Shooting crimes | budget compromises falling into place | dancing in Wharton Square Park | bogus bike lane veto

Since 2001 photographer Joe Kaczmarek has shot city crime scenes. Phawker talked to Joe about his night owl schedule, police scanner listening grandmother, stray cats and silly ringtones at crime scenes, and the good people of Philadelphia.

City Council is getting closer to reaching a budget deal that raises money for the school district and reveals the likely tax rate (1.75% or 1.8% of a property’s value), reports the Inquirer. Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. described the budget wrangling as “being in a moving truck on a bumpy road, shooting at a moving target,” but believes the necessary compromises will be reached.

This summer Wharton Square Park will turn into a dance party thanks to DJ Ali Hackett’s Throwback Thursdays. The South Philly Review caught up with Hackett and Point Breeze neighbors about “good time music” new and old, and finding ways to give young people a positive message about community.

City Council veto power over new bike lanes is bogus, the Inquirer editorialized. Councilman Bill Greenlee claims the move will ensure a more transparent and participatory process, but the administration and planners have already been good at collecting and listening to public input about bike lanes. “Creating more red tape for bike lanes sends the message that the car remains king in Philadelphia, and that the goal of building a more sustainable, less-polluted city is a lower priority,” the editorial concludes.

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