News in Brief

The city of Philadelphia could limit campaign contributions and spending in mayoral, city council and controller elections under a bill passed by the House of Representatives.



The bill was approved 197-1 last week and goes to the Senate for consideration.



Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) introduced the campaign finance measure, as an amendment to a routine bill repealing an outdated 1919 law. The bill would give Philadelphia City Council the authority to enact campaign finance controls.



Vitali said he drafted the measure after last fall’s Philadelphia mayoral race, in which candidates spent more than $27 million. He called that the most expensive local election in the nation’s history.



The bill would allow the council to limit campaign contributions, provide for public financing of campaigns and require candidates who take public money to debate. Also, a city ordinance could address voluntary spending limits for candidates.



Vitali said his goal is statewide campaign finance reform, but those efforts have so far proved fruitless. He said he has taken to introducing more limited measures to try to make limited changes.

Accused Lawmaker Not Resigning

On the first day he took his seat in the House of Representatives since his arrest in a fatal hit-and-run case, Rep. Thomas W. Druce said he has no plans to resign.



Druce, who skipped a legislative session two weeks ago, said last week that he planned to remain in the House while facing vehicular homicide and other criminal charges in connection with the July accident.



Druce, a Republican, said the interests of his Bucks County constituents would drive any decision he makes about remaining in the House. He is serving his fourth term and is not seeking reelection.



Druce also said his attorney, Matthew Gover, will challenge some of the charges filed Jan. 19 by Harrisburg police. Druce did not say which specific counts would be disputed and Gover did not immediately return a telephone call for comment.



Druce acknowledged speaking with House Majority Leader John Perzel of Philadelphia about his circumstances in the General Assembly. Perzel said he told Druce he would resign if he were in the same situation as Druce.



Republicans in his district endorsed another candidate for his seat in the April 4 primary after Druce decided not to seek re-election. He said he saw no reason to resign so that someone else could serve the end of the term, which expires at the end of the year.



A resignation by the end of this week would allow Speaker Matthew Ryan to schedule a special election on the date of the April primary.

Panel to Discuss Censure Resolution