Rendell says city will aid West Philadelphia

Mayor Ed Rendell has pledged city aid for West Philadelphia in a meeting with administrators and student government leaders, University President Judith Rodin announced at yesterday's University Council meeting. Rodin said the city will help fix lighting and trim shrubbery in West Philadelphia, though she did not specify how the mayor plans to pay for these initiatives. In the past, Rodin has said that Philadelphia officials denied similar requests due to city budget constraints. Rendell also said he would assign more members of this year's graduating police class to the area around campus. Philadelphia Managing Director Joe Certaine promised that a "Partners in Progress" sweep would be conducted in the area within the next two to three weeks. "This is a multi-faceted approach to clean and safe streets," Rodin said. "They are bringing in essentially a SWAT team to live [in West Philadelphia] for a week or two and? clean and seal vacant properties and abandoned lots. They remove abandoned autos, they clean sewers, they remove graffiti." And Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said Rendell offered to help persuade West Philadelphia landlords to install adequate lighting around their buildings. "The meeting was intense," Scheman said. "[Rendell] brought everyone that works for him that was involved and basically asked them to step up to the task." The meeting, which took place yesterday morning, involved Rodin, Scheman, Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson and College junior Tal Golomb, Graduate and Professional Students Assembly Chairperson Alex Welte and various members of the mayor's staff and the municipal government.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.