Biography

Jonathan A. Saidel is a member with the firm and served as Philadelphia's City Controller for sixteen years (1990-2006), and won re-election most recently in 2001 with 87.5 percent of the vote. He is also a former partner of Saidel, Sand and Saidel (1985-1989) and a former partner of the Saidel and Company accounting firm.

As former City Controller, he won local and national plaudits for reforming and professionalizing the Controller's office, and is lauded for his dedication during that time to fiscal discipline along with his proposals of innovative ideas, which contributed to growth within the city of Philadelphia. His 1999 book, "Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction", continues to be used as a textbook in college level urban studies courses.

Mr. Saidel is a lifelong resident of Northeast Philadelphia, and has been called "a taxpayer's best friend" for his outspoken advocacy in reducing Philadelphia's crushing tax burden in order to spur economic development in every neighborhood and stop the exodus of people and jobs from the city. His work with then-Mayor Rendell in the early 1990s helped return Philadelphia from the brink of bankruptcy and onto sure footing. His groundbreaking audits and proposed government reforms have saved the taxpayers over $500 million since 1990.

Among Mr. Saidel's audits and performance reviews are studies of minority and small business lending programs, health care provision through the City's health clinics, and a visionary plan to rehabilitate Philadelphia's City Hall, an architectural landmark that had fallen into disrepair.

Mr. Saidel also served as an adjunct lecturer at the University Of Pennsylvania Fels Center Of Government from 2000 to 2005 and an adjunct professor at Drexel University's MBA program in 1999 and 2002.