1. A personal plea by Governor Ed Rendell before the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee did not sway legislators. They immediately defeated 2 bills to control guns. What's next on this life-and-death issue for residents living in big cities who are afraid to go outside?
2. Camden, New Jersey is named the 5th most dangerous city in the U.S. with Philadelphia listed as 21st. Are lists like this from the FBI unfair? Should surveyors list zip codes or regions instead of painting a city in all one color? Or is it killing the messenger?
3. Philadelphia city councilwoman Joan Krajewski is planning to retire for a day, and then resume her job, all to collect $300,000 in retirement benefits now. Should this loophole in the DROP program be plugged? Are elected officials taking advantage of an already strapped pension fund?
4. It's a 3rd term in office for city councilman Jack Kelly after a tight race with challenger David Oh. Is it the last we hear from Oh? What can we learn from this tough election?
5. Is New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine the Grinch for canceling the Black Friday holiday for his 80,000 state workers? Some say everyday folks deserve the 4-day weekend with their families and shouldn't have to use a personal day for it. Others say the state is too financially strapped NOT to take back the holiday. We'll debate it.
6. Philadelphia Mayor John Street is officiating at a same sex union at City Hall for the first time in his career -- quite a turnaround for a politician who opposed the domestic partnership ordinance. We'll talk about how the switch happened and what it means.
7. Pennsylvania's student loan agency, PHEAA, was reportedly overpaid $35 million by Uncle Sam, and the feds want their money back. Should the state cough it up? Why didn't Nebraska have to make a similar refund?
Our Insiders this week were:
Former Judge Nelson Diaz, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs leader Sharmain Matlock-Turner, Temple Law professor Jan Ting, and Foreign Policy Analyst Ed Turzanski.
I hope you'll join us every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. for Inside Story on 6abc.
