As a writer, I focus my efforts on govermental accountability and public finance -- and an occasional baseball piece.
BRETT'S BOOKS
I have had the chance to tell some pretty interesting stories...
Minor Players, Major Dreams, (University of Nebraska Press). This non-fiction book, written as an author signed to a minor league contract, captures the minor league experience and the men who chase big-league dreams in the little show.
Is This Heaven? The Magic Of The Field of Dreams, (Rowman & Littlefield Publishing). This non- fiction book brings to life the continuing pilgrimage to the Field of Dreams movie site where life imitates art and redemption is found in an Iowa cornfield. (2020 update now available)
Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction, (Saint Joseph's University Press). This non-fiction book presents a comprehensive plan to improve government efficiency and effectiveness to enhance Philadelphia and all municipalities.
Philadelphia, Corrupt And Consenting, (Temple University Press). This non-fiction book explores Philadelphia’s struggle with corruption in a larger context and promotes reform policies to end the city’s legacy as “corrupt and contented.”
BRETT'S BLOG
I often have something to say about...
...and when I am disciplined enough to put it into a form that merits distribution, I place it here. Please read, react, and respond if you have any comments.
- How To Use Millions To Make A Better Philadelphia (December 2019)
- Philadelphia's Left Needs To Get Government Right (November 2019)
- Will November 5th be Independents Day? (October 2019)
- Understanding "Corruption" Is An Important Step To Ending "Corruption" (September 2019)
- Philadelphia's Walk On The Wild Side (August 2019)
- Lawbreaking Finance Honchos Cost Philadelphia Millions (July 2019)
- Leadership Is Not A Philadelphia Strength (June 2019)
- Anthony Williams -- To Move Philly Forward (May 2019)
- Candidates Must Offer Plans, Not Excuses (April 2019)
- Get In The Game For The Mayoral Primary (March 2019)
- No Future For Philadelphia History (February 2019)
- Reassess This Mess (January 2019)
- It's Their Prerogative -- Not Ours (December 2018)
- Budget Better: Bet On Budding Efforts (November 2018)
- That Familiar Stink Of Waste And Mismanagement (October 2018)
- Cloudy Forecast For Budgetary Sunshine (September 2018)
- 2019 Mayoral Campaign Kickoff (August 2018)
- Jeremy Nowak In Passing (July 2018)
- Toward A Better June 5 Memorial (June 2018)
- No Calls On Finance Fouls (May 2018)
- Philadelphia Wants Greatness Not Betterness (April 2018)
- We Raise Taxes On A Poor City Because We Run A City Poorly (March 2018)
- School Bored (February 2018)
- Firing Up City Government (January 2018)
- Taxes And Death -- Of Sane Policy Making (December 2017)
- Cautious Steps On Philly Feet Of Clay (November 2017)
- Philadelphia's Pay-To-Sway Culture (October 2017)
- What Could Amazon Deliver For Philadelphia? (September 2017)
- On Race And Place, Philadelphia Must Play By The Rules (August 2017)
- It's Time To Retire Bob Brady's Circus Act (July 2017)
- Soda Debate Taxes Our Patience (June 2017)
- The Darker The Money The Sweeter Its Use? (May 2017)
- For District Attorney... (April 2017)
- Hard To Tell The Reformers From The Hacks (March 2017)
- Make America Politically Direct (February 2017)
- Philly News You Can Youse (January 2017)
- Why Are Some Philly Democrats Celebrating Trump's Election? (December 2016)
- President Trump Could Mean A Great Deal For Cities (November 2016)
- No Parking Scandal (October 2016)
- Change Is Coming To Philadelphia Politics (September 2016)
- A Modest South Philly Parking Proposal (August 2016)
- DNC Stands For "Donors Need Clarity" (July 2016)
- When Is A Bribe Not A Bribe (June 2016)
- It's About Power, Not Soda (May 2016)
- Poor Tax Decisions Make The Poor Pay More In Philadelphia (April 2016)
- Will A Spoonful of Sugar Help the City Budget? (March 2016)
- Bern, Baby, Bern (February 2016)
- Kenney Do It? Yes He Can. (January 2016)
- Mayor Nutter's Final Grades (December 2015)
- PA's New Deal is a Raw Deal (November 2015)
- Independent's Day (October 2015)
- Angry or Jealous? (September 2015)
- A Prayer for Jim Kenney (August 2015)
- Short-Term Campaign, Long-Term Gain (July 2015)
- Holy Water (June 2015)
- The Right Choice For Mayor (May 2015)
- The Wrong Choice For Mayor (April 2015)
- It Was A Dark And Stormy Knight (March 2015)
- Better Said Than Ed (February 2015)
- Still In The Dark (January 2015)
- Domesti-city (December 2014)
- Race-Colored Glasses (November 2014)
- Council Blockage Creates Gas Pains (October 2014)
