Updated: Philly pols tap community fund for improvements

    Every now and then one of those stories pop up that remind you why we need good political reporting on local issues, not just the presidential race.

    Check out veteran Daily News’ reporter Chris Brennan blowing the whistle on a plan to spend $74,000 from the Penn Treaty Special Services District to fix up an area conveniently close to a bar owned by a Democratic committeeman and the planned headquarters for the Democratic City Committee.

    And in an apparently related development, a bill sailed through City Council giving a block of Bodine Street to the bar, Finnegan’s wake.

    I’m sure there are perfectly reasonable explanations for all of this, and now that it’s gotten some public exposure, we’ll see whether this stufff actually happens. Breannan’s story here.

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    UPDATE: Hours after Brennan’s item appeared,  Finnnegan’s Wake owner Mike Driscoll indicated he’d withdraw his request for the $74,000 from the special services district. Details here.

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