PHILADELPHIA TALKS: THE CONTROLLER'S RACE
WEDNESDAY, May 6, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
Free. Reservations Required. Please call 215.409.6700 or order online.
Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach
Kirby Auditorium
National Constitution Center
Independence Mall
525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
Join the National Constitution Center and Philadelphia magazine on May 6th for the next installment of "Philadelphia Talks," a series of unique discussions about the hottest issues confronting our region. The candidates for City Controller, John Braxton, Alan Butkovitz, Brett Mandel, and Al Schmidt, will come together for a roundtable discussion moderated by Philadelphia magazine editor Larry Platt before the Democratic primary on May 19th. Together, they will help define the role of City Controller--the elected monitor of our City's spending--and shed light on how they can rid city government of waste and fraud, comment on the status of the city's pension and retirement fund, and discuss what can be done to return it to fiscal health, plus provide innovative and concrete cost-saving opportunities in city government.
The information below has been provided by the candidates:
John Braxton is a lifetime Philadelphian, with an accomplished career of public service in law, business, and financial administration. John served as a Judge in the Court of Common Pleas and as an Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Municipal Court Unit in the District Attorney's Office. In addition to his service on the bench and in the District Attorney's Office, John has developed expertise in commercial and economic development and long-term strategic business planning in both the private and public sectors. John served as Chair of the Board of Berean Federal Savings Bank, Vice President for Phoenix Management Services, Inc., Chair of the Board of the Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation, Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Intellisource Group, Inc., and as a member of the Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Authority.
Prior to his election as Philadelphia City Controller in 2005, Alan Butkovitz served 15 years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives where he acquired a reputation for hard work, independence and innovative ideas. As a freshman lawmaker in 1991, Butkovitz led the fight against his own party's leaders to successfully repeal a tax that required senior citizens to include social security, pensions and veteran's benefits as taxable income. It was Butkovitz's proposal to create harsher penalties for drunk drivers who kill that became law and mandates ten year prison terms for any drunk driver who causes an automobile accident that results in a death. Alan Butkovitz was born and raised in Philadelphia, he is a graduate of Overbrook High School, Temple University and Temple University School of Law.
Until recently, Brett Mandel was Executive Director of Philadelphia Forward - a citizens’ organization instrumental in improving tax fairness and enacting ethics reforms. Previously, he worked eight years in the Controller's Office under former Controller Jonathan Saidel as the Director of Financial and Policy Analysis. While working in the Controller's Office, Brett wrote Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction (Saint Joseph's University Press, 1999), a comprehensive plan designed to make Philadelphia a preferred place to live, work, and visit. A product of our public schools and now a public school parent, Brett grew up in Northeast Philadelphia. He lives in Fitler Square with his wife and three young children.
Al Schmidt is a former senior analyst at the non-partisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) – the investigative arm of Congress. He assisted members of Congress, both Democratic and Republican, in conducting oversight of government agencies, programs, and policies – anywhere that taxpayer dollars were spent – to identify and report waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. Prior to joining GAO, Mr. Schmidt served as a policy analyst for President Clinton’s Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States. As the Commission’s policy analyst he played a key role in formulating and presenting recommendations to the President. Mr. Schmidt received his B.A. and Ph.D. in political history.
Moderating this program is Larry Platt, Editor-in-Chief of Philadelphia magazine. This program is presented in partnership with Philadelphia magazine as part of “Philadelphia Talks,” a series of unique discussions about the hottest issues confronting our city.
Parking for this event is available for $7.00 at the National Constitution Center garage located at the rear of the building on Race Street between 5th and 6th Streets. Parking availability is subject to change, so please call the Constitution Center on the day of the program or check our web site for more information. Please also see our directions by public transportation.
For reservations, please call: 215.409.6700 or order online. Programs of the National Constitution Center begin promptly and latecomers may not be admitted to the program. Please note that the program is subject to change.
Related Links
Philadelphia Magazine