Democratic machine scrambling under fire from the left
No. 106 | June 15, 2026
City News
The Wards that Work coalition, which includes Philly DSA, beat back the Democratic party machine last week, winning control of six neighborhood wards and electing over 300 neighborhood committee people in the process. To keep control of her own 22nd ward, Councilmember Cindy Bass undermined democracy by declaring herself the Ward Leader after a divided voice vote, refused to let the votes be counted, and quickly adjourned the meeting. The city committee will hold a recount.
Amid speculations of a mayoral challenge to Mayor Parker in 2027, District Attorney Larry Krasner criticized the Mayor, requesting increased funding for shooting investigations, domestic violence prosecutions and victim services. Krasner denies having plans to run.
Unionized hotel workers with Unite Here Local 274 have extended their strike deadline due to “substantial progress” made in negotiations. However, the union said it could strike at any time and cause a massive disruption for the World Cup.
Philly Police Department assaulted and kettled residents celebrating at the Gayborhood Pride Festival, provoking condemnation from the left including Philly DSA. Mayor Parker, staying true to character, responded with empty platitudes. City Council is planning hearings to investigate the incident.
Philly cops are given up to $75,000 to cover funeral expenses for police who die in the line of duty. But the Fraternal Order of Police spent hundreds of thousands during years when no officers died – including dubious purchases like bar tabs and Home Depot receipts without explanation – leaving Philly officials to wonder where hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars are really going.
Tenants are being forced from one of the last remaining blocks of affordable row homes in Center City, since a developer purchased the homes to build larger apartments with inevitably higher rents.
As the school year comes to a close, Philadelphia teachers speak about the open secret of passing students with failing grades. They cite the increased emphasis on standardized performance assessments, which began with the federal No Child Left Behind Act under the George W Bush administration.
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must restore all museums, parks and landmarks after they were altered under a previous executive order. This includes the slavery panels removed from Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park to commemorate the nine individuals enslaved under George Washington.
State News
The State House has passed DSA Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler’s bill to tax Big Tech’s digital ads. DSA Rep. Rick Krajewski cosponsored the bill, and DSA Senator Nikil Saval sponsored the companion legislation as part of the “Tax Billionaires, Fund PA” package.
Advocates for lower electricity prices in PA, including DSA Rep Elizabeth Fiedler, are calling for regulations to make data centers provide their own electricity – reducing the financial burden of rising energy costs. Without the change, the added power demand of planned PA data centers could be two and a half times that of New York City, but Gov. Josh “put your data center here” Shapiro has supported only paltry regulations.
Republican candidate for governor Stacy Garrity flanked Shapiro from the left on data centers, criticizing him for being soft on the companies building them, and calling for a temporary moratorium alongside new regulations.
The Swarthmore-9 – a group arrested last May for an encampment on Swarthmore’s campus to protest the Genocide in Gaza – gathered in front of the Delaware County Courthouse on Tuesday to bring awareness to their situation. The group’s attorney filed a motion to have the charges dismissed, which will be heard June 22, before their trial scheduled for June 29.
Lancaster County officials are looking to boost vaccination rates in the county after a measles outbreak. Only 88.5% of kindergarteners were vaccinated in 2024, but scientists believe 95% vaccination is a threshold to keep a community safe from an outbreak.
JBS Foods, a global meat producer, is closing its plant in Souderton, PA, citing the need to be more efficient in the US’s meat industry. However, this comes suspiciously after the plant’s union, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, won a major conflict last June.
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The Weekly Rose
Ecuador fans descended on Philly for the World Cup and embraced the sports culture… by climbing tall things in drunken celebration. Unfortunately they caught a stray —accidently invoking the curse of the Rocky statue that forces a loss for any visiting team to adorn it with their colors.