[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 10599] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO JONATHAN A. SAIDEL ______ HON. ROBERT A. BRADY of pennsylvania in the house of representatives Wednesday, June 7, 2006 Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jonathan A. Saidel, former Controller for the City of Philadelphia. Jonathan Saidel served as Philadelphia's City Controller for 16 years, winning reelection most recently in 2001 with 87.5 percent of the vote. As Controller, he has won local and national plaudits for reforming and professionalizing the Controller's office, his dedication to fiscal discipline, and proposing innovative ideas to grow Philadelphia. His 1999 book ``Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction'' continues to be used as a textbook in college level urban studies courses. Jonathan Saidel has been called ``a taxpayer's best friend'' for his outspoken advocacy of reducing Philadelphia's crushing tax burden in order to spur economic development and stop the exodus of people and jobs from the city. His work with then Mayor Edward Rendell in the early 1990's helped return Philadelphia from the brink of bankruptcy. His groundbreaking audits and proposed government reforms have saved the taxpayers over 500 million dollars since 1990. Jonathan Saidel is a great humanitarian involved with political causes and organizations too numerous to mention, serving on the Special Olympics, Boy Scouts, Salvation Army and the Variety Club. He is a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Center of Government and teaches Government Finance as an Adjunct Professor in the MBA Program at Drexel University. Mr. Speaker, Jonathan Saidel has long been recognized for his outstanding community and civic involvement, and it is for these reasons that I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues rise to honor him. ____________________