Letters to the Editor | July 14, 2024

I am a resident of Washington Square West and a local real estate agent in Philadelphia. Inga Saffron’s column mischaracterizes the pending Washington Square West historical district. My biggest concerns come down to a few factors. This process was done with very limited community engagement, as the Washington Square West Civic Association has around 400 members. Meanwhile, there are more than 1,440 buildings in consideration. From listening to calls and conversing with residents, there is more registered opposition than support.

The criteria used by the researchers to determine what is significant, contributing, and non-contributing is murky at best. The involvement of the Philadelphia Historical Commission on exterior changes is not limited to “major changes.” Its oversight extends to all exterior changes, except for painting wood or metal. The higher cost of insuring and maintaining historical homes is not considered. Currently, there isn’t a program that offers financial assistance to homeowners to support historically conforming repairs. For those who wish to sell their home, they may have to sell at a discount to entice buyers to pick their home over others that do not have historic restrictions.

Colin Murphy, Philadelphia

In an interview with The Inquirer, Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said the theme of the NEA convention in Philadelphia was to “promote public education as the foundation of our democracy,” and that efforts around vouchers are “a deliberate effort to dismantle public schools.” Sadly, public schools and education are not synonymous, as year after year these schools fail to educate our children. Pringle goes on to praise diversity, saying that it comes with “incredible strength and beauty.” Perhaps she should see diversity in the choice of education for all our children as a thing of strength and beauty, too. The greatest socioeconomic growth in our country happened after World War II, when veterans accounted for 49% of college admissions fueled by GI Bill scholarships — which, much like voucher programs, allowed money to follow qualified students to the schools of their choice, not to one monolithic system of education. That is how we do justice to our children’s futures and help preserve democracy.

Adriana della Porta, Philadelphia

Presidential candidates usually demonstrate their ability to govern by leading their own party and organizing effective campaigns. President Joe Biden, a very old gentleman with a severe stutter and a need for appropriate rest, is currently attempting to do both while also governing the country. He is hosting our Western allies at the NATO summit, welcoming and conferring with them to forge a unified front against Russian threats. At the same time, Biden is attempting to govern the diverse, unruly Democratic Party through decisive and clear communication. And he is organizing a national election campaign with hundreds of offices around the country.

So far, NATO is unified, and the vast majority of our allies are paying their fair share to beef up Ukraine’s defenses. The chorus of dissent among Democrats appears to have peaked, and the party looks poised to unite around their nominee. The campaign is producing effective ads and assembling thousands of volunteers to get out the vote. From all appearances today, despite his tendency to forget some details, Biden is governing effectively. Isn’t that a better test of his ability than a 90-minute debate?

William F. Culleton, Philadelphia, wcully2@comcast.net

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