Welcome to Katzland

DECISION TIME: Ron Knabb catches up on the day's news at the Mayfair Diner, an eatery in the heart of Katz territory. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Street's blight initiatives leave some in the Northeast feeling left out.

by Amy L. Webb

At first glance, the Route 1 Café doesn't look like a favorite neighborhood bar. The venerable Northeast Philly taproom sits just off Roosevelt Boulevard on the edge of a strip mall. A bright neon Budweiser sign hangs in the window above the café's menu, which offers the staples: wings, poppers and lots of beer.

Inside, two dozen men in flannel shirts and baseball caps sit around the bar, a long island in the center of the room. Most know one another, and if not, they have people in common. On the weekends, local bands play there. During football season, the TV monitors along the ceiling are tuned to every available game. And now that the mayoral election is one week away, the guys are talking politics.

But only during the commercials, of course.

"Street has wasted so much money," says Mike Laigaie, who grew up in the neighborhood and works in the construction trade. "Very few people will say that Street was horrible for the city, and I don't think he did a terrible job. But if you look at what [former mayor and current Gov. Ed] Rendell did, he moved the city forward, fixed our finances. Street seems like he's moving backwards."

Laigaie sits on a corner stool nursing a bottle of Bud. His eyes are cherubic and his enthusiasm for Philly history is contagious. Two men in blue jeans lean over the bar to listen.

"Since the '50s, the Democrats have been running the city, and we've seen questionable contracts given out to politicians' friends and relatives," Laigaie says. "And you've got agencies working in city government, and they're supposed to oversee who gets contracts. This isn't Street's fault -- it's been crooked for years. On the other hand, he hasn't done anything to stop it."

His brother, Pat, looks down at his beer and nods in agreement. "I think people want change," he says. "It's not just that they want to change who's the mayor. They want the machine changed. They want a new take on the city."

Pat Laigaie, a mechanic who works for the city, says that he can't campaign for any candidate. "But I can say that I won't be voting for Street."

Northeast Philadelphia stretches up along the Delaware River and includes at least 11 zip codes, depending on how far south you define the district's borders. The Northeast is vast and suburban with an equal share of winding creeks and restaurant chains. Driving along Frankford Avenue, golden and auburn-colored leaves cover well-manicured lawns. The only "graffiti" anywhere are campaign signs marking most every utility pole.

The Northeast is overwhelmingly white and the population is now relatively stable after two decades of decline. People are educated, many with college degrees. And with the exception of the neighborhood's Frankford section, the median price of a home ranges from $50,000 to $99,000, according to 2000 U.S. Census statistics.

This is an area largely untouched by NTI and Safe Streets. The concern here is more about trash, noise pollution, parking and keeping the surrounding neighborhoods clean than about city drug-treatment programs or blight.

"To me, Street seems like he's looking out only for certain people," says Cathy Schmidt, as she reaches down to grab a few ears of Indian corn at a roadside vegetable stand near Pennypack Park. Schmidt and her husband, Jim, have stopped to buy fall decorations and pumpkins for Halloween. "I really feel neglected. There are other issues in Philadelphia than crackheads and blight. I give this city an awful lot of my money in taxes, and I feel as if hunks of the budget are being used on services and programs that have nothing to do with me."

The Schmidts, who are consultants and live in Rhawnhurst, say they don't vote along party lines but instead for who they feel is the best candidate.

"Last time I thought that Katz was the better candidate, and I think so this time again," Jim says. "So what if he's had a transgression or two? The man's job has been helping other cities figure out their budgets, making them more efficient, spending less money without cutting services. Why wouldn't we want someone like that in office?"

Cathy emerges with an armful of corn. "You have a point," she tells her husband. "But I think that people are going to think less about Katz's ideas because of that federal probe, which is too bad. Street is playing the victim, and that's going to win him votes from a lot of people who aren't thinking about second-tier issues like parking, recycling and budget waste."

The Schmidts seem like many in the Northeast, though it is difficult to characterize everyone's political mood because the area is so big. But if the time each candidate has spent getting out the vote is any indication, the Northeast is Katzland.

"Katz has been here talking to people, even old guys like me," says 92-year-old Howard Scott, who sits alone at the Mayfair Diner counter. "I'll have the crab cakes," he says to his favorite waitress and flashes her a wide smile.

Scott lives just a few blocks away from the Mayfair, a Northeast institution that Katz has frequented throughout the campaign. The diner has been a place where Katz and his group rest and refuel between events.

The Mayfair has been in business since 1932 and still has an art deco façade. The diner sits just off a few residential blocks where wide brownstones and shady maples line the streets. People from the neighborhood visit the Mayfair, which is known for its fresh fish and homemade soups. Maybe that's why so many political figures have stopped by for meals as well. John F. Kennedy came to the Mayfair during a visit to Philadelphia; so did Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.

"I think that if the people elect someone, that person has a duty to perform as well as he can," Scott says. "If he doesn't do well, they should vote him out. I do not think that Street did his duty to Philadelphia."

The waitress brings out a plate of steaming crab cakes and sets it on the counter in front of Scott. He unfolds his napkin and gingerly places it on his lap.

"The elderly should get assistance when they need it," Scott says. "Older people need better public transportation. I think that the mayor should not just think about minorities and investors. Philadelphia has all kinds of people and they all have needs."