Grisafi is ready to put
City Council back on track
By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer
Gary Grisafi is sick of watching City Council debate issues such as whether supermarkets should use plastic bags or bakeries should be prohibited from using trans-fats.
Grisafi was outraged when Council declared Philadelphia a "pro-choice" city on abortion and voted to evict the Boy Scouts from its headquarters for refusing to put gay men in leadership roles.
If he wins the 7th Councilmanic District race, Grisafi vowed to be a prominent voice on hot-button issues.
"Who’s raising hell?" he asked. "I’ll do that."
Grisafi, a Republican, is running against Democrat Maria Quinones-Sanchez and independent Luis Pineda. The incumbent is Dan Savage, but Savage lost in the Democratic primary to Quinones-Sanchez.
This is Grisafi’s fourth run for office. He twice challenged state Rep. Mark Cohen (D-202nd dist.) and also faced Savage in a special election last November. An underdog in this race because of the overwhelming Democratic voter-registration advantage, he hasn’t ruled out a challenge to Cohen in next year’s Democratic primary.
A resident of Wellington Street in Castor Gardens, Grisafi is married with a 14-year-old daughter, Paige. He plays in a band and teaches music.
"I’m the real outsider in this race," he said, alluding to government jobs that Quinones-Sanchez has held.
On the campaign trail, he knocks on 800 doors a week in a district that stretches from Second and Diamond streets to Grant Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. His 73-year-old dad, John, often accompanies him.
The candidate has also attended various neighborhood forums and anti-crime rallies.
When he knocks on a door, he likes to have a dialogue with the resident. He even chatted with Quinones-Sanchez’s parents at their Juniata home.
"I think it’s important for the candidate to interact with the people face to face," he said in a meeting last week with the
Times editorial board.
On the issue of crime, Grisafi wants better police deployment, additional beat and bicycle patrols, more surveillance cameras and greater cooperation with Town Watch to erase Philadelphia’s reputation as the nation’s "murder capital." He thinks prisoners should receive education and job training before they’re released.
Before the city implements a stop-and-frisk policy to crack down on illegal guns, he wants to make sure the police are trained.
Only by lowering the crime rate and educating the work force will businesses want to come to Philadelphia, he argues. He also would eliminate the gross-receipts portion of the business privilege tax.
To balance the budget, Grisafi would cut spending. He’d start by declining the use of a city-issued car. His Ford Focus is good enough.
"Just give me a parking spot," he said.
Grisafi labels Quinones-Sanchez as "extreme" in her views, many of which were outlined in a questionnaire issued by the Liberty City Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Club.
In the questionnaire, she backs same-sex marriage, a needle-exchange program to prevent HIV infections, condom distribution in prisons, funding for sex-change operations and the city policy on the Boy Scouts.
If elected, he would promote more after-school programs that teach children music, art and dance.
When he lived on the 800 block of Anchor St. in Oxford Circle, he was a fierce opponent of a new Samuel Fels High School on the grounds of the former JFK Hospital. The site was up the block from his home.
In his opinion, the project is too costly and the plans have not been adequately detailed. He is also concerned about the students roaming through the neighborhood.
"They’re worse than the ones at Lincoln," he said.
Grisafi, who makes a little more than $20,000 a year, makes the financial sacrifice to send his daughter to a Catholic elementary school because of safety concerns in public schools.
"I’ll eat peanut butter and jelly every day for her to be safe," he said. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or
twaring@phillynews.com
http://www.northeasttimes.com
My name is Gary Grisafi and I’m a candidate for the 7th Councilmatic district on November 6, 2007. I want to share my grave concerns about the absence of my opponent, Maria Quinones Sanchez from major events in the Councilmatic district she is attempting to represent. Please take note of the following absences:
-September 22, 2007-Anti-violence rally and protest against the needle exchange program-QUINONES SANCHEZ ABSENT
-October 9, 2007 7th Councilmatic Forum - 2nd & Lehigh-showed up 1 hour late, stayed only 15 minutes, no comments
-October 11, 2007 Anti-violence Rally for murdered 21 year old innocent father, "F" street @ Allegheny Ave. QUINONES SANCHEZ ABSENT
WHERE IS MARIA QUINONES SANCHEZ?????
She wants to represent the citizens of the 7th District? I believe she feels the election is over. I attended all the above events and will continue to bring new ideas to America's greatest city because I truly care. If the citizens of the 7th councilmatic have any issues they would like to discuss, please e-mail me at
Garygtrg@aol.com. All issues will be met with a timely response. Let's keep up the fight for our neighborhoods. Let's not settle for more of the same old tired government!!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2007
The city of Philadelphia cancelling the lease’s of two good organizations.
On Wednesday August 1st the City of Philadelphia notified the Holmesburg Fish & Game Protective Association that it was terminating the lease and must vacate the premises and remove all personal property by December 31, 2007. The notice was hand-delivered to the club by several uniformed armed representatives of a city agency. HF&G is the only safe haven for responsible sportsman and shooters in the City of Philadelphia. HF&G has served many civic and charitable organizations over the years.
For nearly 80 years HF&G has been located on Pennypack Street off of State Road next to the Philadelphia Police Academy. It is a fixture in the community and one we can ill afford to lose.
Most importantly, HF&G has demonstrated throughout it's many years that it can help guide our city's youth away from drugs, crime and violence by mentoring them in an environment where the watchwords are safety, respect, responsibility and sportsmanship. It would be horribly ironic should the HF&G mission be abolished to accommodate the very criminals it strives to prevent. Wouldn't it be far better for HF&G to thrive and serve the community while it continues accommodating the Philadelphia Prison Guards in their training efforts?
Then there's the money the club brings into Northeast Philadelphia and not just from other area’s in Phila, but also from the surrounding counties and states.
HF&G has never caused this city any embarrassment. To the contrary, HF&G has been of benefit not just to its members but to the City of Philadelphia. HF&G would continue its history of service far into the future if permitted. It would also continue to cooperate with and accommodate the Philadelphia Prison Guards in their training efforts. HF&G did no wrong and I will fight to keep them here.
In mid-September, the City also cancelled the lease of another positive group: the Boy Scouts.
American Scouting was founded in part by a wheelchair-bound man named James West who pioneered programs for the physically and mentally disabled. “Scoutreach” is an effort to give a boost to young men growing up in poverty.
The Philadelphia Council is the third largest local council in the country, serving 87,000 boys and men. Since 1911, the BSA has reached out to disabled youth, racial and ethnic minorities, Native Americans, the Hispanic community and rural and inner city children.
The Boy Scouts have the God-given right to establish standards for membership, and those standards have been highly respected for over 90 years. Citizens across America have the God-given obligation to see to it that the Boy Scout Oath and Law are upheld for another 90 years.
Why should the Boy Scouts lower their standards and bow down to these extremist. Besides keeping boys off the streets, the Boy Scouts Law is to be: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, clean, brave and reverent. Things we need desperately in this city. The City should concentrate on the real issues: Education, Crime, Tax Reform, Corruption, Safer Schools, Clean and Safe Recreation Centers and Job opportunities.
