The Philadelphia Daily News
Wed., March 12, 1997
fax:12158545105

Mayor says drug woes not so vial
Challenges Street view, sees no need for state help

by Mark McDonald
Daily News Staff Writer

Mayor Rendell thinks Philadelphia's drug problem is ``slightly better''
than before, a sharp contrast to City Council President John Street's
characterization of the drug plague as ``out of control.''

As Philadelphians continue to complain that their neighborhoods are awash
in dope peddling, the city's two top elected officials have now staked out
dramatically different views of how the war on drugs has been going.

``I think the situation is actually slightly better in terms of where it's
been,'' Rendell said yesterday. ``So, if it's been out of control, it has
been so for a decadeplus.''

Street, comparing the drug problem now to a decade ago, said yesterday, ``I
think it's worse. It's at least as bad as I've ever seen it.''

The StreetRendell controversy touched off other political sparks as well,
with Councilman James Kenney sharply criticizing Street.

The city's drug war has been the subject of renewed public debate since
last week, when Street hammered Police Commissioner Richard Neal's plan to
combat streetlevel drug trafficking with a 25officer squad.

Then on Monday, Street sent a oneparagraph letter to Gov. Ridge, calling
the city's drug situation ``out of control'' and asking for help.

While Rendell said he was not completely satisfied with Neal's deployment
of officers in narcotics and other areas, he was not abandoning the
commissioner.

As he rushed to catch a train to Washington, the mayor said Street's letter
to the governor made ``no specific request . . . so it's a little hard to
comment.''

Rendell did not think Ridge should beef up the state police presence in
Philadelphia, as New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman did briefly in Camden.

``I don't think the governor would have any intention of giving state
police to Philadelphia, nor do I believe that's a request that is
justified,'' Rendell
said.

Nevertheless, a federal official said drug activity has jumped dramatically
in Philadelphia in the last few years.

``You've got an open drug market all over the city,'' said Larry McElynn,
special agent in charge of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration's
Philadelphia office. ``Drug sales are up all over. There's probably more
street activity of drugs of all sorts.''

DEA drug arrest totals in the city bear him out. For the five months ending
in February, drug arrests almost doubled from the same period a year
earlier,
McElynn said.

Philadelphia is so swamped with dope that in October 1995, President
Clinton declared the city a ``HighIntensity Drug Trafficking Area,'' which
provides extra federal drugfighting money to be shared by Philadelphia
police, DEA and other law enforcement agencies.

Nearly 300 Philadelphians who responded to the Daily News' request for
comment agree that drug trafficking is plaguing city neighborhoods.

Typical was a comment from one North Philadelphian, who said, ``The
neighborhood I live in has constant openair daylight drug sales. It's been
that
way for at least six years. These people have been selling so long they
could get a pension.''

Street's plea for help from Harrisburg got immediate attention.

Ridge asked State Police Commissioner Col. Paul J. Evanko to phone Street
``to listen,'' said Ridge press secretary Tim Reeves.
Reeves said it is too soon for the state to consider what options it might
make available to Philadelphia. He stressed that state officials' talking
to
Philadelphia officials about antidrug efforts is business as usual.
``We have a very productive relationship with the Philadelphia Police
Department . . . and we welcome Council President Street's suggestions to
make
that better,'' Reeves said.

Rendell said he ``didn't get that sense'' that Street was trying to grab
the drug issue for a mayoral bid in 1999.

The mayor's chief of staff, David L. Cohen, said Street's letter wasn't a
``broadside'' against the mayor.

``I think the Council president is asking for help, and I don't think
asking for help should be an affront to anyone,'' Cohen said.

Street also said he didn't think his letter implicitly repudiated the
mayor's efforts.

``The mayor and I pretty much agree that something desperately needs to be
done,'' he said.

Asked whether he planned to parlay the drug issue into a run for mayor,
Street said, ``It's a 1997 issue, and anybody who wishes to run for mayor
in
1999 has to be prepared to address some of the concerns that people have in
the neighborhoods. I don't think any of us can wait for 1999 to start
talking
about what needs to happen in these neighborhoods.''

But Councilman Kenney, an increasingly vocal opponent of the Council
president, said Street's foray into law enforcement is ``mayoral politics,
lock,
stock and barrel.''

``I think the mayor ought to be insulted by this sneak attack by the
Council president,'' Kenney said.

Kenney said Street is a ``Johnnycomelately'' to law enforcement issues.

``Politically, the governor wouldn't mind saying he'll help John Street. He
can make the mayor look bad without a direct insult,'' Kenney said. ``And
frankly, the only way the Republicans take the mayor's office back is if
Street is the Democratic nominee.'' Street said Kenney ``is entitled to his
views
on everything.''

``Nothing we've asked of Gov. Ridge in any way conflicts with anything the
Police Department or the mayor is doing,'' Street said.