Planning Not A Priority For Philly's 'Would-be' Mayors

"This was supposed to be the year in which urban planning took center stage as an issue in Philadelphia politics, along with crime and schools. But if last night's mayoral forum on urban design was any indication, the subject is still stuck with a bit role in the campaign."

"Only three of the six major candidates took part in the low-key event at the Central Library of the Free Library of Philadelphia, attended by nearly 400 people."

"While the three participating candidates - U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, State Rep. Dwight Evans, and former City Councilman Michael Nutter - all agreed that Philadelphia needs to rejuvenate its dysfunctional planning and zoning agencies, their proposals were largely about tinkering with the existing system. And when asked to name a signature initiative that could match the scope of Richardson Dilworth's blueprint for reviving Society Hill or John Street's anti-blight strategy, none ventured a vision."