| Notes |
United Transit also retained Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, Gov. Rendell’s former law firm, and hired Al Mezzaroba, president of the Convention Center, to offer advice about doing business in Philadelphia. Mezzaroba is a former top aide to City Council President Anna C. Verna. He also has a regular halibut- and salmon-fishing partner in Pasquale “Pat” Deon, the SEPTA board chairman.
Deon acknowledged the lobbying effort, but said lobbying efforts were undertaken by all the competing firms. He and other SEPTA board members said they were confident that the problems with the Market-Frankford El cars, purchased in the 1993 contract, would not be repeated by United Transit. |