- "I'm running for mayor" (September 2014)
- Make The Year of the Taney Dragon Last Forever (August 2014)
- Incentivize On The Prize (July 2014)
- Party of... (June 2014)
- Campaign Finance Laws Were Made To Be Broken (May 2014)
- Resign To Run -- Like Hell (April 2014)
- Will The Philadelphia Gas Works Sale Cut The Mustard -- Or The Cheese? (March 2014)
- School Superintendent William Hite's Big But (February 2014)
- It Takes A Commitment To Run A City (January 2014)
- Let The Fire Burn? (December 2013)
- TIFfing Ettiquette (November 2013)
- History Lessens (October 2013)
- Save (All) Our Schools (September 2013)
- Money For Nothing (New) (August 2013)
- Using Actual Values To Move Philadelphia Forward (July 2013)
- School Budget Cuts - A Played-Out Tune (June 2013)
- We Need Tough Fiscal Watch Dogs (December 2012)
- Auditing Delayed Is Accountability Denied (December 2012)
- Be True To Your School (November 2012)
- Tune In, Turn On, Turn Out (November 2012)
- You've Got Questions (October 2012)
- "Gotcha" Games Make Headlines, Not Change (October 2012)
- AVI Could Be As Easy As ABC (October 2012)
- Can Philadelphia Learn From Vacant-Lot Robin Hood? (September 2012)
- We Gotta See It To Believe It (September 2012)
- I'll Take Philadelphia Politics Over National Politics (August 2012)
- Philadelphia -- Maneto (August 2012)
- PICA: Reject City's Spending Plan (August 2012)
- Open Sesame (July 2012)
- Philadelphia's Taxation Without Cessation (July 2012)
- Welcome to Philadelphia, Mr. Superintendent (July 2012)
- The BEST Legislative Body In The Free World (June 2012)
- Why Do It In The Dark? (June 2012)
- The Blind Leading The Blind (May 2012)
- A Whole New Tax Game (May 2012)
- I Offer Counsel For City Council (April 2012)
- Capturing Real Estate Values? Capture This! (April 2012)
- For Marriage Equity: Why Is This Year Different From All Other Years? (April 2012)
- Show Me The Money (March 2012)
- No Tax Increase In 2013? Baloney! (March 2012)
- Philadelphia Could be a Gold Mine of Value (March 2012)
- Budgeting For The Schools We Need (February 2012)
- Taxation Without Cessation (February 2012)
- Mayor Nutter Goes Back To School (January 2012)
- Father Knows Best (Or At Least Better) (January 2012)
- Promises Were Made... (December 2011)
- Call It What You Will -- This Tax Still Stinks (December 2011)
- Are Democrats’ Days in Philadelphia Numbered? (November 2011)
- Missing Money Found, Misled Citizens Defrauded, Misdeeds Go Unpunished (November 2011)
- Free Speech Isn’t Free, But Neither Are City Parades (October 2011)
- City's Still Dodging Property Tax Problem (October 2011)
- Wait 'Til PhillyNext Year! (October 2011)
- "Godfather" Tactics? Just Philadelphia's Political Mob Scene (September 2011)
- City's Assessment More-atorium Is More Of The Same Unfairness (September 2011)
- Pay-To-Play Anonymous (August 2011)
- Drawing Council Lines Is An Exercise In Disrespect (August 2011)
- Solving Philadelphia’s Pension Mess (August 2011)
- Fiscal Oversight Board Should Reject City Financial Plan (July 2011)
- Want A Strong Mayor? Elect One! (July 2011)
- “Temporary” Tax Increase Is Not Temporary; Not Fair (June 2011)
- Secrets of Philly Politics (June 2011)
- Media-driven furor changed City Council (May 2011)
- Tax Cuts Cut? (May 2011)
- Will Council Stop Nutter's Planned Real Estate Tax Hike? (April 2011)
- Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics in the City Budget (March 2011)
- Suing The City To Fix Real Estate Taxation (February 2011)
- The Mayor Says Our Budget Situation Has Stabilized. Can We Believe It? (January 2011)
- Shifty or Nifty? The Proposed Business Privilege Tax Reform (December 2010)
- Testimony On The Business Privilege Tax Shift Proposal (December 2010)
- Show Me The "Full-Monty" Budget (November 2010)
- Web 2.1.5 Is Sticky, Indeed (October 2010)
- PHA -- Out Of Control? (September 2010)
- Don't DROP It (August 2010)
- Want Better Government? Just Ask! (July 2010)
- The Mayor's Trippin' -- Philadelphia Needs More Financial Oversight (June 2010)
- FRAUD — Tentative Budget Deal Is A Sham (May 2010)
- Does Philadelphia Have A Tax-And-Don’t-Spend Mayor? (April 2010)
- Pay More, Get Less? The City Can Budget Better (March 2010)
- Honesty Is The Best Budgetary Policy (February 2010)
- Little Minds, Maybe, But No Consistency In Philly Politics (January 2010)
- Real Estate Taxation Is Now A Real Crime (December 2009)
- Deja Vu All Over Again (December 2009)
- Philadelphia Is Still Waiting For A Mayor Who Will Be A Fighter (November 2009)
- Whatever Happened To Brett Mandel? (November 2009)