Germantown Pennsylvania , one of the oldest established communities in this country was an independent development, sub urban and detached from Philadelphia until 1854. A thriving self-contained business and residential center, it was the destination of one of America ’s first railroads built in 1832. After incorporation the Germantown area, which extended all the way to Chestnut Hill, continued to reflect a somewhat more separate culture than many neighborhoods. In later years the Chelten Avenue business district rivaled any in providing commodities, services, dining and entertainment.  Excellent public transportation brought residents from adjacent communities and in many ways eliminated the need for trips to center city, the largest commercial district.

 

Having been born, raised and attended school in this immediate area, beginning 62 years ago, I can attest to the vibrant, booming atmosphere of this community, and unfortunately I can validate that it has become a shadow of its former self.  Those who live and work here should question why.  To dismiss the changes as simply part of the urban collapse seen in many older northern cities as major anchor industries moved or closed, would be shortsighted and inaccurate.  Philadelphia was far from a one industry town but most of that diversity of opportunity has been driven out by misplaced governmental decisions and over taxation. In many ways Philadelphia has committed economic and political suicide, and Germantown is a prime example.  Most of its ills are self-inflicted, and the proponents of that self-destruction are still running the show.

 

Economic, social, racial and ethnic diversity existed in Germantown since it’s founding, and the well-documented post civil-war developments along those lines rivaled those anywhere in this country.  Opportunities in this area continued, even and especially during periods of social change in the 50’s and 60’s and the community never missed a beat.  What began in the 1970s and accelerated into the 1980s was a narrowing of control over development and real estate into the hands of a few with the purpose and intent to drive down the values and discourage independent and aggressive revitalization that would make the best use of Germantown’s assets, its people and its history.

 

The long-awaited political changes that began in 1952 positively impacted all of Philadelphia for about 15-20 years, and Germantown was no exception.  Political machines that do not cleanse themselves periodically of fraud and abuse eventually become corrupted and manipulative of the citizens, and Philadelphia has been paying that price in recent years to the point that we now make national headlines.  What has not made headlines yet is how the Northwest Philadelphia political culture is the poster child for some of the worst examples of fraud, corruption, and financial irresponsibility, all hiding under the mask of progressive multicultural harmony; something the Northwest has long claimed.  Unfortunately much of it is not true, and those who suffer the most are those who are least able to be heard.

 

Federal charges regarding suspicious dealings on a significant tax matter involving a Chestnut Hill real estate enterprise and the Chief of Staff of our City Council Office resulted in a guilty plea and an ongoing trial in Federal Court. This involves what is described as a phony front collection agency in upper Mt. Airy organized as part of a much larger money scam run by a friend and fund-raiser for the Mayor.  Anyone who reads the details learns that special accommodations for this very same Northwest Philadelphia landlord had been made previously by this Council Office. Records indicate that this same individual had served in positions of authority on development boards in Germantown with clear 8^th District connections. One who looks at readily available public documents finds an interesting level of participation in many area non-profit development agencies by a small group of individuals with almost a musical-chair supervisory arrangement in governing the movement of City, State, Federal and Private Grant dollars over the last 25 years.  The larger question is: where did these millions of dollars actually go and who ultimately benefited?  A glance at the physical condition of Germantown relative to even the spending programs that have been previously advertised, paints a dismal picture of a section of Northwest Philadelphia that has largely been dialed out.  This is not to mention those dollars that have not been publicly announced and move quietly through the system with no tangible results.

 

The political side of this picture is just as ugly.  Let’s face facts; a one-party top down totalitarian government runs this city and the 8^th District Council is no different.  There is no opposition party (the Republicans are inconsequential) and there is no visible reform movement within the Democrats who have held power for 53 years.  A significant amount of development funds are available, but virtually all are channeled, or need the approval of the Council District, prior to disbursement.  The question is who are they disbursed to and why?  Even more important is how are they used once in the hands of what purport to be legitimate 501C3 non-profit development organizations and their for-profit affiliates?  Most of Chestnut Hill and much of Mt.Airy have a vital commercial and residential appearance, but not without some local challenges.  Germantown is a much different and desperate story despite the fact that it has been the destination of record for many more dollars than the other two communities. 

 

The participation of virtually all local politicians from committeepersons through ward leader in looking the other way should be obvious to anyone who even glances at the problem.  I contend that there is an unspoken “arrangement” that no one active in district politics will ask any questions about what happens in Germantown as long as they “get theirs”. There is one important exception at the State level which I will discuss in a future article.  The other groups that are reluctant to ask any questions are the voters and taxpayers themselves, and we should know why.  There is much more to learn and learn it we must if legitimate and responsible government is to return to Germantown and the rest of the Northwest.

 

Is most of the city run this way - - probably, but this community sells itself nationally as a “remarkable urban positive experience”.  It is remarkable all right - - - remarkable in that no one even gives a damn, or cares to look.

 

Jim Foster

Mt. Airy