One of our 2015 Platform items we are asking Philly's political leadership to sign on to is the creation of Protected Bike Lane arterial network throughout the city of Philadelphia. Cycling addresses so many important issues for our city including transit choice, safer streets, improved public space, reducing congestion, improving public health and addressing sustainability for current and future generations. Continue reading

The Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia has been pushing for safer streets for years. In the lead up to the 2015 primary, Executive Director Alex Doty sits down with PW to talk the importance of Vision Zero and how an engaged electorate is crucial to ensuring we have a City Council that pays attention to and addresses these issues. Continue reading

As reported in Citified yesterday, before The 5th Square launched we registered the domains of many of our current City Council members.  Our plans for these domains are not trivial. As the election nears, we plan to issue scorecards for candidates and provide analysis of their records on the issues our supporters are concerned with – more transportation choices, safer streets, better public spaces, and higher quality governance. Candidate domain names will direct users to the relevant score cards. In many cases, we will be filling these pages with more substantive information than the candidates themselves might have, had they bothered to register them. Continue reading

This is a quick note of appreciation to everyone who helped us raise our first $5000. We officially launched The 5th Square only two weeks ago. In that time we have been overwhelmed with positive reinforcement from those around us. The donors who helped us reach our first fundraising goal are individuals here in Philadelphia and beyond who believe we can change our city for the better by advocating for policies that matter to all of our daily lives. Continue reading

Tim Wisniewski, Philly's Chief Data Officer, is profiled by Technical.ly Philly on the importance of open data. Just a reminder, it is not guaranteed our next mayor will believe the same thing. That's why we're asking leaders to formally write open data guarantees into our city charter. Read more here.    Continue reading

Most people become involved in politics through a single issue that they care about on a deeply personal level. Absent that human connection, the political advocacy grind can sometimes feel a lot like plain old work. Sometimes others reach out to us with their own personal stories that provide moments of clarity, moments that remind us – at the most fundamental level – why we are doing this. Continue reading

Philadelphia Magazine's Holly Otterbein gives a helpful overview of candidates who have so far declared their run for City Council at large positions. She also looks at incumbents and suggests some vulnerabilities new faces can capitalize upon.

Yesterday on Twitter, our friend Alex Hillman asked us what makes a political action committee (PAC) an effective way to accomplish political goals. Good question. Continue reading

Next City takes an in-depth look at open data and the implications it has for creating a better-governed, progressive Philadelphia. The article gives a helpful overview of the legacy Mayor Nutter will be leaving behind once he leaves office and highlights the fact that an open data future for the city, for all its advantages, is not guaranteed in the next mayoral administration. Continue reading

William Penn's original 1682 plan for Philadelphia centered around five public squares. With this design, he aimed to create an inclusive and prosperous society. Rittenhouse, Logan, Franklin, and Washington Squares compromise four of Penn's five original squares. Continue reading

The 5th Square has created a 13 point platform to help drive dialogue and change in the forthcoming 2015 primaries and beyond. This platform is primarily focused on public space, transportation choice and governance issues that have gone too long ignored for Philadelphia. Ashley Hahn from PlanPhilly's Eyes On The Street blog recently compiled a 2015 Civic Wish List of items she'd like to see for our city's future.  Continue reading

Have you taken a look at our 2015 Platform for the offices of Mayor & City Council? Great! Please fill out our brief survey and share your thoughts. Continue reading

For the latest from The 5th Square, be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.   Continue reading

Philadelphia needs more and better transportation and housing choices. We need more transit-accessible housing, and more jobs, retail, offices and co-working spaces close to where people live. We also need more high quality public spaces and green spaces to make our city a more social, healthy, and beautiful place. To get these things, we need leaders on City Council with the right vision. Continue reading