Philadelphians agree the city is on the wrong track | Morning Newsletter
And how a Pa. lawmaker with sexual harassment allegations remained in office
The Morning Newsletter
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There’s some chance of snow today but mostly rain. Temperatures will only reach the low 40s.
As the city gears up for the May 16 mayoral primary, a new poll asked Philadelphians about the state of the city and the issues it faces.
Most people say the city is moving in the wrong direction — particularly related to crime and public safety — but there’s a lot of variation in other issues people prioritize, and in their personal outlooks on living here.
Our lead story dives into the answers.
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— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Across the board, Philadelphians are frustrated with city leaders and concerned for the future.
Reminder: In 2019, 37% of city residents thought the city was headed in the wrong direction.
That has since doubled in the wake of the pandemic and rising crime, according to the “Every Voice, Every Vote” survey from SSRS and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
People have different levels of exposure to gun violence, but everyone agrees that crime is a top priority.
Still, most people do like living in Philly. A slight majority — 55% — said the city was an “excellent” or a “good” place to live.
Important note: How people experience the city is divided along racial and ethnic lines.
The trends:
Residents of color and poorer residents were most likely to be dissatisfied.
Residents who reported experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity within the last three years rated the city more negatively.
Longtime residents were also more likely to rate the city negatively compared to newer arrivals.
Continue reading for a complete data breakdown.
And when you’re done, be sure to take the time to hear directly from respondents and their personal struggles.
A Delaware County lawmaker resigned from the Pennsylvania House last week amid sexual harassment allegations.
But top House Democrats have known about state Rep. Mike Zabel’s behavior for more than three years.
When a lobbyist accused Zabel of sexual harassment in 2019, then-House Minority Leader Frank Dermody told him to get his alcohol use under control and complete sexual harassment training, according to sources close to the matter.
Zabel complied but the behind-the-scenes effort ultimately failed.
As recently as Jan. 3, the day lawmakers took their two-year oaths of office, Zabel was seen groping a female lobbyist at a hotel bar in Harrisburg and a male lawmaker had to break it up.
Last week, Rep. Abby Major said Zabel harassed her in November and followed her to her car.
Zabel’s former campaign manager has also come forward with their own experience with Zabel’s inappropriate behavior.
Continue reading to learnabout how difficult it can be in statehouses to get accountability for inappropriate behavior. 🔑
What you should know today
City officials warned they will hold up school funding if the Philadelphia School District doesn’t come up with a concrete plan for exactly how it would deal with its asbestos problem, among other building issues. 🔑
Jason Kelce announced he’s returning to the Eagles for a 13th season.
Temple grad students overwhelmingly ratified a new contract with the administration, ending their six-week strike.
Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court overturned a decision that allowed a natural gas project in Delaware County.
The FBI recovered stolen muskets, pistols, and swords from the Revolutionary War.
Cirque du Soleil will return to the Philly area with a Big Top extravaganza in September.
Days ahead of his Philly show on Thursday, Bruce Springsteen postponed another concert.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
Who is the first woman to be an on-field coach in Phillies history?
A) Dana Parks
B) Sarah Edwards
C) Corinne Landrey
D) None of the above
Find out if you know the answer. 🔑
What we’re...
👀 Watching: President Biden told people in the U.S. to have confidence in banks, seeking to project calm after the Silicon Valley collapse, which is the second largest bank failure in U.S. history.
🎤Anticipating: Drake will perform at the Wells Fargo Center at the end of July.
📱Discussing: Reporters Barbara Laker and David Gambacorta will answer questions during a Reddit AMA in r/baseball today at 1 p.m. about their recent investigation, Field of Dread. It looked at a spike in the rate of brain cancer deaths for Phillies players who played at Veterans Stadium from 1971-2003.
🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩
Hint: Adam Sandler, Netflix, and basketball
SLEUTH
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Cheers to Renate Dietzschold, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Market East. Email us if you know the answer.
Photo of the day
I’m starting my day by reading all the hot takes online about Sunday’s season finale of The Last Of Us. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer.