Councilman Rizzo Faces Court Challenge To Re-election Effort; ‘DROP’ Pension At Issue

(Philadelphia city councilman Frank Rizzo Jr. File photo)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A Philadelphia GOP ward leader has gone to court, trying to get longtime city councilman Frank Rizzo thrown off the primary ballot.

At issue: Rizzo’s enrollment in the lump sum city pension payout known as “DROP.”

Republican ward leader Matthew Wolfe argues that because Councilman Rizzo is signed up for DROP he has committed himself to retiring at the end of his term and to not seeking re-election.

“The law requires an elected official, including a city councilman, to make an irrevocable commitment to separate from city service and retire. It’s very simple,” says Wolfe, who has now gone to court to get Rizzo dropped from the ballot for the May 17th primary.

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