Letters to the Editor | Dec. 5, 2023

Regarding Kenyatta Johnson’s election as City Council president, although former president Darrell L. Clarke set a respectful atmosphere during Council meetings that was much appreciated, hopefully Johnson will usher in some meaningful improvements in policies and procedures that will bring Philadelphia’s legislative body into compliance with the Sunshine Act, including: 1) End restrictions to “agenda items only” on public comments at City Council meetings and committee meetings, which censors free speech on issues of concern and governance; 2) Provide the public with a complete printed agenda at the beginning of Council meetings and end the practice of adding agenda items at the last minute that are neither emergencies nor unforeseen occurrences; 3) End the practice of voting on agenda items that were added at that same meeting but do not constitute emergencies; 4) Institute regularly scheduled monthly committee meetings so that the public can make public comments before those committees; 5) Give a full three minutes for public comments; and 6) Start the meetings on time, as they are routinely 40 minutes late.

Lynn Landes, Philadelphia

I strongly disagree with sports columnist Marcus Hayes’ assessment of Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro. His behavior was not “awesome.” He injected himself into the game by putting his hands on 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. It is completely unacceptable for any staffer to touch any player. He should be fired, or at the very least, leash “Big Dom” to the stadium to keep brutish Eagles fans in line.

Desmond Smith, Yardley

There’s a particular grit to Pennsylvanians that keeps us grounded in our appreciation of hard work and delivering on our promises. My own roots in the commonwealth instilled that mindset in me, which is why I bristle at Sen. Bob Casey’s recent efforts to demonize the industry that I am very proud to represent: the makers of America’s favorite food and home-care products. We create the great brands Americans trust and rely on to sustain their families. We also support 20 million well-paying jobs in the United States.

But Sen. Casey has decided we are a problem, blaming us for general economic conditions in this country. He recently released a report on “greedflation,” where he attempts to weave a narrative that paints the makers of products as the cause of inflation — deflecting blame from Congress, the White House, and the Federal Reserve. While attempting to net convenient villains (who don’t work in Washington, D.C.), the senator’s theory fails to consider the economic realities behind the rising costs of consumer goods, like ongoing labor shortages, higher packaging costs, and supply-chain constraints (none of which have fully settled, despite falling out of the daily headlines). Tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum since 2018 haven’t helped, either.

Our industry has multi-decade — and often multigenerational — relationships with our customers, and we are keenly aware of the current strains on Americans. We appreciate Sen. Casey’s efforts to look at how Pennsylvania families are budgeting. But our focus is on real problems and real solutions.

David Chavern, president and CEO, Consumer Brands Association

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