Thomas and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
There were also representatives of city, state and federal agencies. Elected officials with tables at the event included U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, state Sen. Jimmy Dillon, state Reps. Martina White, Jared Solomon, Anthony Bellmon, Ed Neilson, Joe Hohenstein and Pat Gallagher, Councilman Jim Harrity and Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
The election commissioners office also had a voting machine for guests to learn how to use.
Candidates on hand were Republicans Aaron Bashir, Joe Picozzi and Aizaz Gill.
Bethel and the elected officials addressed the crowd and answered questions.
DeFoor thanked Driscoll for supporting financial literacy education while he served as a state representative.
Phillips mentioned that the city will cut down trees impacting residential properties, with one recently removed on the 900 block of Marcella St. in Summerdale.
Thomas, chairman of Council’s Education Committee, said he will seek answers from the School District of Philadelphia as to why Abraham Lincoln High School has a projected enrollment of 2,700 when the capacity is 1,600.
Driscoll announced that there will be construction of a new $80 million Thomas Holme Elementary School campus.
Bethel was told that police prevented an illegal fireworks display on July 4 at Hayes Playground.
The police commissioner was grilled on issues such as a lack of manpower in the 7th and 8th police districts. He said the department was down 1,200 officers when he became commissioner in January. He said the department is doing a better job of recruiting but it will take a couple of years to get staffing and patrols back to the proper levels. Applications are on the rise, Bethel said, and will help the department as it seeks to replace officers who are retiring. ••
