DiCicco: It’s Irresponsible Not To Waste Money

When we last heard from City Councilman Frank DiCicco (right), he was complaining that the federal government put him in Vince Fumo’s indictment just because he accepted free work from Fumo’s people even though they were being paid by Citizens Alliance to, say, put in floors in a house he bought. Wah, wah, he said, the government is just trying to make their indictment sexier.

Well, yesterday, DiCicco was leading the charge in City Council against the casinos, hoping to thwart or delay their arrival and to make sure his constituents re-elect him come May. Casino Free Philadelphia sponsored a petition with 27,000 signatures saying we shouldn’t have casinos.

The problem is, of course, that many of these proposals — such as the one banning all casinos from the city, the one letting residents vote on the casino proposals or the one that bans all casinos that rhyme with “Box Goods” and “Booger Mouse” — won’t stand up in court.

City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. warned that approval of anti-casino measures by City Council would only delay the arrival of the casinos, cost the city money in legal fees, and possibly sacrifice whatever zoning power the city now enjoys over the casino sites.

“The city’s powers in this regard are limited,” Diaz said at yesterday’s hearing. “We must respect the Gaming Control Board’s licensing decision, or else we will face almost certain defeat in the courts and inevitably will lose any local land use control.”

Of course, DiCicco wasn’t having any of it.

Diaz: “It is my conclusion that such a bill would be most likely struck down by the courts.”

DiCicco: “To take the position that we just basically have to roll over on this one and agree that we’re going to lose in court and, therefore, let’s not do these bills, I think is irresponsible.”

DiCicco added, “It is a long tradition of City Council — indeed, all government! — to waste money on futile projects. Why not waste money on something that not only is something many people would like us to do but could also get me re-elected? If we can’t waste money on this sensible proposal than, I ask, what can we waste money on?”

City Council was so impressed they agreed to vote on the proposals next month.

Public vote on casinos is discussed [Inquirer]
Feb. 8: DiCicco Too Sexy For This Federal Indictment