Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction

As a CPA and candidate for controller of Montgomery County, PA, it is refreshing to see the long-term planning, comparison, functional issue review, and the "watchdog" functions of a controller so well laid out. Montgomery County will be well served to use this planning approach.

I am a passionate city fan and wish every mayor in the country would read this book and implement the policies the authors advocate. There are no quick fixes to the problems shared by large American cities (crime, poverty, decay). As successful cities prove over and over, local government must concentrate on the basics -- improving schools, reducing crime, lowering taxes -- to make the city a place where people want to be instead of a place people want to avoid. If Philadelphia would adopt the recommendations of this book, the city would truly be a great one.

Please tell me it's not this easy to run a city. If all the Giulianis, Rendells, and Daleys of the world would just implement this new direction for urban america, our cities would not be afflicted with the ills they currently suffer. Every big city resident should demand that local government run as recommended in this book. Students, policy professionals, elected officials, and urbanites everywhere should make this book a part of their libraries.

Jonathan Saidel and his staff at the City Controller's Office have truly revolutionized the way city government looks at urban policy in 21st century Philadelphia. This initiative demonstrates how municipal governments can spearhead positive change in urban America. The socioeconomic proposals demand serious consideration in an ever-competitive urban environment. Philadelphia can now be seen as a motivating force for improved urban life. Citizens now can view government as a partner for improved quality of life.

This book makes concrete, achievable, realistic suggestions for reform in Philadelphia which will serve as a model for public policy direction in cities across the US. Mandel, Babyak, and Volpe have written the definitive text to lead Philadelphia into the next century. PANUD also would be an excellent textbook for public policy, urban studies, and government courses at the college and graduate levels.