[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 72 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN A. SAIDEL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 2006

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jonathan A. 
Saidel, former Controller for the City of Philadelphia.
  Jonathan Saidel served as Philadelphia's City Controller for 16 
years, winning reelection most recently in 2001 with 87.5 percent of 
the vote. As Controller, he has won local and national plaudits for 
reforming and professionalizing the Controller's office, his dedication 
to fiscal discipline, and proposing innovative ideas to grow 
Philadelphia. His 1999 book ``Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction'' 
continues to be used as a textbook in college level urban studies 
courses.
  Jonathan Saidel has been called ``a taxpayer's best friend'' for his 
outspoken advocacy of reducing Philadelphia's crushing tax burden in 
order to spur economic development and stop the exodus of people and 
jobs from the city. His work with then Mayor Edward Rendell in the 
early 1990's helped return Philadelphia from the brink of bankruptcy. 
His groundbreaking audits and proposed government reforms have saved 
the taxpayers over 500 million dollars since 1990.
  Jonathan Saidel is a great humanitarian involved with political 
causes and organizations too numerous to mention, serving on the 
Special Olympics, Boy Scouts, Salvation Army and the Variety Club. He 
is a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Center of 
Government and teaches Government Finance as an Adjunct Professor in 
the MBA Program at Drexel University.
  Mr. Speaker, Jonathan Saidel has long been recognized for his 
outstanding community and civic involvement, and it is for these 
reasons that I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues rise 
to honor him.

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