Skip to main content
The largest online newspaper archive
A Publisher Extra® Newspaper

The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 19

Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Issue Date:
Page:
19
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

The Philadelphia Inquirer 10-BR Council foils proposal to mandate item-pricing Frank Rizzo Praises Katz, pounds Castille Sam Katz Gaining in the polls accused of ganging up front-runner Castille due largely to the efforts of Cohen, already was perceived as anti-busi- -4 ness and could ill-afford new regula- tions detrimental to those interests. Cohen drew support from fellow Council liberals Marian Tasco, Angel' L. Ortiz and Augusta A. Clark. Ortiz objected to claims that Coun-! cil habitually opposed business inter-'" ests.

He said that Council had demon- strated its support for business in a number of key areas, including the approval of funding for the Center City Convention Center, the creation of the Special Services District to improve public services in Center City, the business-inspired vendor- iit reform bill and the approval of tax abatements for developers. One of the Council members most i obviously uncomfortable with the proposed law was John F. Street, who spoke for and against it. At one point he assailed it as a "classic example of legislative overkill" but then praised, its "right-to-know" requirements. Street, who has been trying straddle the interests of big business and the poor in a tough reelection" fight for his Fifth District seat, eventually voted for the bill.

But not before he proposed, to widespread! laughter from the audience, a "compromise" that would require super-' markets to price one sample of each, item and affix it to the shelf for all customers to see. Undeterred by the negative reaction to his proposal, Street said he', would propose it in the form of legis- lation next week. Denouncing his fellow Democratic Council member as "totally anti-business," Francis Rafferty glared at Cohen and roared: "He's trying to bring this back to life to beat us in the election. "You ain't going to beat us, Cohen. You ain't going to beat us!" Cohen, straining to be heard over the jeers and taunts from business people and their employees in the gallery, declared that supermarkets had no right to force people to "shop blind." Consumers, Cohen said, "have a right to know what the price is for something they are about to buy." He said the striped bar codes now used by supermarkets cut costs for the industry while forcing "frail, old people" to shop with inadequate information.

In addition to Rafferty, two other conservative Democrats James J. Tayoun and Joan Krajewski accused Cohen of pandering to the voters on an issue that they said sounded good but was inherently flawed. They said that imposing item-pricing on supermarkets would drive up grocery prices, cause store owners to lay off employees and might force them to relocate outside the city. Republican Council members picked up on that theme, with W. Thacher Longstreth, who opposed item-pricing from the proposal's inception, saying it would encourage more businesses to flee the city.

Longstreth said that Philadelphia, Campaign '91 ent way almost as a conspiracy. They point to a lawsuit filed by the Rizzo camp in March that accused Castille of violating the City Charter by using his District Attorney's office as his mayoral campaign headquarters. Castille denied the charges, and ultimately prevailed after much testimony and acrimony in Common Pleas Court. During the hearings, Katz campaign manager Bob Kutler a long CO 0 8 ISMSB By Thomas Turcol Inquirer Stall Writer City Council woke from its preelection slumber yesterday with a bang, scuttling a proposed law to regulate supermarket pricing during a stormy session that resurrected long-simmering hostilities among Council factions. Inflaming the old passions was a proposal by Councilman David Cohen that would require supermarkets to individually price each item as a convenience for consumers, particularly the elderly.

Cohen, who was accused of political grandstanding, got the votes of seven of the 13 Council members in attendance for what is commonly known as item-pricing. But he fell two votes short of the nine required to adopt an ordinance. Council passed the measure a year ago, but failed to muster enough votes to override Mayor Goode's veto. Cohen startled his colleagues, many of whom hoped to dodge the politically charged issue in an election year, by reviving the bill last week. Yesterday, during their most raucous session of the year, Council members split into pro-business and pro-consumer factions and labeled their adversaries as political opportunists.

Cohen came under a ferocious assault by critics who attacked both the merits of the proposed law and the motivation behind it. fl GS ,1 0 fs Req. Save 5-Pc Imported time friend of Rizzo's campaign manager Martin Weinberg and a deputy managing director in the Rizzo administration testified that he discussed the possibility of filing the lawsuit with Rizzo's campaign counsel, James W. Baumbach, several weeks before the case was filed. Baumbach and Weinberg are law partners.

Republican Party boss William A. Meehan said the testimony was evidence of collusion between the two camps a charge Rizzo and Katz vehemently deny. Meehan jokingly called Kutler and Weinberg "cousins" and said they were mapping a joint strategy. (3 on LU SALE V' Friday, May 3, 1991 Ronald D. Castille Under attack from both Rizzo, Katz to shut out By Bill Miller Inquirer Stall Writer For Ronald D.

Castille, it's a one-two punch, quite a combination. First comes an attack from Frank Rizzo, who summoned reporters yesterday morning to the steps of the District Attorney's Office to deliver a blistering critique of Castille's prosecutorial career. Today Castille will get another blow: a television commercial from the third GOP candidate, Sam Katz. The 30-second spot questions Castille's desire to be mayor and says that he chose to remain district attorney "until the very last hour of the very last day" before entering the mayor's race. The Katz commercial, entitled "Not Ron," sets the tone for the closing weeks of the Republican mayoral primary.

Castille, the front-runner with the GOP's endorsement, is going to be under constant fire from Rizzo and Katz. Many Republican strategists had anticipated that Katz, a municipal finance analyst, would join former Mayor Rizzo in attacking Castille. There is speculation that Katz soon will go further by raising questions about Castille's prosecutorial record and about his credentials and capability to resolve the city's fiscal woes. Katz has an opportunity to do that in next Tuesday's Republican debate. Two to one City Commissioner John F.

Kane said, "I think they may be ganging up for the next couple weeks. All they want to do is destroy Castille." In separate interviews and at occasional campaign stops, Rizzo and Katz have said that Castille lacks the imagination and desire to be mayor. Now Katz makes that point in a commercial that also touts his newspaper endorsements. The commercial puts a slash mark across Castille's face for extra emphasis. Katz explained yesterday that candidates talk about the people in front of them, and that in his case, he believes he's closing in on Castille.

Castille resigned as district attorney on March 12, the last day he could remain in office and enter the mayoral primary. He said the timing was not a reflection of his ambition to be mayor. Far from it, he said. The fact that he resigned such a powerful office, he said, demonstrated his mayoral zeal. Castille's press secretary, Laura Linton, described the Katz attack as a sign of desperation.

Katz said it was exactly the opposite. For the last several weeks, Katz has seen his standing climb in polls as Rizzo attacked Castille on a variety of issues, including allegations about excessive drinking and carelessness with firearms. Castille has remained in front, but the polls show that some of his supporters have defected to Katz. During that time span, Rizzo rarely has said an unkind word about Katz and vice versa. The two candidates are quite cordial on the campaign circuit.

Buddies Rizzo often jokes with Katz, even put his arm around him after a forum on Monday at the Union League. For a short while, they stood next to each other shaking hands as people left the meeting room. In contrast, Rizzo and Castille take pains to ignore each other while Katz and Castille are polite but distant. At forums and in interviews, Rizzo says he wants a finance director just like Katz. Katz says he doesn't want that job.

Katz says he supported Rizzo in 1987 against Mayor Goode but thinks that this is his year to be mayor. What's going on? The thinking in Rizzo circles is that Rizzo benefits any time Castille loses votes because it puts Rizzo within closer reach. The thinking in Katz circles is that Katz benefits, too, by collecting his own share of votes from the Castille-Rizzo feud. Rizzo said this week that he hasn't taken any swipes at Katz because "Sam Katz is a fine and decent guy." Rizzo added, "If I lose to Katz which I don't think I will I would have no problem with that." "But if I lose to Castille," Rizzo began. At this point his voice got lower.

"I know him well, and that's the reason I would never support him." For his part, Katz said yesterday that he hasn't taken many shots at Rizzo because "you never talk about the guy who's behind you." Rizzo and Katz disagree on how they would address all three key issues in the GOP race municipal finances, public safety, and trash collection. But their differences are aired in a very diplomatic, dignified manner. Republican Party leaders view the tactics of Katz and Rizzo in a differ- ff We've got the It's our number one priority to undersell the competition EVERYDAY on fine imported leather lacquer. And that's not just talk. Italian Lacquer Bedroom '500.

You get: Dresser, mirror, 2-night lO I af Ultra Contemporary in white or black over-sized headboard witn Deveiea mirror inserts. Armoire Sale Reg. an piattorm sale Meg. -493-. the buyino powers tables queen mirrored headboard.

witn Drass We buy more leather and lacquer from Italy's top makers than anyone else in the Northeast to bring you the best se ection price! Leather Chair Ottoman Reg. 299. Save 50. Contemporary black leather chair SALE 3-Pc Storage Tables Reg. '460 Save 60.

You get: Cocktail rAI -and two end tables. There is a sliding 5ALE-0 For door for storage on the cocktail table and pull doors on the end tables. The 9 ottoman features high back with head support, padded arms button tufting. Round disk base with tilt mechanism. tinisn is ot DiacK mgn gioss accents.

VISA LONG ISLAND (CONT.) Smith Haven: 1000 Nesconset Hwy. Rt 347 (516) 361-8877 Farmingdale: 2005 Broad Hollow Rd. Rt. 1 10 (516) 293-1822 Holbrook: 5755 Sunnse Hwy. (516) 563-9500 NEW JERSEY Paramus: Route 4 East ol Route 17 (201) 845-0055 Fairfield: Rt.

46. West ol Wiltowbrook Mall (201) 227-3360 Union: U.S. Rt 22 Comer Michigan Ave. (201 688-321 1 East Brunswick: 678 Route 18 (201) 257-6300 NEW YORK (COOT.) BrooklynBay Ridge: 620 86th Street (718) 680-8000 Yonkers: 2350 Central Ave. (914) 961-5410 Nanuet: 293 W.

Rt 59 (Exit 14, NYS Twy (914) 623-6732 Middletown: 88-30 Dunning Rd. (914) 344-5553 Poughkeepsie: 405 Vassal Rd. (914) 298-7882 LONG ISLAND Valley StreamGreen Acres Mall: 2 West Circle (516) 568-0080 Carle Place: 206 Glen Cove Rd. (51 6) 741 -8300 NEW YORK Manhattan: 1 Union Square Wasl (212) 929-0606 Bronx: 2480 Grand Concourse (212) 2954164 Bronx: Bruckner Blvd. at White Plains Rd.

(212) 409-9013 Jamaica: 165-08 Liberty Ave. (718) 657-4541 Elmhurst: 86-08 Oueens Blvd (718) 478-4747 Woodside: 51-06 Northern Blvd (718) 651-5770 BrooklynMarine Park: 2544 Flatbush Ave (718) 377-2845 BrooklynBay Ridge: 566 86th Street (718) 833-5800 For worry free enjoyment of your new furniture, ask your salesman about Leather treatment that protects your upholstered furniture with an invisible shield. 33 tiil Seaman' INSTANT CREDIT Ask About HI.

Get access to Newspapers.com

  • The largest online newspaper archive
  • 300+ newspapers from the 1700's - 2000's
  • Millions of additional pages added every month

Publisher Extra® Newspapers

  • Exclusive licensed content from premium publishers like the The Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Archives through last month
  • Continually updated

About The Philadelphia Inquirer Archive

Pages Available:
3,845,124
Years Available:
1789-2024